Confirmed Teams For ICC Champions Trophy 2017

30 September 2017 is the next important cut-off date, which is for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019

Bangladesh will return to the ICC Champions Trophy for the first time since 2006 after the eight sides were confirmed for the 2017 tournament, which will be hosted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) from 1 to 18 June.

Bangladesh has replaced the West Indies, which finished outside the top eight in ninth position, in the ICC ODI Team Rankings on the 30 September 2015 cut-off date.

The eight sides to play in the short and sharp, nation-versus-nation ICC Champions Trophy 2017 are (in rankings order): world champion Australia, title holder India, 1998 winner South Africa, 2000 champion New Zealand, 2002 co-winner Sri Lanka, host England, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Bangladesh’s last participation in the ICC Champions Trophy was in India, when it featured in the qualifying round. It lost to Sri Lanka (by 37 runs) and the West Indies (by 10 wickets). Its only victory was against Zimbabwe by 101 runs.

Since the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, Bangladesh cricket has been on a high and has produced very strong performances. It won ODI series against Pakistan, India and South Africa, which has helped it jump from ninth to seventh in the ICC ODI Team Rankings.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2017 will be a 15-match tournament, with teams split into two groups of four, with the top two teams in each group progressing to the semi-finals. The groups and the schedule for the ICC Champions Trophy will be announced in due course.

With the sides for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 now confirmed, the next important qualification date in the diaries of the 12 teams on the ICC ODI Team Rankings will be 30 September 2017.

That is the date when the top eight ranked sides on the ICC ODI Team Rankings will earn direct qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 to be hosted by the ECB. The bottom four sides will get a second chance to complete the 10-team line-up in the ICC Cricket World Cup when they will be joined by teams from the ICC World Cricket League Championship and the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018.

As such, all bilateral ODI cricket in the lead up to 30 September 2017, including the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, will now have greater importance as only 27 points separate second-ranked India from ninth-ranked West Indies.

ICC ODI Team Rankings (as on 30 September 2015, top eight sides have qualified for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017):

Rank   Team             Points

1          Australia         127

2          India               115

3          South Africa    110

4          New Zealand  109

5          Sri Lanka        103

6          England          100

7          Bangladesh     96

8          Pakistan          90

9          West Indies     88

10        Ireland             49

11        Zimbabwe       45

12        Afghanistan    41

Source: ICC

New Zealand Announced Their Test Squad For The Upcoming Series Against Australia

Several key players including McCullum, Taylor, Boult back from injuries

Consistency and flexibility remain at the heart of the Blackcaps squad to play three Tests in Australia in November and December.

Coach Mike Hesson and Blackcaps selector Gavin Larsen have settled on an experienced touring party, containing no new caps for the Tests in Brisbane and Perth — and the historic day/night showdown in Adelaide on 

The 15-man squad contains four front-line pace bowlers; two allrounders (Corey Anderson and James Neesham); cover for the batting line-up and wicket-keeping duties; and one spinner.

Hesson said Anderson’s and Neesham’s ability to offer value at the bowling crease persuaded the selectors to carry four, rather than five, front line fast bowlers as the Blackcaps prepare to renew their Test campaign — after seven consecutive series without defeat.

“A lot of our recent success has been based on the value of our No.6 batsman bowling some overs, and we’re comfortable continuing in that vein,” Hesson says.

“Rather than having an extra fast bowler not playing in Australia, we thought it more prudent for those in contention to remain in New Zealand and be playing domestic cricket.”

Luke Ronchi, who performed strongly for the Blackcaps during their most recent Test – the win against England at Leeds, has retained his place in the squad as the back-up gloveman to BJ Watling.

“This is a tour in which we spend quite a lot of time on the west coast of Australia and, given what happened to BJ’s knee in England, it seems wise to have options close at hand.”

Mark Craig is the solitary spinner named.

Hesson and Larsen also named the New Zealand A four-day and one-day squads to meet Sri Lanka A in Lincoln and at Hagley Oval next month — matches which ensure the bulk of New Zealand Cricket’s best players will be in action ahead of the Test series in Australia.

“It makes sense to have our fringe Test players included in these matches,” explains Hesson.

“It’s good to keep them involved in high level cricket, especially on the cusp of the tour to Australia. We know at some stage someone will be required – that’s the attritional nature of a three-match Test series.”

New Zealand A’s one-day squad will play four matches against Sri Lanka A on 5, 7,while the four-day squad will square off in two matches, from 17-20 and 

Hamish Rutherford will play in the New Zealand A one-day team for the first two matches before departing for the Blackcaps’ pink ball trial in Hamilton on 

George Worker, Michael Pollard, Tom Blundell, Ish Sodhi and Andrew Mathieson will be available for the opening round of Plunket Shield starting

BLACKCAPS Test squad to Australia 2015

Brendon McCullum (captain), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Mark Craig, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, James Neesham, Luke Ronchi, Hamish, Rutherford, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson

Blackcaps' tour of Australia schedule.

New Zealand A one-day squad

Tom Blundell, Michael Bracewell, Jacob Duffy, Andrew Mathieson, Henry Nicholls, Ed Nuttall, Michael Pollard, Hamish Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Ben Wheeler, George Worker, Will Young

New Zealand A four-day squad

Todd Astle , Michael Bracewell, Dean Brownlie, Derek de Boorder, Jacob Duffy, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, Ed Nuttall, Jeet Raval, Mitchell Santner, Neil Wagner, Ben Wheeler, Will Young



Source: ICC