The 2013 ICC Champions Trophy was the seventh edition of the One Day International (ODI) cricket tournament, held in England and Wales from June 6 to June 23, 2013. India emerged as the champions for the second time by defeating England in the final by 5 runs.
The tournament featured 8 teams, 15 matches, and was played in a round-robin and knockout format. Shikhar Dhawan from India was named Player of the Series for scoring the most runs (363), while Ravindra Jadeja, also from India, took the most wickets (12).
India received $2 million as prize money, the largest amount in the tournament’s history. Initially, it was announced that the 2013 Champions Trophy would be the final edition, set to be replaced by the ICC World Test Championship in 2017. However, in January 2014, the ICC confirmed the continuation of the Champions Trophy, canceling the Test Championship.
Qualification
England automatically qualified as the host nation, and the seven highest-ranked teams in the ICC ODI Championship as of August 21, 2012, joined them.
Rules and Regulations
The 2013 ICC Champions Trophy featured eight teams divided into two groups. Each team played against all the other teams in its group once during the group stage. At the end of this stage, the top two teams from each group advanced to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, the winner of Group A played against the runner-up of Group B, and the winner of Group B faced the runner-up of Group A.
The points system determined the rankings during the group stage. Teams earned 2 points for a win, 1 point for a tie or a match with no result, and 0 points for a loss.
| Result | Points |
|---|---|
| Win | 2 points |
| Tie/No Result | 1 point |
| Loss | 0 points |
Venues and Warm-up Matches
The 2013 ICC Champions Trophy matches were held in three cities: London, Birmingham, and Cardiff. In London, games took place at The Oval, which has a seating capacity of 26,000. Birmingham hosted matches at Edgbaston Cricket Ground with a capacity of 23,500, and Cardiff hosted at Sophia Gardens, known during the tournament as Cardiff Wales Stadium, which accommodated 15,643 spectators.
Warm-up matches preceded the tournament and were played under modified rules. Teams could use up to 15 players, although only 11 could bat or field in each innings. Notably, India defeated Sri Lanka by 5 wickets in a high-scoring match, with Virat Kohli contributing a brilliant 144 runs. Shane Watson’s 135 led Australia to a 4-wicket win over the West Indies.
In another match, Pakistan triumphed over South Africa by 7 wickets, while India crushed Australia by a massive 243 runs thanks to Dinesh Karthik’s unbeaten 146 and Umesh Yadav’s 5-wicket haul. These matches helped teams acclimate to the conditions ahead of the main event.
Group A
Group B
Top Batting Performers
Shikhar Dhawan has been the standout batsman for India in the Champions Trophy, amassing 363 runs in 5 matches at an impressive average of 90.75, with a high score of 114.
He has been in exceptional form throughout the tournament, playing a crucial role in India’s success. Jonathan Trott has been England’s key batter, contributing 229 runs from 5 matches, with an average of 57.25 and a top score of 82*. Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara has also been remarkable, scoring 222 runs in 4 innings at an average of 74.00, with a career-best score of 134*.
For India, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have also been consistent, scoring 177 and 176 runs respectively. Sharma’s highest score was 65, while Kohli maintained an average of 58.66, with a high score of 58*. These players have been instrumental in their teams’ performances, providing solid foundations with their runs.
Top Bowling Performers
Ravindra Jadeja of India has been the most successful bowler in the Champions Trophy, taking 12 wickets in 5 matches at an outstanding average of 12.83 and an economy rate of 3.75.
His best bowling figures of 5/36 were crucial in India’s victories. New Zealand’s Mitchell McClenaghan has also been impressive, claiming 11 wickets in 3 matches at an average of 13.09, with a best performance of 4/43.
England’s James Anderson has maintained consistency, taking 11 wickets in 5 matches at an average of 13.72 and an economy rate of 4.08, with his best figures being 3/30. India’s Ishant Sharma has also contributed with 10 wickets in 5 matches at an average of 21.80 and an economy rate of 5.73, with his best being 3/33.
South Africa’s Ryan McLaren, in 4 matches, has taken 8 wickets at an average of 18.50, with his best figures of 4/19. These bowlers have been instrumental in controlling the game with their exceptional performances throughout the tournament.
Controversies During the Tournament
One of the major controversies during the tournament involved Australian batsman David Warner, who was suspended by Cricket Australia until the first Ashes Test after a physical altercation with English batsman Joe Root.
This incident occurred following Australia’s loss to England, highlighting tensions between the two teams. Additionally, former England captain Bob Willis accused an English cricketer of ball tampering in their match against Sri Lanka.
He claimed the tampering was aimed at aiding reverse swing. Although umpire Aleem Dar intervened and changed the ball midway through Sri Lanka’s innings, England’s coach, Ashley Giles, denied the allegations, clarifying that the ball had simply gone out of shape.
Pitch Invasion Incident
The semi-final between India and Sri Lanka at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff was marred by a pitch invasion. Individuals, believed to be Tamil Youth activists, stormed the field with flags of Tamil Eelam and banners protesting against the Sri Lankan team playing in the United Kingdom. The first pitch invasion took place during the 50th over of the Sri Lanka innings, with two protesters quickly subdued by security.
However, a second invasion saw at least six protesters running onto the field from different angles. The protests escalated after the match, resulting in a fight outside the ground between protesters and supporters. Similar protests had occurred during a group stage match at The Oval.
Later, hundreds of members of Britain’s Tamil community blocked the Sri Lankan team bus, raising anti-Sri Lankan government slogans, while the Indian team faced no such disruptions, and their bus departed as scheduled.
Team of the Tournament
The ICC announced the Team of the Tournament on 28 June 2013, following the conclusion of the event. A five-person selection panel was responsible for choosing the team, which included prominent cricketing figures.
The panel comprised Geoff Allardice (ICC General Manager – Cricket, and Chairman of the Event Technical Committee), Javagal Srinath (former India fast bowler and ICC Emirates Elite Panel match referee), Aleem Dar (ICC Emirates Elite Panel umpire),
Scyld Berry (Wisden Editor from 2008 to 2011 and Sunday Telegraph correspondent), and Stephen Brenkley (correspondent of The Independent and Independent On Sunday). These experts evaluated the performances throughout the tournament before announcing the squad.
