When Did Australia Win the ICC Champions Trophy?

1. Wills International Cup 1998

In 1998, the ICC launched the inaugural edition of the ICC Champions Trophy, initially called the Wills International Cup. Australia, led by Steve Waugh, faced India in the 3rd quarter-final in Dhaka on October 28, 1998. Opting to field first, Australia faced a daunting Indian batting lineup anchored by the brilliance of Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar delivered a masterclass, scoring 141 runs off 128 balls, including 13 fours and sixes, at a strike rate of 110.15.

(Australia’s journey in Wills International Cup 1998)

His innings, combined with Ajay Jadeja’s rapid 71 off 65 balls and Rahul Dravid’s composed 48 off 80 balls, propelled India to a formidable 307/8 in 50 overs. Tendulkar also contributed to India’s total by securing four crucial wickets. Michael Kasprowicz claimed three wickets for Australia but conceded 71 runs in his nine overs. Chasing 308, Australia started strongly, with Mark Waugh scoring a fluent 74 off 79 balls. Ricky Ponting (41 off 53) and Adam Gilchrist (25 off 26) offered support.

(Australia lost by 44 runs against India in the Wills International Cup 1998)

However, the Indian bowlers, particularly Tendulkar, dismantled the Australian middle order. Tendulkar’s 4/38 in 9.1 overs, along with Srinath’s economical 2/36, restricted Australia to 263 in 48.1 overs. India triumphed by 44 runs, advancing to the semi-finals. Tendulkar was deservedly named Player of the Match for his remarkable all-round performance. With this loss, Australia was knocked out of the tournament and hence ended their tournament in the Quarter-Finals stage.

2. ICC KnockOut 2000

After the success of the tournament in 1998, the ICC Champions Trophy returned as the ICC KnockOut 2000, with Australia led by Steve Waugh. In the first quarter-final in Nairobi, Australia faced India, aiming to avenge their 1998 defeat. India, batting first, posted a competitive 265/9 in their allotted 50 overs. The highlight of the innings was 18-year-old Yuvraj Singh, who made a stunning debut, scoring 84 runs off 80 balls, including 12 boundaries.

(Australia’s journey in ICC Knockout 2000)

Contributions from Sachin Tendulkar (38 off 37) and Vinod Kambli (29 off 40) also bolstered India’s total. Australia’s bowlers had mixed performances, with Brett Lee (2/39) and Shane Lee (2/31) being the pick of the attack, while Glenn McGrath went wicketless, conceding 61 runs. Chasing 266 in a revised 48-over target due to a slow over rate penalty, Australia began well with Adam Gilchrist’s brisk 33 off 23 balls. However, regular wickets pegged them back.

Ricky Ponting (46 off 59) and Michael Bevan (42 off 52) steadied the innings, but neither could capitalize on their starts. A late surge from Brett Lee (31 off 28) was not enough as Australia were bowled out for 245 in 46.4 overs, falling short by 20 runs. India’s bowlers were clinical, with Zaheer Khan (2/40), Venkatesh Prasad (2/43), and Ajit Agarkar (2/59) taking crucial wickets. With this win, India qualified for the next round while the Australian team was again knocked out in the Quarter-Finals.

3. ICC Champions Trophy 2002

The ICC Champions Trophy 2002 adopted a group-stage format, placing Australia in Pool 1 alongside New Zealand and Bangladesh. Under Ricky Ponting's captaincy, Australia dominated their group matches to secure a semi-final spot.

(Australia’s journey in ICC Champions Trophy 2002)

In their opening game against New Zealand at the Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo, Australia opted to bat first and posted a commanding 296/7. Damien Martyn anchored the innings with a solid 73 off 87 balls, supported by Adam Gilchrist (44) and Matthew Hayden (43). Glenn McGrath was sensational with the ball, claiming 5/37 as New Zealand crumbled for just 132. Australia clinched a massive 164-run win.

In their next match, Australia faced Bangladesh, bowling first and dismissing them for a paltry 129. Jason Gillespie (3/20) and Brett Lee (2/23) led the bowling attack, while Alok Kapali 45 offered brief resistance. Chasing a modest target, Gilchrist’s brisk 54 and Hayden’s unbeaten 67 ensured a comfortable 9-wicket victory in just 20.4 overs.

Advancing to the semi-finals, Australia faced Sri Lanka but fell short in a low-scoring encounter. Batting first, Australia struggled against Sri Lanka’s disciplined bowling, being bundled out for 162. Shane Warne top-scored with 36, highlighting their batting woes. In reply, Sri Lanka chased the target effortlessly, reaching 163/3 in 40 overs to seal a 7-wicket win. Australia’s journey ended in the semi-finals, with Sri Lanka advancing to face India in the final of the thrilling tournament.

4. ICC Champions Trophy 2004

After securing a semi-final berth in the ICC Champions Trophy 2004, Australia carried forward their momentum from Pool A, where they dominated New Zealand and the USA in the League stage of the tournament.

(Australia’s journey in ICC Champions Trophy 2004)

Against the USA, Australia showcased their bowling might by dismissing the opposition for just 65 runs in 24 overs, with Michael Kasprowicz and Jason Gillespie sharing four wickets apiece. The chase was a mere formality, as Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden powered Australia to a 9-wicket victory in just 7.5 overs.

Facing New Zealand in their next game, Australia again impressed with the ball, restricting the Kiwis to 198/9. Glenn McGrath and Kasprowicz starred with three wickets each, while Brendon McCullum top-scored for New Zealand with 47. In response, Andrew Symonds’ explosive 71* off 47 balls and Damien Martyn’s steady 60* guided Australia to a comfortable 7-wicket win with 76 balls to spare, securing a semi-final spot.

(Australia playing against the United States of America in ICC Champions Trophy 2004)

In the semi-final against England at Birmingham, Australia posted 259/9, with Damien Martyn anchoring the innings with 65 off 91 balls. Darren Lehmann (38) and Michael Clarke (42) provided crucial contributions, but England’s disciplined bowling, led by Darren Gough (3/48) and Michael Vaughan (2/42), kept the target manageable. England’s chase was powered by Marcus Trescothick (81 off 88) and Vaughan’s captain’s knock of 86. Andrew Strauss finished the game with a quickfire 52*, guiding England to victory by six wickets with 21 balls to spare. Vaughan’s all-round performance earned him the Player of the Match award, as England advanced to the final, leaving Australia short of glory.

5. ICC Champions Trophy 2006

After being knocked out of the Semi-Finals twice in the last two times, Australia now looked to take one more step ahead. They were again placed in the Group A with the teams such as West Indies, India and England.

(Australia’s journey in ICC Champions Trophy 2006)

In a thrilling encounter at the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, West Indies defeated Australia by 10 runs at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. Opting to bat first, the West Indies posted 234/6, led by an unbeaten 90 off 103 balls from Player of the Match Runako Morton and a crucial 71 from Brian Lara. Australia’s chase faltered despite Adam Gilchrist's valiant 92 off 120 balls and Michael Clarke’s steady 47. Jerome Taylor’s 4/49 and Ian Bradshaw’s 2/38 proved decisive, as Australia managed 224/9 in their 50 overs. The win earned West Indies crucial points in the Group A standings.

In the second match of the tournament, Australia defeated England by six wickets in Jaipur during the ICC Champions Trophy 2006. England managed 169 in 45 overs, with Andrew Strauss scoring 56. Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson took three wickets each. Australia chased the target, reaching 170/4 in 36.5 overs, led by Damien Martyn’s 78 and Michael Hussey’s unbeaten 32, securing victory comfortably.

(Australian team with the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy)

The third match saw Australia win by 6 wickets against India in the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy and qualify for the Semi-Finals. India posted 249/8 in 50 overs, with Sehwag scoring 65 and Dravid 52. Australia chased down 250, reaching 252/4 in 45.4 overs. Martyn remained unbeaten on 73, and Ponting contributed 58. India’s bowlers were led by Sreesanth with 2 wickets.

In the Semi-Finals of the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy, Australia defeated New Zealand by 34 runs. Australia posted 240/9, with Andrew Symonds' 58 and Ricky Ponting’s 58 leading the charge. New Zealand fell short, reaching only 206, despite Daniel Vettori's resilient 79. Glenn McGrath was the standout bowler, taking 3/22 and earning Player of the Match honours.

Coming to the Finals, Australia defeated West Indies by 8 wickets in a rain-affected ICC Champions Trophy 2006 match at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. West Indies posted 138 all out, with Shane Watson taking 2 wickets for 11 runs. Australia successfully chased the revised target of 116 in 28.1 overs, with Watson's 57* and Damien Martyn's 47* leading them to victory and their first ICC Champions Trophy title.

6. ICC Champions Trophy 2009

Now for the ICC Champions Trophy 2009, Australia were the defending champions and they were placed in the Group A along with Pakistan, India and West Indies as they again made it big in the tournament.

(Australia’s journey in ICC Champions Trophy 2009)

In their first match of the tournament, Australia won by 50 runs against the West Indies in the ICC Champions Trophy. Australia posted 275/8, with Mitchell Johnson scoring an unbeaten 73 off 47 balls. West Indies could only manage 225 all out in 46.5 overs, with Andre Fletcher top-scoring with 54. Mitchell Johnson was named Player of the Match.

The second match of Group A in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy between Australia and India at Centurion was a washout. Australia posted a strong total of 234/4 in 42.3 overs, with notable contributions from Tim Paine (56), Ricky Ponting (65), and Michael Hussey (67). The rain prevented further play, resulting in no result.

(Australian players holding the ICC Champions Trophy 2013)

In the third match of the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, Australia chased down Pakistan's total of 205/6 with just 2 wickets remaining, winning by 2 wickets. Michael Hussey was the standout performer for Australia, scoring 64 runs off 87 balls. Despite a strong bowling effort from Pakistan, Australia managed to secure the victory with 206/8 in 49.5 overs and qualified for the Semi-Finals.

The Semi-Finals of the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy saw Australia dominate England. England batted first and posted 257 all out, with Tim Bresnan scoring 80. Australia chased down the target comfortably in 41.5 overs, led by Shane Watson’s unbeaten 136 and Ricky Ponting’s 111*, winning by 9 wickets with 49 balls to spare.

For the Finals of the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, Australia defeated New Zealand by 6 wickets, chasing down a target of 201 runs with 28 balls to spare. Shane Watson was the star with an unbeaten 105, while Kyle Mills took 3 wickets for New Zealand. Australia’s win was driven by solid batting and effective bowling and they were able to defend their title.

7. ICC Champions Trophy 2013

After defending their title in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy, Australia looked to make it three in a row and were placed in Group A along with teams like England, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand.

(Australia’s journey in ICC Champions Trophy 2013)

The first match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 saw Australia face England at Birmingham. England batted first and posted a total of 269/6, thanks to Ian Bell’s 91. Australia struggled in the chase, with only George Bailey’s 55 standing out. Despite a late flurry from James Faulkner, Australia was bowled out for 221, giving England a 48-run victory.

After losing the first match, Australia faced New Zealand in the 7th match of Group A in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. Australia posted 243/8 in 50 overs, with Adam Voges top-scoring 71. New Zealand, chasing a target of 244, managed just 51/2 in 15 overs before rain interrupted, leading to a no result and points split.

(Australia playing against Sri Lanka in the ICC Champions Trophy 2013)

For the 3rd match, Australia needed a win to qualify for the next round of the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. However, Sri Lanka set a target of 254, thanks to a stellar 84* from Mahela Jayawardene. Australia struggled to chase the total, with key wickets falling early. Despite a late effort from Adam Voges (49) and Clint McKay (30), Australia fell short, ending at 233/10, losing by 20 runs. Sri Lanka won the match, securing crucial points for their progression while the Australian team was knocked out of the tournament with 0 wins from the 3 games played.

8. ICC Champions Trophy 2017

After a disappointing tournament in 2013, Australia was looking to get something special under the captaincy of Steven Smith in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, as they were placed in Group A along with New Zealand, England, and Bangladesh.

(Australia’s journey in ICC Champions Trophy 2017)

The match against New Zealand at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on June 2, 2017, was heavily impacted by rain, leading to a no-result outcome. New Zealand batted first, scoring 291/10 in 45 overs, with Kane Williamson top-scoring with 100 off 97 balls. Australia, chasing a revised target of 235 runs in 33 overs, was 53/3 after 9 overs, with the batsmen unable to finish the match and the points were shared.

(Australia playing against Bangladesh in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017)

Just like the first match, in the second match too, the game was affected by rain, leading to a no-result. Bangladesh batted first, posting a total of 182 all out in 44.3 overs, with Tamim Iqbal top-scoring with 95. Australia, chasing a revised target of 183, reached 83/1 in 16 overs, with David Warner unbeaten on 40. Despite efforts, the match could not be completed due to the weather.

After two washouts in the first two matches, Australia needed a win to stay alive in the tournament but fell short against England in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy. Australia posted 277/9, with Travis Head top-scoring at 71. England chased down 201 from 40.2 overs, with Ben Stokes leading the way with an unbeaten 102. England won by 40 runs via the D/L method, securing their place in the semifinals while the Australian team was knocked out of the tournament, with no wins from the 3 games that they played.