A history of the most iconic Cricket World Cup finals
17th Nov 2023 Sport
8 min read
Ahead of the
final of this year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup between India and Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium,
Ahmedabad, India, on November 19, we take a look back at some of the most iconic
finals in the tournament’s 48-year history
1975: West Indies 291-8 beat Australia 274 by 17 runs (Lord’s, London)
Played across 60 overs, limited overs international cricket was still in its infancy in 1975
but a memorable inaugural world tournament ensured the format was here to stay.
It followed the very first women’s World Cup played in England two years
previously, when Rachael Heyhoe-Flint lifted the trophy for the home side.
West Indies captain Clive Lloyd guided them to the Cricket World Cup in 1975. Credit: Bollywood Hungama
Australia came
into the tournament as favourites but West Indies, under an inspirational new
captain Clive Lloyd, put a string of defeats in Test Matches behind them to
emerge as the new cricketing superpower. They survived an early scare to come
back from certain defeat against Pakistan, giving them confidence they could
win the tournament.
With a team
of exciting youngsters such as Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge, mixed with
the experience of players like Rohan Kanhai and
boasting a fearsome pace quartet, they beat eventual finalists Australia
comfortably early in the competition before eliminating New Zealand in the
semifinal.
Hosts
England meanwhile were knocked out by Australia in the other semi-final thanks
to an astonishing bowling performance by left-arm quick bowler Gary Gilmour.
Lloyd dominated
the final. Dropped early in his innings after West Indies had lost three early
wickets, he played a commanding knock of 102 off just 85 balls in a partnership
of 149 with Kanhai. He memorably hooked Dennis Lillee for six, but his innings
was notable for flowing strokeplay all around the famous old ground.
Sharp
runouts by Richards arrested Australia’s pursuit of 292 and despite captain Ian
Chappell’s 62 they slumped to 233-9. A spirited last-wicket stand of 41
threatened to cause a last-minute upset before Jeff Thomson was run out in the
penultimate over, sparking scenes of jubilation among the West Indies’
passionate supporters.
1983: India 183 beat West Indies 140 by 43 runs (Lord’s, London)
Kapil Dev helped India overcome Lloyd's West Indies in 1983. Credit: Bollywood Hungama
Lloyd’s West
Indies had beaten England comprehensively to win the 1979 World Cup and began
the 1983 instalment as firm favourites to add a third title. India, meanwhile,
arrived as rank outsiders, having won just one game in the previous two tournaments.
India beat
West Indies in their opening group game, but after two defeats including a
heavy loss to Australia, their World Cup seemed over when the slumped to 17-5
against minnows Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells. Step forward their captain and
talisman, all-rounder Kapil Dev whose incredible unbeaten innings of 175 from
just 138 balls propelled them to a remarkable victory. It proved a major
turning point in their campaign and self-belief.
"The ball seemed destined to race away for four only for Kapil Dev to take a stunning catch running back towards the boundary"
The final
was a low-scoring affair. India batted first against the West Indies formidable
pace attack and while Krishnamachari Srikkanth took on the short-pitching
bowling to top-score with 38, they were ultimately dispatched for just 183 with
more than five overs of their innings unused.
The result
seemed a formality. India’s mix of medium pace swing bowlers could not match
the sheer pace made of their opponents, but found plenty of movement on a green
wicket to undo several of the West Indies’ batters. The key moment though was
when the imperious Viv Richards (33) played a pull shot against Madan Lal. The
ball seemed destined to race away for four only for Kapil Dev to take a
stunning catch running back towards the boundary.
Pace legend Michael
Holding later admitted that with such a low target, complacency had set in, and
no-one had taken it upon themselves to get the runs themselves.
The game is
notable not just because of the shock result, but because it raised the profile
of one-day cricket in India and inspired a new generation of players like Sachin
Tendulkar as the country became a powerhouse in the limited overs formats.
1987: Australia 253 for five beat England 246 for eight by seven runs (Eden Gardens, Kolkata)
Cricket’s
oldest international rivals squared up in the final of the first World Cup to
be held outside England, a tournament staged jointly by India and Pakistan in
front of huge, passionate crowds.
Almost
100,000 fans packed out Eden Gardens and while the majority were expecting an
India v Pakistan final, they were treated to a close contest with underdogs
Australia emerging victorious by just seven runs.
The
Australians were in transition with Allan Border leading a largely
inexperienced squad from the front. Border gave his young charges responsibility
and expected them to work hard in return.
Opener David Boon set the tone with a gutsy 75 but Australia
lost three quick wickets. The unsung Mike Veletta enjoyed a relatively brief
international career, but this was his finest hour. He scored a pivotal
unbeaten 45 and combined in a stand of 73 with Border as Australia set a
challenging 254 to win.
Tim Robinson
fell to the fourth ball of England’s run chase, but Graham Gooch (35) and Bill Athey
(58) steadied the ship. Skipper Mike Gatting looked set to take the game away
from Australia with an aggressive 41, enjoying himself against the off-spin of
Tim May and a moment of luck when Steve Waugh caught him on the boundary only
to step over the rope and concede a six.
With the
game slipping away, Border took the inspired decision to bowl his own part-time
spin. Gatting attempted to reverse sweep a legside wide ball, only to deflect
it onto his shoulder, the ball bouncing up to give keeper Greg Dyer a catch. It
was the turning point in the game.
Waugh had
taken on a key role, bowling the closing overs and proved the perfect man for
the job. He bowled the dangerous Allan Lamb for a well-made 45 as England
slumped to 220-7 still requiring 34 to win. Phil DeFreitas attacked to keep
England’s dreams alive but when he fell to Waugh, attempting another big shot, the
match was as good as over.
Victory ultimately
served as the catalyst for Australia’s domination over the next decade.
1992: Pakistan 249-6 beat England 227 by 22 runs (Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia)
Imran Khan went from legendary Pakistan cricketer to prime minister. Credit: The White House
Legendary
all-rounder Imran Khan had retired after Pakistan’s 1987 semi-final defeat in
Lahore but was asked to reconsider by the country’s President and returned to
the captaincy the following year. His career ended on a high with victory over
England in Australia—the first World Cup to be played in coloured clothing.
After
Pakistan lost both openers cheaply, Derek Pringle and Chris Lewis troubled Imran
and fellow veteran Javed Miandad early on, but the pair combined in an imposing
partnership of 139 which laid the foundation for a sizeable Pakistan total. Miandad
(58) passed a major landmark, becoming the first man to reach 1,000 World Cup
runs.
Imran (72) left
the field after his final international innings to a standing ovation, while Inzamam-ul-Haq
and Wasim Akram blazed useful runs in the closing overs.
"Imran Khan (72) left the field after his final international innings to a standing ovation"
Pakistan contained
scoring well early in the run chase with leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed tying
England up in knots as they slumped to 69-4 before Neil Fairbrother rebuilt in
partnership of 72 with Allan Lamb to put England back on track.
Imran turned
to left-arm pace bowler Akram to make the breakthrough. He struck immediately,
dealing England a double blow with two wickets in two balls, bowling Lamb before
Lewis played the next delivery onto his stumps.
Fairbrother was
batting with a runner due to injury which restricted his movement, but he kept
England in the hunt, moving onto 62 before he departed.
England were
seven wickets down, still needing 70 off the last seven overs and while their all-rounders
were all capable of adding runs, in the end the task proved too great. England
were dismissed with four balls remaining, Imran fittingly taking the winning
wicket.
1996–2007
Sri Lanka beat
Australia in Lahore by seven wickets to win the 1996 final before a hattrick of
wins for Australia, who comfortably beat Pakistan at Lord’s in 1999, India in
Johannesburg in 2003 and Sri Lanka in Barbados in 2007. They would later go on
to add a fifth title at home in Melbourne in 2015.
2011: Sri Lanka 274-6 lost to India 277-4 by 6 wickets (Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India)
Mahendra
Singh Dhoni scored a brilliant unbeaten 91 off just 79 balls to lead India to
victory, the first country to win the World Cup in their own country, defeating
Sri Lanka by six wickets with 10 balls to spare.
Dhoni soaked
up the pressure to lead India home after sharing a partnership of 109 with Gautam
Gambhir (97). He shepherded India towards their target, the crowd chanting his
name as he sealed victory by smashing a huge straight six to ensure India’s
first World Cup triumph in 28 years.
It was a
masterclass from the Indian skipper who had managed just 150 runs in his
previous seven innings. His bat speed and power were staggering. He hit eight
fours and two sixes in total as he passed 6,000 runs in one-day internationals.
India
dedicated their victory to legendary batsman, "little master" Sachin Tendulkar
who won the tournament at his sixth attempt and declared it the proudest moment
of his life. The team carried Tendulkar around his home ground in a lap of
honour. Said Virat Kohli: “Sachin carried the burden of a nation for 21 years,
so he deserves it.”
Sri Lanka’s Mahela
Jayawardene gained the unwanted distinction of becoming the first man to hit a
century in a World Cup final in a losing cause. He was the mainstay of his
side’s innings, playing a classy, wristy knock, caressing the ball to the
boundary.
2019: New Zealand 241-8 v England 241—Super Over: England 15-0 v New Zealand 15-1—England won on superior boundary count (Lord’s, London)
England endured
a dismal World Cup in 2015, their approach to limited overs cricket hopelessly
outdated. Cue a major reset in the English game with a laser focus on improving
white ball skills and targeting a home World Cup final in July 2019, their
first final in 27 years. Such was the extent of the turnaround under inspirational
skipper Eoin Morgan, they began the tournament as the world’s top ranked side, one
with clear roles and real unity.
New Zealand batted
first but no-one posted a decisive total as England’s bowlers did an excellent
job. The hosts were happy at the halfway stage, New Zealand’s total of 255 well
under par.
However, in
reply, England’s powerhouse top-order slumped to 86-4. If Ben Stokes (84*) and
Jos Buttler (59) were fazed by the situation it didn’t show. They rebuilt and
then pressed the accelerator, setting England on course for victory in a
commanding partnership of 110.
The seeds
for a dramatic, tense finish were sown when Lockie Ferguson tempted Buttler
with a wide, slower ball which he could only carve straight to the boundary
fielder. When allrounder Chris Woakes fell to Ferguson shortly afterwards,
England were six wickets down, still needing 39 from 23 balls.
"Not for the only time that summer, the lion-hearted Ben Stokes shouldered the responsibility to see England home"
Not for the
only time that summer, the lion-hearted Stokes shouldered the responsibility to
see England home. Liam Plunkett kept him company for a while before he was
caught by Trent Boult on the boundary.
The match
then swung on two extraordinary moments of fate. First Stokes hit the very next
ball down the ground straight to Boult. This time though, while the Kiwi fast
bowler again took the catch, the momentum carried him back onto the boundary
rope, conceding six precious runs.
England
needed 15 off the final over, bowled by Boult. Stokes could not force a run off
the first two deliveries, but slog swept the next for six.
Then that
second moment of fate. Stokes hit the ball into the outfield, ran two and dived
to ground his bat in his crease, but the throw from the boundary fielder somehow
struck his outstretched bat and ricocheted away for four.
Stokes took
a single off the next delivery and while running back for a second run, his
partner Adil Rashid was run out.
One ball
left. If New Zealand could prevent England scoring, they would win the World
Cup for the first time. England needed two runs to do likewise. Stokes ran
another single but coming back for a second Mark Wood was run out.
The super over
England's captain carries the Cricket Wold Cup after the most tense finish to any cricket world cup. Credit: Andrew 1829
The match
was tied so the World Cup would be decided in a super over. If that too ended
in a tie, the tournament would be decided by which side had hit the most
boundaries.
Buttler and
Stokes were England’s obvious choice to face the crucial super over from Boult
and accumulated 15 runs.
Jimmy Neesham
and Martin Guptill faced the final over for New Zealand with Morgan entrusting young
pace bowler Jofra Archer with the ball.
New Zealand were
left needing to score two off the final ball to win.
Guptill clipped
the ball out towards the boundary, ran a single and came back for a second. Cue
some brilliant fielding from Jason Roy who threw the ball into Buttler who whipped
off the bails, running out Guptill.
New Zealand
had tied the super over, but England’s superior boundary count meant they won
World Cup. As Ian Smith said on his now iconic commentary: “England have won
the World Cup by the barest of margins. Absolute ecstasy for England, agony for
New Zealand.”
Banner photo: India and Australia will play in the Cricket World Cup final (credit: ICC)
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