The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the qualification rules for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to be held in Pakistan.
One significant change is that Pakistan, being the host nation, will be the eighth team in the event. The other seven teams will come from the current ODI World Cup in India.
It’s interesting to note that the format of the tournament will follow the previous editions, with two groups of four, semi-finals, and a final.
As a result of this rule, countries like Ireland, Zimbabwe, and the West Indies won’t be part of the competition because they weren’t selected for the 2023 ODI World Cup. This could mean that even England, the current ODI and T20 World Cup champions, might not qualify for the Champions Trophy based on their current standings.
