The ICC has announced a new name and format for its bi-ennial KnockOut tournament. With effect from this September's event it will assume the title of the ICC Champions Trophy.

Teams from 12 countries will compete for a total of $1.15 million in the ICC Champions Trophy, the expanded successor to the ICC Knock Out, which has been staged twice over the past four years in Dhaka and Nairobi.

The new event also has a new format, with four Pools of three teams, rather than the straight knock out basis of its 11-team predecessors. Each side will play two Pool games followed by semi finals between the winners of Pool 2 and Pool 3, and Pool 1 and Pool 4.

"The KnockOut has been a highly successful event but with Holland included as the winner of the ICC Trophy and therefore the leading Associate member team, a new format and name was required. We now have an event where every team will play a minimum of two matches and the eventual winner has the chance of earning up to $525,000, if it wins all of its matches. The team lifting the ICC Champions Trophy will also gain a huge confidence boost ahead of the World Cup a few months later in South Africa," said Malcolm Speed, Chief Executive Officer of the ICC.

The Pool allocations for the ICC Champions Trophy are:
Pool 1: Australia, Bangladesh, New Zealand
Pool 2: England, India, Zimbabwe
Pool 3: Kenya, South Africa, West Indies
Pool 4: Holland, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

The semi final stages could see 2003 World Cup host South Africa paired with 2000 KnockOut finalist India, while the other match allows a potential re-run of the 1999 World Cup final, featuring a meeting between current holder Australia and beaten finalist Pakistan.

The final choice of host country, match venue and programme of fixtures for the ICC Champions Trophy will be announced after the ICC Executive Board meeting in Cape Town on the 16th March.

Media contacts:

Mark Harrison
ICC Communications Manager
Tel: + 44 20 7266 7913/1818
Email: mark.harrison@icc-cricket.com

Or

David Clarke
ICC Communications
Tel: + 44(0) 207 266 7914
Email: david.clarke@icc-cricket.com

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