Champions Trophy 1998
Champions Trophy came into being in the year 1998, as ICC KnockOut Trophy (officially known as Wills International Cup). It was the second tournament in the world, other than the World Cup, to include all the test playing nations in its participating teams. A One Day International (ODI) cricket tournament, it was envisaged to have the aim of raising funds for the progress of cricket in the non-Test playing countries across the globe.
ICC Champions Trophy 1998 (as it is known at present) was a short cricket tournament, planned as a Knock Out tournament. The basic idea behind this was to make it short as well as interesting, while also ensuring that it did not, in any way, result in diminished value and importance of the World Cup. Since the tournament involved all the full members of the ICC, it later came to known as Mini-World Cup.
The venue of 1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy was decided to be Bangladesh, so as to promote the game in that nation. However, the country was struck by the worst ever floods of the time, with the future of the tournament hanging in balance. Nonetheless, the game went ahead as planned, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board even promising to donate 10% of the gate money to the Prime Minister's Fund for Flood Relief.
1998 Champions Trophy was meant to have a direct knock-out format for all the test playing nations of that time. Since the number of eligible countries was nine, 2 countries were expected to play a qualifier knockout, its results determining the final eight teams. Though it was initially announced that 9 teams would be ranked as per 1996 Cricket World Cup seedings, the final decision resulted in a qualifier match between New Zealand and Zimbabwe, won by the former.
Participating Teams (Quarter Finals)
- Australia (captain - Steve Waugh)
- England (captain - Adam Hollioake)
- India (captain - Mohammad Azharuddin)
- New Zealand (captain - Stephen Fleming)
- Pakistan (captain - Aamer Sohail)
- South Africa (captain - Hansie Cronje)
- Sri Lanka (captain - Arjuna Ranatunga)
- West Indies (captain - Brian Lara)
Winners
- Preliminary - New Zealand
- Quarter Finals - South Africa, Sri Lanka, India and West Indies
- Semi Finals - South Africa and West Indies
- Final - South Africa
