ICC Champions Trophy Originally known as the ICC Knockout when it was staged in 1998 in Dhaka, Bangladesh and in 2000 in Nairobi, Kenya. The event was renamed the ICC Champions Trophy in 2002 was held every two years until 2009 (when it was held in South Africa after the scheduled event in 2008 in Pakistan had to be cancelled). Subsequently the event moved to a four year cycle and features the top eight teams in the ICC one-day rankings. The first round comprises two groups of four with the top two in each group progressing to the semi-finals and the winners contesting the final. The event is short, sharp and highly competitive.