The ICC Champions Trophy, one of the premier limited-overs cricket tournaments, was first held in 1998. The inaugural tournament took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and was initially known as the 'Coca-Cola Champions Trophy'. The event was designed to bring together the top cricketing nations and serve as a platform for high-quality limited-overs cricket, following the success of similar tournaments like the ICC KnockOut.
In 1998, the competition featured a total of 9 teams: India, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and the host nation, Bangladesh. It was a round-robin format in the first phase, followed by semifinals, where the top four teams advanced based on their performance.
The final match was held on October 24, 1998, at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka. It was a closely contested affair, with South Africa emerging victorious by defeating the West Indies. South Africa claimed the first-ever Champions Trophy title, winning by 4 wickets in a thrilling encounter. West Indies batting first notched 245 runs on the board riding on Philo Wallace' 103 runs. Jacques Kallis was the pick of the South African bowlers, taking five wickets for just 30 runs. South Africa successfully chased down the target in 47 overs, losing six wickets along the way. Key contributions came from Hansie Cronje, who remained unbeaten on 61, and Mike Rindel, who scored 49 runs. South Africa thus won the inaugural tournament by four wickets. Kallis' impressive performance earned him both the man of the match award in the final and the man of the tournament award.
South Africa's victory in the 1998 Champions Trophy marked the beginning of a tournament that would evolve over the years into one of the most prestigious one-day international competitions. The Champions Trophy went on to be held several times, with various changes to its format and the number of participating teams. The tournament provided thrilling cricket and gave the cricketing world numerous memorable moments over the years.
The 1998 edition was particularly special because it was the first of its kind, showcasing the potential of such a tournament in the cricket calendar. Champions Trophy is back to with its dose of entertainment and riveting cricketing action as the next edition of the showpiece tournament is set to start from February 19.