Cricket was not always a money-minting machine it is now. T20 cricket was yet to be introduced and the boards were not as rich as they are now with franchise leagues mushrooming all over the world. In 1998, the International Council of Cricket (ICC) was looking for funds to spread the game to more countries. The Champions Trophy was introduced as ICC chairman Jagmohan Dalmiya wanted to raise money in-between World Cups.
The first ever Champions Trophy which was then called Wills International Cup 1998 did not even include the host nation Bangladesh. The planning took a hit when there was a threat of flood in Dhaka. The tournament would have been shifted in its entirety to India but Dhaka got the green light at the last minute. Also, Dhaka was not aways the first choice but third. Disneyworld (Florida) and Sharjah were the other two.
The locals turned up in large numbers to watch the big names play at the Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka. The teams to participate in the event were Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe.
The tournament was a fast-paced one as it started on October 24 and ended on November 1. West Indies did not even have a rest day after beating India in the semifinal. They had to face South Africa in the final the next day and ended up as runners up for the inaugural edition of the tournament.
The tournament was called a mini World Cup and it fulfilled the purpose it was created for as the tournament raised 10 million pounds (Rs 6.8 crore approximately).
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Playing conditions, highest and lowest scores
The pitches were not batting-friendly as the ball kept low and slow. The only team to cross the 300-run mark was India against Australia. The lowest total belonged to South Africa who were bowled out for 132 in a rain-curtailed encounter.
The change in 21st century
The next edition of the tournament was not too long either as it was played in the knockout format. It was in 2002, the tournament was rebranded to ICC Champions Trophy. The tournament was nearly three weeks long and New Zealand beat India in the final to win the title.