England To Host Champions Trophy In 2004

The ICC have also announced that the biennial event, which will take place in Sri Lanka this September, will revert to India in 2006.

This year's ICC Champions Trophy, formerly known as the ICC Knockout, will be the third of its kind after earlier tournaments in Bangladesh and Kenya.

There is a change of format this year with group stages replacing the old knockout system, guaranteeing each country at least two matches.

A review of the system employed takes place at the end of each tournament but it is likely that the group format will remain in place when England host the event.

Exactly when the two-and-a-half week tournament would be slotted into an already crammed summer programme is yet to be decided.