Virat Kohli with the ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Fans passionately argue over their genius and their clutch performances in ICC tournaments, where they’ve delivered iconic wins. From Kohli’s fire to Smith’s grit, Williamson’s poise, and Root’s class, they’ve all lifted trophies, shaping their legacies and here’s a look at the ICC titles they’ve won and how they starred in those epic triumphs.
As the iconic Fab 4 near the twilight of their careers, they’ve left behind a legacy filled with memorable performances across multiple ICC tournaments and from match-winning knocks to leading their sides to glory, each has played a key role in their nation’s success.
Virat Kohli’s been India’s clutch king in ICC tournaments for over ten years, always smashing it when the heat’s on. He’s got this crazy knack for bailing India out with epic knocks and Kohli’s bagged four ICC crowns: 2011 ODI World Cup, 2013 Champions Trophy, 2024 T20 World Cup, and now the 2025 Champions Trophy. His hunger to dominate big games and fire India to wins is unreal and fans everywhere go nuts for him—he’s not just a cricket legend, he’s the guy who lives for the big stage, heart on his sleeve.
| Name of the Trophy | Year | Virat Kohli’s Performance in the Tournament |
|---|---|---|
| ODI World Cup | 2011 | 282 runs in 9 innings |
| Champions Trophy | 2013 | 176 runs in 5 innings |
| T20 World Cup | 2024 | 151 runs in 8 innings |
| Champions Trophy | 2025 | 218 runs in 5 innings |
Virat Kohli exploded onto the world stage at the 2011 ODI World Cup, helping India end a 28-year drought for the title and just a young gun, he played all 9 games, racking up 282 runs at a solid 35.25 average, striking at 82.21. His big moment? A cracking unbeaten 100 against Bangladesh in the opener—his first World Cup ton! He also notched a gritty fifty, holding his own among giants like Tendulkar, Sehwag, Yuvraj, and Dhoni and Kohli’s fire and flair were unreal, proving he was a star in the making, ready to carry India’s hopes.
Virat Kohli stepped up big time at the 2013 Champions Trophy, showing he was no longer just a kid with potential. In 5 matches, he smashed 176 runs, averaging a cracking 58.66 with a zippy 95.65 strike rate. No tons, but his unbeaten 58 was pure class, cool as ice in a high-pressure chase. Kohli’s knack for anchoring and keeping the scoreboard ticking was gold, helping India steamroll the tournament without a single loss to snatch the trophy and he was the guy you knew would deliver when it mattered, proving he was built for the big stage.
India’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2024 wasn’t Kohli’s finest individual tournament, but his presence and experience were still crucial. Across 8 matches, he managed 151 runs at an average of 18.87 and a strike rate of 112.68. His best score was 76, and he added one fifty to his name and the Player of the Match in the Finals helped the team to secure a title. Despite two ducks in the campaign, Kohli contributed when needed, especially in the middle overs, keeping calm during tight matches.
In the 2025 Champions Trophy, Virat Kohli regained his brilliance. Over five matches, he scored 218 runs, averaging 54.50 with a strike rate of 82.88 and his standout moment was an unbeaten 100, his second century in an ICC final tournament, alongside a crucial fifty and Kohli’s consistency anchored India’s batting, significantly contributing to their title victory.
Just like Virat Kohli, Australia’s dependable middle-order batter Steve Smith has also won 4 ICC titles for his country. Known for stepping up in pressure moments, Smith has been a rock for Australia in big games. His ICC title wins include the 2015 ODI World Cup, the 2021 T20 World Cup, the 2023 World Test Championship, and the 2023 ODI World Cup. In all these campaigns, Smith contributed with important knocks and steady partnerships, helping his team in crucial situations. His ability to stay calm under pressure makes him one of Australia’s finest in ICC events.
| Name of the Trophy | Year | Steve Smith’s Performance in the Tournament |
|---|---|---|
| ODI World Cup | 2015 | 402 runs in 7 innings |
| T20 World Cup | 2021 | 69 runs in 4 innings |
| World Test Championship | 2023 | 155 runs in 2 innings |
| ODI World Cup | 2023 | 302 runs in 10 innings |
Steve Smith’s rise to the big stage began during the 2015 ICC ODI World Cup, where he played a major role in helping Australia lift the trophy on home soil. Batting in the middle order, Smith scored 402 runs in 7 innings, averaging 67.00 with a solid strike rate of 91.57. He smashed 1 century and 4 fifties, proving to be one of Australia’s most dependable players in the tournament. His best came in the semi-final against India as he scored a fluent 105, setting up a big total for his side.
In Australia’s maiden T20 World Cup title win in 2021, Steve Smith didn’t have a major role with the bat but still contributed with small, important innings when needed. Playing 7 matches and batting in 4 innings, he scored 69 runs with a highest of 35, averaging 23.00 at a strike rate of 97.18. Though not among the top run-scorers, Smith brought experience and stability to the middle order and his role was more about guiding the team during tricky phases, and his presence added depth and calmness to the batting unit.
In the 2023 World Test Championship Final against India at The Oval, Smith delivered a memorable performance in the first innings. He scored a classic 121 off 268 balls, holding Australia’s innings together with patience and skill. His century laid the foundation for a big total, which eventually helped Australia take complete control of the match and in the second innings, he added a useful 34 off 47 balls. Across both innings, Smith scored 155 runs, proving again why he is considered one of the finest Test batters of his era.
Steve Smith played all 10 matches for Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup, scoring 302 runs with an average of 33.55 and a strike rate of 80.96. While he didn’t score a hundred, he contributed 2 half-centuries, anchoring the innings and rotating strike to allow stroke players to flourish around him and his best score of 71 came in a must-win group-stage match, and his calm presence was again a strength for the team in knockout pressure.
New Zealand’s cricket team has been a force in recent years, consistently punching above their weight in ICC tournaments. Whether it was the ODI World Cup, T20 World Cup, or Champions Trophy, the Black Caps showed heart and grit, regularly making it to the knockout stages. But time and again, the big prize slipped through their fingers at the final hurdle. That all changed in 2021, when Kane Williamson’s cool-headed leadership steered them to glory in the World Test Championship Final and his composure and class guided New Zealand to their first major ICC title, a triumph that felt like the ultimate reward for years of near-misses.
| Name of the Trophy | Year | Kane Williamson’s Performance in the Tournament |
|---|---|---|
| World Test Championship | 2021 | 101 runs in 2 innings |
As New Zealand’s captain in the 2021 World Test Championship Final against India at Southampton, Kane Williamson was a rock. In a tense, rain-hit, low-scoring thriller, he led by example with two crucial knocks. In the first innings, his gritty 49 off 177 balls oozed patience, steadying the ship for his team and in the second, chasing a tricky target, Williamson’s unbeaten 52 off 89 balls was pure class — calm and composed, guiding New Zealand to victory with ice in his veins.
Joe Root, one of the Fab 4, was a linchpin in England’s charge to their first-ever ICC title at the 2019 ODI World Cup. Holding down the middle order, he brought a mix of grit and elegance, steadying the ship whenever England wobbled and time after time, Root delivered, piling on runs and anchoring the innings with a cool head, making him an absolute gem in their championship-winning run.
| Name of the Trophy | Year | Joe Root’s Performance in the Tournament |
|---|---|---|
| ODI World Cup | 2019 | 556 runs in 11 innings |
Joe Root was the heart and soul of England’s batting in the 2019 ODI World Cup, putting on a clinic that carried his team to the title. He played every single one of the 11 matches, stacking up 556 runs at a stellar average of 61.77 and a strike rate of 89.53. The guy was a rock, smashing two centuries and three fifties, with his best knock being a 107 and as England’s top run-getter, Root had this uncanny ability to stroll in during clutch moments, cool-headed and steady, guiding the team through tight spots with pure grit and skill.