Cricket is more than a sport for many people. If you visit the Indian subcontinent, you will find a craze for the game. People here love this sport, and it was a part of people’s daily discussion as well. The ICC Champions Trophy is one of the most exciting cricket tournaments in the world. It features the best cricket teams, nail-biting matches, and top players competing to win it. As we are seeing a more popularity of T20 cricket nowadays, and their are many multination cups like Asia cup, etc some versions are played in T20 format as well, that makes fans confuse. Here, we will let you know about the tournament format, the number of overs in each match, innings, and other important details to know about the tournament.
What is the ICC Champions Trophy?
The ICC Champions Trophy is an international cricket tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It is a prestigious event where the top cricketing nations compete against each other. Unlike the Cricket World Cup, the Champions Trophy has fewer teams and matches, making it a fast-paced and exciting competition.
How Many Overs Are Played in the Champions Trophy?
The Champions Trophy follows the One Day International (ODI) format. This means that each match is played with 50 overs per side. In an ODI match, each team gets to bat for a maximum of 50 overs unless they are all out before reaching this limit.
- Just like the normal rules, each over consists of 6 balls.
- In ODI format, each team can bat for a maximum of 50 overs in their innings.
- In a full ODI match, a total of 100 overs are played.
If rain or other conditions affect the game, the number of overs can be reduced using the Duckworth-Lewis method. With this DLS method, an ODI game can get reduced up to 20 over each side.
Tournament Format of the Champions Trophy
The Champions Trophy has a structured format that includes group stage matches, semi-finals, and the final. Here’s how it works:
Group Stage
- For the ICC CT 2025 editions 8 teams are divided into groups.
- Each team plays against the other teams in their group.
- The top teams from each group qualify for the knockout stage.
ICC CT 2025: Group A Points Table
| Team | Mat. | Won | Lost | NR | Points | NRR |
| India (Q) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.715 |
| New Zealand (Q) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.267 |
| Bangladesh | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | -0.443 |
| Pakistan | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | -1.087 |
ICC CT 2025: Group B Points Table
| Team | Mat. | Won | Lost | NR | Points | NRR |
| South Africa (Q) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2.395 |
| Australia (Q) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.475 |
| Afghanistan | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -0.99 |
| England | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -1.159 |
Semi-Finals
- The top two teams from the group stage move to the semi-finals.
- The winners of the semi-finals advance to the final match.
| Date | Day | Match | Venue | Time (GMT) | Time (Local) |
| Mar 04, 2025 | Tue | India vs Australia (1st Semi-Final) | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 09:00 AM GMT | 01:00 PM LOCAL |
| Mar 05, 2025 | Wed | South Africa vs New Zealand (2nd Semi-Final,) | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore | 09:00 AM GMT | 02:00 PM LOCAL |
Final Match
- The two best teams compete for the Champions Trophy title.
- The match is a 50-over ODI game.
- The team that scores more runs wins the trophy.
What Happens If Rain Affects a Match?
Whether you play ODI, or T20 format, rules for rain-affected games are the same. In an ODI game, the game can be reduced to the maximum of 20 overs, target revision, and so on things can be done by the DLS method. In T20 games, rules are same as for DLS and they can reduce the maximum of 5 over each side. When DLS works comes into the play:
- If rain delays the match, the number of overs might be less.
- The team batting second may get a new target to chase.
- If the match cannot continue, it might be played on another day or end in a draw.
Why is the Champions Trophy Popular?
The ICC Champions Trophy is loved by fans for many reasons:
- Shorter and exciting: Unlike the World Cup, the Champions Trophy has fewer matches, making it a thrilling event.
- Best teams competing: Only the top teams in the world participate, ensuring high-quality cricket.
- Faster results: Since it has fewer teams, the tournament finishes quickly.
