ICC Champions Trophy: The Year India Won & Historic Triumphs

1. Wills International Cup 1998

For the inaugural ICC Champions Trophy in 1998, India, led by Mohammad Azharuddin, faced Australia in the third quarterfinal in Dhaka. Batting first, India scored 307/8 in 50 overs, powered by Sachin Tendulkar's majestic 141 off 128 balls, including 13 fours and 3 sixes. Ajay Jadeja added a brisk 71 off 65, while Rahul Dravid contributed 48. Michael Kasprowicz led Australia’s bowling with 3/71.

(India’s journey in Wills International Cup 1998)

In reply, Australia started well, with Mark Waugh scoring 74 off 79 and Ricky Ponting adding 41. However, Sachin Tendulkar shone with the ball, taking 4/38 in 9.1 overs, including key wickets of Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan. Javagal Srinath chipped in with 2/36. Australia was bowled out for 263 in 48.1 overs, handing India a 44-run win and a spot in the semifinals.

In the Semi-Finals game of the 1998 ICC Wills International Cup at Dhaka, India batted first and scored 242/6 in 50 overs. Sourav Ganguly anchored the innings with 83 off 116 balls, supported by Robin Singh's unbeaten 73 off 63. Mervyn Dillon impressed with 3/38, while Carl Hooper and Rawl Lewis took a wicket each. Chasing 243, West Indies reached the target in 47 overs, scoring 245/4 to win by six wickets.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul starred with 74 off 74, and Brian Lara contributed a composed 60* off 89. Philo Wallace added 39 off 45, while Keith Arthurton remained unbeaten on 40. Sachin Tendulkar shone with the ball, claiming 2/29 in 10 overs. This win allowed West Indies to progress to the Finals while India was knocked out of the tournament.

2. ICC KnockOut 2000

After being knocked out in the Semi-Finals of the Wills International Cup in 1998, India made another determined attempt in the ICC KnockOut 2000 under Sourav Ganguly, who was captaining the team in an ICC tournament for the first time.

(India’s journey in ICC KnockOut 2000)

In the Quarter-Finals against Australia, India posted 265/9 in 50 overs. Yuvraj Singh, making his debut in an ICC tournament, starred with a stunning 84 off 80 balls, featuring 12 boundaries. Contributions from Sachin Tendulkar (38) and Vinod Kambli (29) bolstered the innings, while Brett Lee claimed 2/39 for Australia. In reply, Australia's chase faltered despite Ricky Ponting's 46 and Michael Bevan's 42, as disciplined bowling by Zaheer Khan (2/40) and Ajit Agarkar (2/59) restricted them to 245 in 46.4 overs. India won by 20 runs, with Yuvraj Singh awarded Player of the Match for his brilliant all-round display.

After qualifying for the Semi-Finals, India delivered a commanding performance against South Africa in the ICC KnockOut 2000. Batting first, Sourav Ganguly’s unbeaten 141 off 142 balls, supported by Rahul Dravid’s 58 and Yuvraj Singh’s 41, propelled India to a competitive 295/6. South Africa faltered in their chase, folding for 200 in 41 overs despite Mark Boucher’s 60. Anil Kumble and Zaheer Khan shone with two wickets each. India’s all-round display secured a 95-run victory and a place in the final.

(Indian Team during the ICC KnockOut 2000)

For the Finals game of the ICC KnockOut 2000, India posted a total of 264/6 in 50 overs, largely thanks to Sourav Ganguly's 117 and Sachin Tendulkar's 69. New Zealand chased down the target, reaching 265/6 in 49.4 overs, with Chris Cairns top-scoring with 102* and Chris Harris contributing 46. Despite a strong start by India, New Zealand won by 4 wickets, with Cairns named Player of the Match for his match-winning innings.

3. ICC Champions Trophy 2002

In the ICC Champions Trophy 2002, the Indian cricket team was given another chance to get hands on the title under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly and this time, the team succeeded in becoming the shared Champions along with the Sri Lankan team.

(India’s journey in ICC Champions Trophy 2002)

The first league match of the tournament saw India face Zimbabwe in the ICC Champions Trophy on September 14, 2002, in Colombo. India posted a total of 288/6, with Mohammad Kaif leading the charge with an unbeaten 111 off 112 balls. Zimbabwe, chasing a target of 289, were restricted to 274/8, despite a heroic 145 from Andy Flower. India won by 14 runs, with Kaif being named Player of the Match for his match-winning innings.

In the next match of the tournament, India defeated England by 8 wickets with 63 balls to spare in the ICC Champions Trophy and qualify for the Semi-Finals. England set a target of 270, finishing with 269/7 in their 50 overs. India comfortably chased it down, reaching 271/2 in 39.3 overs. Virender Sehwag was the standout performer, scoring 126 off 104 balls, supported by Sourav Ganguly's 117*.

(India and Sri Lanka were declared as the joint winners of the ICC Champions Trophy 2002)

The Semi-Finals game between India and South Africa took place on September 25, 2002, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, during the ICC Champions Trophy. India set a target of 262 runs, finishing with 261/9. Virender Sehwag was the standout performer, scoring 59 runs and taking 3 wickets. South Africa’s Herschelle Gibbs top-scored with 116*, but they fell short, managing 251/6. India won by 10 runs and advanced to the Finals.

The Finals of the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy between Sri Lanka and India ended with no result due to weather conditions. Sri Lanka batted first, posting 244/5 in their 50 overs, with key contributions from Sanath Jayasuriya (74) and Kumar Sangakkara (54). India, chasing a revised target of 245, had reached 14/0 in 2 overs when rain interrupted play, leaving the match unfinished. Both the teams were declared as the shared winners of the ICC Champions Trophy 2002.

4. ICC Champions Trophy 2004

After winning the ICC Champions Trophy in 2002, India again began their journey in 2004 as the defending champions of the tournament. The team was again playing under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly who was captaining his third ICC Champions Trophy event as they were placed in Group C alongside Kenya and Pakistan.

(India’s journey in ICC Champions Trophy 2004)

India began their ICC Champions Trophy 2004 with a win against Kenya by 98 runs. India posted 290/4 in their 50 overs, with Sourav Ganguly scoring 90 and VVS Laxman contributing 79. In response, Kenya could only manage 192/7, with Morris Ouma top-scoring with 49. Harbhajan Singh was the standout bowler for India, taking 3 wickets. Ganguly was named Player of the Match for his all-round performance, including his knock and two catches.

(India playing against Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2004)

To qualify for the Semi-Finals, India needed a win in their ICC Champions Trophy match against Pakistan on September 19, 2004, at Birmingham. Batting first, India managed to score 200 runs, with Rahul Dravid's 67 and Ajit Agarkar's 47 being the key contributions. Pakistan chased down the target of 201 runs, winning by 3 wickets with Mohammad Yousuf's unbeaten 81 and Shahid Afridi's late cameo of 25 from 12 balls, securing their victory in 49.2 overs and thus knocking out the Indian team.

5. ICC Champions Trophy 2006

For the ICC Champions Trophy 2006, India announced Rahul Dravid as their captain of the tournament and the team was now looking to repeat the heroics of the ICC Champions Trophy 2002 as they were placed in the Group A along with Australia, West Indies and England.

(India’s journey in ICC Champions Trophy 2006)

India started off their journey in the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 with a win, defeating England by 4 wickets in Jaipur. England, batting first, posted a modest 125 in 37 overs, with Munaf Patel taking 3 wickets for 18 runs. India chased down the target with 126/6 in 29.3 overs, led by Sachin Tendulkar's 35 runs. The match saw key contributions from Irfan Pathan and Yuvraj Singh, with Munaf Patel being named Player of the Match for his outstanding bowling performance.

The second match of the Indian team was against West Indies in the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy. India posted 223/9, with MS Dhoni top-scoring with 51 runs. West Indies chased down the target with 224/7, securing a three-wicket victory with two balls remaining. Shivnarine Chanderpaul played a key role in the chase, scoring 51 runs. Despite strong performances from Dravid and Dhoni, India fell short, and West Indies won the match, with Chanderpaul being named Player of the Match.

(Rahul Dravid and Ricky Ponting at the toss for the match between India and Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy 2006)

Against Australia in the last League match, India needed a win to stay alive in the tournament but fell short. Batting first, India posted 249/8, with Virender Sehwag top-scoring with 65 runs. Australia successfully chased down the target of 250, reaching 252/4 in 45.4 overs. Damien Martyn's unbeaten 73 played a key role in Australia's victory, as they won by 6 wickets with 26 balls to spare and the Indian team was again knocked out in the League stage of the tournament.

6. ICC Champions Trophy 2009

After being unable to go through the League Stage of the tournament, MS Dhoni was given a new team for the ICC Champions Trophy 2009 as the Indian team was placed in the Group A along with some tough competitors such as Australia, Pakistan and the West Indies team.

(India’s journey in ICC Champions Trophy 2009)

The first game of the ICC Champions Trophy 2009 for the Indian team was against Pakistan, held at Centurion on September 26. Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat, posting 302/9 in 50 overs. Shoaib Malik was the star with a brilliant 128 off 126 balls. In response, India managed 248/10 in 44.5 overs, with Gautam Gambhir top-scoring with 57. Pakistan won by 54 runs, with Mohammad Amir and Shahid Afridi contributing with the ball.

After losing the first game against Pakistan, India were desperate for a win in the ICC Champions Trophy 2009. In their match against Australia at Centurion, the game was interrupted by rain and ultimately ended in a no result. Australia had posted 234/4 in 42.3 overs, with strong performances from Tim Paine (56), Ricky Ponting (65), and Michael Hussey (67). India's bowlers, including Ashish Nehra and Ishant Sharma, failed to make significant breakthroughs.

(Shahid Afridi celebrates after dismissing an Indian batsman in the ICC Champions Trophy 2009)

In the final League Stage match of the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, India defeated West Indies by 7 wickets, chasing down a target of 130 in just 32.1 overs. West Indies were bowled out for 129 in 36 overs, with Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, and Harbhajan Singh taking key wickets. Virat Kohli was the star performer, scoring an unbeaten 79, and guiding India to victory. The match ended with India accumulating 130/3, securing 2 points for the win, but with just a total of 3 points to their name, they failed to make it to the Semi-Finals.

7. ICC Champions Trophy 2013

For the ICC Champions Trophy, MS Dhoni got another chance to lead the team in the ICC Tournament and he finally got the desired result by winning the ICC Champions Trophy. The Indian team was placed in Group B along with Pakistan, West Indies and the South African team.

(India’s journey in ICC Champions Trophy 2013)

India began their 2013 ICC Champions Trophy campaign with a 26-run victory over South Africa in the first match of Group B at Cardiff. India posted 331/7, powered by Shikhar Dhawan's 114 and Rohit Sharma's 65. South Africa, chasing 332, managed 305 all out. Key contributions came from Robin Peterson (68) and AB de Villiers (70). Despite resistance, India's bowlers, led by Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, held South Africa to win the match.

After winning the first game, India continued their strong performance in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy by defeating West Indies in the 6th match at The Oval. West Indies posted 233/9, with Ravindra Jadeja taking 5 wickets for 36 runs. In reply, India comfortably chased down the target, scoring 236/2 in 39.1 overs. Shikhar Dhawan’s unbeaten 102 and Rohit Sharma’s 52 led the chase, with India winning by 8 wickets, securing a place in the semi-finals.

(Indian Team with the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 Title)

The last league match saw India dominate Pakistan in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. Pakistan batted first and posted 165 all out in 39.4 overs, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja taking key wickets. India set a target of 102 runs from 22 overs due to rain, chased it down comfortably in 19.1 overs, losing just two wickets. Shikhar Dhawan top-scored with 48, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar was named Player of the Match.

For the Semi-Finals of the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, India defeated Sri Lanka by 8 wickets with 90 balls to spare. Sri Lanka posted 181/8 in their 50 overs, with Angelo Mathews contributing 51 runs. India chased down the target comfortably, reaching 182/2 in 35 overs. Shikhar Dhawan top-scored with 68, while Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 58. Ishant Sharma was named Player of the Match for his impressive 3/33.

In the Finals of the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, India triumphed over Sri Lanka by 8 wickets, chasing down a target of 182 with 90 balls to spare. Sri Lanka managed just 181/8, with Mathews scoring 51. India comfortably reached 182/2, with Dhawan contributing 68 and Kohli remaining not out on 58. Ishant Sharma was named Player of the Match for his 3/33. This victory answered the question of when India won the Champions Trophy and it was on June 23, 2013.

8. ICC Champions Trophy 2017

For the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, India entered as the defending champions and this time, Virat Kohli was captaining the Indian team as they were placed in the Group B along with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and South Africa.

(India’s journey in ICC Champions Trophy 2017)

India started their tournament in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy with a dominant 124-run victory over Pakistan, using the D/L method. India posted a strong total of 319/3 in 48 overs, with key contributions from Rohit Sharma (91), Shikhar Dhawan (68), Virat Kohli (81), and Yuvraj Singh (53). Pakistan, chasing a revised target of 289, was bowled out for 164 in 33.4 overs. Yuvraj Singh was named Player of the Match for his explosive batting performance.

The second match of the ICC Champions Trophy Group B saw Sri Lanka chase down India's formidable 321/6 with seven wickets in hand and eight balls to spare. Shikhar Dhawan's brilliant 125 and MS Dhoni's quickfire 63 powered India, while Sri Lanka's Danushka Gunathilaka (76) and Kusal Mendis (89) led a record chase. Angelo Mathews' unbeaten 52 and Asela Gunaratne's 34 sealed the victory.

(India defeated Bangladesh in the Semi-Finals of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy)

To get to the Semi-Finals, India needed a win and achieved it convincingly by defeating South Africa by 8 wickets in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017. South Africa was bowled out for 191 in 44.3 overs, with Jasprit Bumrah claiming 2/28 and excellent fielding leading to three run-outs. India's top order shone, as Shikhar Dhawan scored 78 and Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 76, steering the team to 193/2 in 38 overs.

The big stage of the Semi-Finals saw India dominate Bangladesh in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy at Edgbaston. Bangladesh posted 264/7, led by Tamim Iqbal's 70 and Mushfiqur Rahim's 61, while Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar took two wickets each. In reply, India chased down the target effortlessly, with Rohit Sharma's unbeaten 123 and Virat Kohli's 96*, securing a nine-wicket victory in 40.1 overs.

For the Finals of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, Pakistan defeated India by a commanding 180 runs at The Oval. Fakhar Zaman's stellar 114 off 106 balls and Mohammad Hafeez's quickfire 57* powered Pakistan to 338/4. India's chase faltered early, with Mohammad Amir dismantling the top order, including Kohli, leaving them at 158 all out in 30.3 overs.