Defending champions India will begin their ICC Champions Trophy campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan at Edgbaston on June 4, 2017. Seeded second in Group B, the team will also go against South Africa and Sri Lanka, with the opening clash featuring hosts England and Bangladesh at the Oval. Seventh edition of the tournament will see participation from the top eight ODI teams of the world, all scheduled to play each other over a span of 18 days.
The 15-match gig will peak at the Oval on June 18, also the venue for the South Africa-Sri Lanka face off. ICC chief executive Dave Richardson said, "The ICC Champions Trophy is a short and sharp event, which is followed and enjoyed by the spectators and players alike. It is not just an ODI competition; it carries a great deal of value since it is being played just three months before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 qualification cut-off date. As such, every point earned here could be crucial."
The event, which saw its final edition back in 2013 when India won the title beating England in the final, will be the first of three global events in England and Wales, with the ICC Women's World Cup following shortly after and then the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019. "The announcement of the ICC Champions Trophy schedule 12 months before the start of the event will provide sufficient time to all eight sides to plan for the tournament and arrive in England and Wales fully prepared and geared up so that they can collect enough points to directly qualify for the 2019 extravaganza," Richardson added. "These three competitions will provide the culturally diverse society of the United Kingdom as well as travelling fans from across the globe an opportunity to watch live action and follow their favourite players and sides."
Group A: Australia, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh
Group B: India, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka
Event schedule:
June 1 — England v Bangladesh, The Oval (d)
June 2 — Australia v New Zealand, Edgbaston (d)
June 3 — Sri Lanka v South Africa, The Oval (d)
June 4 — India v Pakistan, Edgbaston (d)
June 5 — Australia v Bangladesh, The Oval (d/n)
June 6 — England v New Zealand, Cardiff (d)
June 7 — Pakistan v South Africa, Edgbaston (d/n)
June 8 — India v Sri Lanka, The Oval (d)
June 9 — New Zealand v Bangladesh, Cardiff (d)
June 10 — England v Australia, Edgbaston (d)
June 11 — India v South Africa, The Oval (d)
June 12 — Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Cardiff (d)
June 14 — First semifinal (A1 v B2), Cardiff (d)
June 15 — Second semifinal (A2 v B1), Edgbaston (d)
June 18 — Final, The Oval (d)
June 19 — Reserve day (d).
