5. Australia – 2006 and 2009
In 2006, Chris Gayle announced his arrival in world cricket. However, the world champions Australia clinch that year. In a rain-affected match, Australia went on to defeat the West Indies by 8 wickets.
Nonetheless, the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker with both bat and ball were from the West Indies. Gayle smashed each and every bowler in the tournament, as he scored as many as 474 runs. On the other hand, Jerome Taylor led the Windies bowling line-up, by taking 13 wickets in total. It was Australia however who extended their dominance in world cricket.
The golden era of Australian cricket continued, as they multiplied their dominance gained after the 2007 World Cup victory by lifting the Champions Trophy for the second time. The Kangaroos went on to outplay their arch rivals New Zealand to defend their title. Shane Watson played a crucial role in Australia’s 2009 triumph. The all-rounder smashed two brilliant centuries in the semi-final and the final to propel Australia to victory.
Ricky Ponting was the highest run-scorer with a tally of 288 runs in the tournament. He was also awarded the Player of the Tournament for his fine performance with the bat. Meanwhile, South Africa’s Wayne Parnell was the leading wicket-taker with 11 scalps under his belt.
6. India – 2013
Ahead of the 2013 edition of the Champions Trophy, MS Dhoni has only needed to get this coveted trophy in order to become the only captain to win all the major ICC trophies. However, Dhoni’s collection of silverware was complete after the victory over the hosts England in the final.
India played fantastic cricket in that tournament, as they were unbeaten even in the league stages. As has been a common sight in England, rain reduced the final to a 20-over contest. India only managed to score a modest total of 129 runs. The English batsmen, namely Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara have taken England to a comfortable position in order to win their maiden Champions Trophy title. However, a crucial spell from Ishant Sharma turned the tables on England, who fell short by 5 runs.
South Africa’s Wayne Parnell once again become the highest wicket-taker with 12 wickets under his belt. India’s opener Shikhar Dhawan was the mainstay of the Indian line-up through the course of the Champions Trophy, as he scored 363 runs to be adjudged the Player of the Tournament.
