The next ICC world event to be held will be the 2017 Champions Trophy, the biggest event on the international cricket calendar next to the World Cup. England will play hosts to the ODI event from June 1 to June 18 next year. The schedule of the tournament will be announced at The Oval in London on Wednesday.
Also read: ICC Champions Trophy 2017 schedule, India-Pakistan will clash again in group stage
"The schedule of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 along with key information about the ticketing process will be announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive, David Richardson, and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Director of Global Events, Steve Elworthy, at The Montpelier Club, The Oval, on Wednesday, 1 June at 10h00 (GMT)," ICC said in a media advisory.
At the launch of the schedule, England ODI captain Eoin Morgan will also be present for a panel discussion, fresh from his title-winning stay with the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL.
The 2017 Champions Trophy will be an 18-day event consisting of eight teams and fifteen matches. All matches will be played at Cardiff Wales Stadium in Cardiff, Edgbaston in Birmingham or The Oval in London. Teams shall be divided into two groups, with all teams in a group meeting each other once. Top two teams from the groups will advance to the semi-final and final.
West Indies miss first Champions Trophy
West Indies will not be a part of the Champions Trophy for the first time since the tournament’s inception in 1998. The top 8 teams based on ODI rankings participate in this event, and Bangladesh have now overtaken the Caribbeans in this list.
The rankings as of September 2015 were considered while deciding the 8 teams, with Bangladesh and Pakistan scraping ahead of West Indies and Zimbabwe. There was a bit of a furore last year when a proposed tri-series involving West Indies, Pakistan and Zimbabwe was vetoed by Pakistan after a series win over Sri Lanka had put suddenly them at an advantageous position on the rankings.
As a result of this, West Indies were denied a chance of trying to secure a place, and must face their first time out of the tournament.
India and Australia have won this title twice each, while it has been taken once each by South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. India are the defending champions, having won it in 2013, with Shikhar Dhawan and Ravindra Jadeja being the two standout performers with bat and ball.
Will India be looking to carry over their 2016 World T20 squad over into this event, or will they be looking to blood some youngsters in on the basis of this IPL and the next?
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