ICC Champions Trophy Captain Winners

The ICC Champions Trophy is one of the major competitions in international cricket, highlighting the top teams competing for the prestigious title. Since its inception in 1998, a few captains have led their teams to triumph, showcasing leadership and strategic skills. The competition has seen a mix of dominant teams and surprise winners, with captains playing a crucial role in guiding their squads to success. From experienced leaders to emerging talents, the list of winning captains reflects the competitive nature of the tournament.

Captains that have won the ICC Champions Trophy

According to Champions Trophy's official website, Hansie Cronje, Stephen Fleming, Sourav Ganguly, Sanath Jayasuriya, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, MS Dhoni, and Sarfaraz Ahmed are the captains to lift the ICC Champions Trophy, as of February 2025. Ricky Ponting is the only captain to win the ICC CT consecutively (2006, 2009). Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly and Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya were declared joint winners because of weather issues in the 2002 ICC CT.

Hansie Cronje (South Africa)- 1998

Hansie Cronje was the first-ever captain to win the ICC Champions Trophy in their inaugural edition in 1998. He was the fifth man of the team in the batting order and scored 61 not out in 77 balls with four boundaries and a strike rate of 79.22. His contribution helped South Africa to reach the target of 246, given by the West Indies. He batted with the last man Derek Crookes till the 47th over when South Africa clinched the victory and the trophy.

Stephen Fleming (New Zealand)- 2000

New Zealand won their first ICC Champions Trophy and the second edition of the tournament under the captaincy of Stephen Fleming in 2000. Fleming scored 5 runs and faced 11 balls in the final with a 45.45 strike rate. New Zealand beat India in the finals under Fleming to clinch the trophy.

Sourav Ganguly (India)- 2002

India won their first ICC Champions Trophy under the captaincy of former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly in 2002. India was declared the joint winner with Sri Lanka in the final as the play was stopped because of weather issues. India batted second and only the openers Sehwag and Dinesh Mongia had a chance to play.

Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka)- 2002

Sri Lanka’s first ICC Champions Trophy came under the captaincy of Sanath Jayasuriya in 2002 when they were announced as the joint winners with India. Sri Lanka batted first and Jayasuriya scored 74 runs out of 89 balls with a strike rate of 83.14. He helped his team to reach 244 runs in 50 overs. Jayasuriya and his team were declared the joint winners due to poor weather conditions.

Brian Lara (West Indies)- 2004

Brian Lara was the first captain of the West Indies to win the ICC CT for the team in 2004. In the final, they faced England, who set a 218 target. West Indies won, and Lara contributed 14 runs out of 28 balls with a strike rate of 50, as per ESPN Cricinfo.

Ricky Ponting (Australia)- 2006

Australia competed in the 2006 ICC CT under their 2002 World Cup-winning captain, Ricky Ponting. In the final, they faced the defending champion West Indies, who set a score of 138. Australia scored 116 with a loss of 2 wickets, and Ponting failed to score any runs as he was LBW by Jerome Taylor. Australia won the trophy using the Duckworth-Lewis Method.

Ricky Ponting (Australia)- 2009

Australia was the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy's defending champions, and Ricky Ponting led them again in the tournament. They faced the former champions New Zealand in the finals who scored 200. Australia scored 206 in 45.2 overs with a contribution of 1 from Ricky Ponting. Australia won the trophy and Ponting became the only captain to win the ICC Champions Trophy two times consecutively, as per ESPN Cricinfo.

MS Dhoni (India)- 2013

India participated in the ICC Champions Trophy under the captaincy of "Captain Cool" MS Dhoni in 2013 and won the trophy for the second time. They faced England in the final and set a score of 129 in 20 overs where MSD scored a duck. England failed to chase the target and managed to score 124 in 20 overs which made India the winner.

Sarfaraz Ahmed (Pakistan)- 2017

Pakistan won their first ICC Champions Trophy under the captaincy of Sarfaraz Ahmed in 2017 when they beat their rivals India in the final. Pakistan scored a total of 338 in 50 overs and Ahmed didn't have a chance to bat. India failed to reach the target and finished their innings at 158.

Captains participating in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy