The ICC Trophy was introduced in 1979 to select non-Test teams for the Cricket World Cup.
The inaugural ICC Trophy was staged in England from 22 May to 21 June 1979. It gave Associate Members a formal route into the World Cup, replacing the invitation-based approach used for East Africa and Sri Lanka in 1975.
Fifteen teams entered the first competition. They played limited-overs matches in three groups before a knockout stage, with the two finalists earning World Cup places. Sri Lanka defeated Canada in the final, but both teams qualified for the 1979 World Cup alongside the six automatically selected Test nations.
The ICC Trophy remained an important pathway for developing cricket nations for several decades. Its role later evolved as the ICC introduced broader qualification tournaments and the World Cricket League. The Champions Trophy was a separate elite tournament, while the Intercontinental Cup was primarily a first-class competition, so neither is the answer here.