The International Cricket Council today confirmed the groupings for the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 that will take place in India from 7 October to 5 November. The tournament will begin with a four-team first round comprising the teams that were seventh to tenth in the LG ICC ODI Rankings on 1 April 2006. First round:
Sri Lanka (7th in LG ICC Rankings on 1 April)
West Indies (8th)
Zimbabwe (9th)
Bangladesh (10th)
The top two teams from this round robin first round will join the top six sides from the LG ICC Rankings in the second round.
Second round:
Group A
Australia (1st)
India (3rd)
England (6th)
Qualifier 2
Group B
South Africa (2nd)
Pakistan (4th)
New Zealand (5th)
Qualifier 1
The top two sides from each group will progress to the semi-finals with the winners of these matches contesting the final on 5 November.
The full tournament schedule is expected to be announced later this month.
Re: Groups confirmed for ICC Champions Trophy 2006
There is no chance of Pakistan to even enter the semi-finals, with this captain and with this team. Zimbabwe and Bangladesh will beat Australia, Pakistan and India, all three, enter the finals and we will have a nail-biting last-ball-six finish.
Re: Groups confirmed for ICC Champions Trophy 2006
Aus and Ind are the teams who will very likely proceed from their groups and Pakistan and South Africa from the other group. Lets wait for the tourney to begin!
Re: Groups confirmed for ICC Champions Trophy 2006
it was a natural instinct, everone is intitled to there own opinion.
India is doing good because there playing on home soil or places like sri-lanka and pakistan. We will see how india will cope in places such as england and australia
In the past 2 years India have done 10 tours ( including ind vs eng). 9/10 tours have been in India, Bangladash and Pakistan
Re: Groups confirmed for ICC Champions Trophy 2006
[quote=dhobi_bhai]
There is no chance of Pakistan to even enter the semi-finals, with this captain and with this team.
You are correct.
However how do we know that the captain is going to be lasting till this tournament? Important and tough series coming up against England and if the team fails on this tour - the captain may quit himself or forced to go. This is a funny world and strange things have happened.
Re: Groups confirmed for ICC Champions Trophy 2006
Well, we certainly don't know for sure, but at least there is a glimmer of hope that with the current crop of bowlers that we have on our hands, I assume quite a series of hard times are placed ahead of England on their own home soil.
But yes, one never know what this tour might bring to us. It could lead to "make or break" phase for Inzamam, and his captaincy career.
Re: Groups confirmed for ICC Champions Trophy 2006
Chances of anyone else to be successful in ICCCT then WC’07 will be reduced next to Inzi’s chances of winning any of these tournaments. What is the probability of next captain’s ability to control Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, (Mohammed Yousuf ??) and gel the team into a unit!? I think its around 10%.
Re: Groups confirmed for ICC Champions Trophy 2006
Well, I certainly hope that India make it, as do Pakistan.
Much better than if we have an "all-gora" semi-final line-up.
But interesting for me is, whether PAK can avoid a semi-final with AUS or not.
On paper, both PAK & IND should finish 2nd in their groups, which means that potentially a PAK vs. IND final could happen.
But I guess both will have their work cut-out in the semis. Of course, sub-continent conditions will give us an edge, and will negate the "high-bounce" advantage that the Aussies / Proteas have.
Re: Groups confirmed for ICC Champions Trophy 2006
New Zealand and Pakistan with India and England.
England's ODI team is horrible, they should have to qualify like Windies and Sri Lanka. South Africa's batting is too brittle, and seeing how they have fallen to Lee, I suspect Bond will get the better of them.
I think its around 10%.