The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has officially begun, but all eyes are on the Indian squad, which is heading into the competition stronger after winning two matches. India's campaign opener was against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, where they secured a six-wicket victory. This was followed by the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan clash, which India also won by six wickets, qualifying for the semi-finals.

India entered the competition as the favourites, with Rohit Sharma and his team boasting a formidable squad, and are set to play New Zealand on 2 March in their last group stage clash. With the favourites tag firmly with them, let’s take a look at how well they have performed in the Champions League over the years.

India’s history at the Champions Trophy

India have managed to win the Champions Trophy twice, having made it to the four finals since its commencement. The list of ICC Champions Trophy winners is as follows-

The Blues have managed to get trophies under their belt and have been quite successful at the mini World Cup. India’s spell over the years can be understood through the following subheadings:

Bangladesh (1998):

The Champions Trophy began as the ICC Knockout Trophy, with teams being ousted after each loss. India started off pretty well in the competition as they defeated Australia by 44 runs in their opening fixture. However, the Mohammed Azharuddin-led team was defeated by the West Indies in the semi-finals by six wickets.

Kenya (2000):

The ICC Knockout 2000 witnessed an impressive performance from the Indian team. They began their campaign with a victory over Kenya in the pre-quarterfinals before facing Australia in the next round. A young Yuvraj Singh played a crucial role as he scored a brilliant 86 to guide India to a total of 265/9. In response, Australia managed to score just 245 runs, falling short, and the Blues secured a spot in the semi-finals.

In the semi-final clash, India overcame South Africa to book their place in the final against New Zealand. Despite a strong effort from Sourav Ganguly, who scored an impressive 117, India couldn’t secure the trophy. Chris Cairns played a match-winning knock of 102 for the Black Caps, steering them to victory and denying India their first ICC Knockout title. The loss was a heartbreaking one but India’s campaign featured several standout performances.

Sri Lanka (2002):

India were in superb form when they entered the tournament in 2002. In the pool stages, they defeated England and Zimbabwe before facing South Africa in the semi-finals. In what seemed like a match that was slipping away from the Blues, they roared back and set up a final against Sri Lanka. However, the final got washed out by rain, and even the reserved day couldn’t get the teams to play as rain played spoilsport announcing both teams as joint winners.

England (2004):

The Champions Trophy in England is a tournament the Indian team and its fans would rather forget. They were knocked out of the competition in the group stages by Pakistan.

India (2006):

As the host nation, India endured another disappointing exit in the group stage. Losses to Australia and West Indies sealed their fate, preventing them from progressing further in the tournament. Despite a hard-fought victory against England, it only served as a consolation rather than a stepping stone to the knockout rounds. The early elimination was a major setback for the team and its fans, marking another tournament to forget in India's cricketing history.

South Africa(2009):

India witnessed yet another disappointing campaign when they exited in the group stage for the third consecutive time. Their tournament began with a defeat to Pakistan, putting them under early pressure. Hopes of a comeback were dampened when their second match ended without a result, leaving them with little chance to progress in the tournament. Although they managed to sign off with a victory over West Indies but that was merely a consolation as the Blues once again failed to make it past the opening round.

England(2013):

Heading into the 2013 England Champions Trophy campaign, India made some bold decisions during the tournament under the captaincy of Captain Cool, MS Dhoni, as the young side were the team to beat. India overcame South Africa, the West Indies, and Pakistan in the group rounds before defeating Sri Lanka in the semi-finals to advance to the final.

The match against England was shortened to 20 overs due to inclement weather. India scored 129 runs in their first innings before Ravindra Jadeja and the bowlers ensured Dhoni and his team won by 5 runs, finally reclaiming the Champions Trophy after a 10-year absence.

England (2017):

India started off the competition on winning note as they defeated Pakistan with a dominant performance before being shocked by Sri Lanka in the next fixture. The Blues defeated South Africa to make it to the semi-finals. In the semis, they thrashed Bangladesh by 9 wickets to book their fourth final in the tournament.

The high-stakes match ended in heartbreak for India as they were beaten by 180 runs by their rivals, Pakistan. The victory was made even sweeter for Pakistan as they defeated India for the first time in a global tournament after eight long years.

Will 2025 be India's year?

As India enters the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy semifinals with a strong squad and impressive form, fans are hopeful that the team can add another title to their collection. With a rich history in the tournament, including two titles and multiple final appearances, the Blues have consistently been among the top contenders. 

As they gear up for the knockout stages, the question remains: Can Rohit Sharma and his team rise to the occasion and reclaim the coveted trophy? Well, only time will tell if India can script another historic triumph but one thing is for sure—the Men in Blue are ready to give it their all.

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References:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/
• https://www.espncricinfo.com/
• https://www.jagranjosh.com/