A team’s consistency and capacity to perform under duress on the most important occasions are demonstrated when they advance to the ICC event semi-finals. Only a few teams have consistently advanced to this important stage of the championships over the years.
While some teams succeed in reaching the semifinals, turning those chances into championships is a quite different matter. Teams continue to compete for the ultimate reward in the nearly annual ICC competitions, but very few have perfected the art of performing consistently.
The top three teams with the most ICC tournament semi-final appearances are as follows:
3. 17 times in New Zealand
With 17 semi-final appearances in various events, New Zealand has established a reputation as one of the most compatible teams in ICC tournaments. They have advanced to four T20 World Cup semi-finals (2007, 2016, 2021, 2022), nine ODI World Cup semi-finals (1975, 1979, 1992, 1999, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023), and four Champions Trophy semi-finals (2000, 2006, 2009, 2025), including the current 2025 tournament. The Kiwis have only won two ICC titles, the 2000 Champions Trophy and the first-ever World Test Championship in 2021, despite their regular qualification. They will try to win their third ICC championship and ultimately end their knockout curse with another Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final berth.
2. Australia: 17 times
Australia’s dominance in ICC competitions is still evident as they just advanced to the Champions Trophy 2025 final four, their first involvement in the competition since the 2009 edition, and earned their 17th semi-final berth. Australia has advanced to three T20 World Cups (2007, 2012, 2021), five Champions Trophies (2002, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2025), and nine ODI World Cup semi-finals (1975, 1987, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, 2019, 2023). The Australians are the most successful team in international cricket, having won a record six ODI World Cups and numerous ICC medals in all formats.
1. India: 19 times
With a record 19 trips to the semifinals, India has always been the side that shines at the ICC games. In seven ODI World Cups (1983, 1987, 1996, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023), five T20 World Cups (2007, 2014, 2016, 2022, 2024), and six Champions Trophy editions (1998, 2000, 2002, 2013, 2017, 2025), the Men in Blue have advanced to the last four. Under Rohit Sharma, they won the T20 World Cup in 2024, marking their most recent ICC victory. Before losing to Australia in the top match, the team even enjoyed a spectacular run in the 2023 ODI World Cup. The team will want to win that and add it to their impressive trophy cabinet since they qualified for the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-finals.
India
