ICC clarifies qualification path for 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has outlined the qualification process for the 2025 Champions Trophy, hosted by Pakistan.

As reported by ESPNCricinfo, only teams currently engaged in the 2023 men's World Cup will be considered eligible for qualification in the upcoming Champions Trophy.

The ICC's announcement has clarified that teams finishing within the top seven positions in the round-robin stage of the World Cup, along with the host nation Pakistan, will automatically secure berths for the tournament.

Notably, the teams occupying the bottom two positions in the World Cup standings will be excluded from qualifying, irrespective of their performance in One Day International (ODI) matches subsequent to the World Cup.

This qualification framework implies that the West Indies, victors of the 2004 Champions Trophy, who were unable to qualify for the 2023 World Cup, will be denied an opportunity to vie for a spot in the 2025 edition. The report further highlighted that several cricket boards were not previously aware of this qualification process.