The ongoing ODI World Cup in India has taken an unexpected turn, as the top seven teams at the end of the league stage will earn qualifications for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Pakistan, as the host nation, will make up the eighth team in the prestigious eight-team event. This development, revealed by an ICC spokesperson, comes as a surprise to many boards whose teams are part of the World Cup and others who failed to qualify.
The revival of the ICC Champions Trophy was officially approved by the ICC Board in 2021 as one of the eight men’s global tournaments slated for the 2024-2031 cycle. The format for the 2025 event is set to follow previous editions, featuring two groups of four teams, semi-finals, and a final.
ODI World Cup Holds Key to Champions Trophy
For the 2013 and 2017 editions of the Champions Trophy, the top eight teams in the ODI rankings qualified for the tournament. Notably, the decision to allow the top seven teams at the 2023 ODI World Cup to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy was initially proposed by the ICC’s chief executives committee and subsequently ratified by the ICC Board.
Full Member boards confirmed that the qualification pathways for all the ICC events were discussed and agreed upon during the 2021 ICC meetings. In addition to the Champions Trophy, the 2027 men’s ODI World Cup qualification process was outlined, involving South Africa, and Zimbabwe, the eight highest-ranked teams as of March 31, 2027, and four additional teams through global qualifier tournaments.
Bangladesh Captain Highlights the Importance
Bangladesh’s captain, Shakib Al Hasan, recently emphasized the significance of securing a top-eight ranking. With Bangladesh’s semi-final hopes diminishing, Shakib stressed the importance of finishing in the top rankings to secure a place in the 2025 Champions Trophy. The road to this prestigious tournament adds an extra layer of competition and motivation to the current ODI World Cup.
The revelation that the top seven teams in the 2023 ODI World Cup will earn berths for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy adds a new layer of excitement and competition to the ongoing tournament. With host Pakistan making it an eight-team event, the path to the next Champions Trophy is becoming clearer, providing additional motivation for teams in the current ODI World Cup.
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