ICC KnockOut gets a revamp
The International Cricket Council biennial knockout tournament has been revamped with a new name and format, world cricket's governing body said on Monday.
The ICC KnockOut, which has been staged twice over the past four years in Dhaka and Nairobi, assumes the title of ICC Champions Trophy for this September's event in which team's from 12 countries will compete for a total of $1.15 million.
A new format will see four pools of three teams, rather than the straight knockout basis as previously staged.
Each side will play two pool games with the top team in each group reaching the semifinals followed by the final.
"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," said ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed.
The final choice of host country, match venue and programme of fixtures will be announced after the ICC executive board meeting in Cape Town on March 16.
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.
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