India confirm Champs Trophy participation

Defending champions India will take part in the Champions Trophy next month, the country's cricket board said Sunday, ending weeks of speculation over the team's participation in the premier tournament.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the decision after a special general meeting held in New Delhi amidst a row over sharing revenues with the game's world governing body.

"The BCCI SGM unanimously decided that the Indian cricket team will participate in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy," it said in a statement.

The squad for the 50-over tournament would be named on Monday, it added.

The eight-nation Champions Trophy will be played in England and Wales from June 1.

The BCCI had skipped the deadline for announcing the team and threatened a pull-out from the Champions Trophy over the dispute with the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The dispute stemmed from ICC's decision last month to ammend the distribution of funds to be more evenly split, although India retained the lion's share of funding.

The powerful BCCI stands to receive $277 million less revenue than the previous scheme over the next eight years under the sweeping changes approved by all ICC members except India.

The BCCI said it was keeping its legal options open, indicating the row was far from over.

"The Board unanimously authorised the acting honorary secretary of the BCCI to continue negotiations with the ICC in the best interest of the BCCI while keeping its legal options open," it said in the statement.

More to come

Champions Trophy 2017 Guide

Squads: Every Champions Trophy squad named so far

Group A: Australia, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh.

Group B: India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan.

Schedule

Warm-up matches

26 May – Australia v Sri Lanka, The Oval

27 May – Bangladesh v Pakistan, Edgbaston

28 May – India v New Zealand, The Oval

29 May – Australia v Pakistan, Edgbaston

30 May – New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Edgbaston

30 May – Bangladesh vs India, The Oval

Tournament

1 June – England v Bangladesh, The Oval (Day)

2 June – Australia v New Zealand, Edgbaston (D)

3 June – Sri Lanka v South Africa, The Oval (D)

4 June – India v Pakistan, Edgbaston (D)

5 June – Australia v Bangladesh, The Oval (D/N)

6 June – England v New Zealand, Cardiff (D)

7 June – Pakistan v South Africa, Edgbaston (D/N)

8 June – India v Sri Lanka, The Oval (D)

9 June – New Zealand v Bangladesh, Cardiff (D)

10 June – England v Australia, Edgbaston (D)

11 June – India v South Africa, The Oval (D)

12 June – Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Cardiff (D)

14 June – First semi-final (A1 v B2), Cardiff (D)

15 June – Second semi-final (A2 v B1), Edgbaston (D)

18 June – Final, The Oval (D)

19 June – Reserve day (D)