Which country won the first ICC Champions Trophy, held in 1998?

South Africa won the first ICC Champions Trophy, held in 1998. The tournament was originally called the ICC KnockOut Trophy and was staged in Bangladesh as a short, knockout-style competition.

South Africa defeated the West Indies in the inaugural final on 1 November 1998 at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka. The West Indies scored 245 in 49.3 overs after being sent in, but South Africa reached the target in 47 overs for the loss of six wickets.

Jacques Kallis was the match’s outstanding figure. He took five wickets for 30 runs and contributed 37 with the bat, earning player-of-the-match honours. Hansie Cronje and Mike Rindel then guided South Africa through the chase, scoring 61 not out and 49 not out respectively.

The tournament’s name is a frequent source of confusion. The 1998 event was not yet branded the Champions Trophy; that name was adopted later. It nevertheless became the first edition of the ICC limited-overs tournament now known by that title.