Twenty-two teams participated in the 2001 ICC Trophy, the seventh edition of the tournament. Four teams – France, Germany, Nepal, and Uganda – were making their tournament debuts. Four teams also did not return from the previous edition of the tournament in 1997 – Bangladesh and Kenya had been granted automatic qualification for the 2003 World Cup, West Africa were refused entry to Canada, and Italy unexpectedly withdrew due to a dispute over the eligibility of their players.