The ODI World Cup is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world of cricket. The tournament, organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC), is played in the 50-over format, and takes place every four years. First held in 1975, the Cricket ODI World Cup has grown in popularity and scale over the years. From the electrifying matches to incredible individual achievements, the tournament has produced moments that are etched in the memories of fans worldwide.
The upcoming 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is set to be the 13th edition of the prestigious tournament. India has been chosen as the host nation for the tournament, with the event scheduled to take place from 5 October to 19 November 2023. This edition of the Men’s Cricket World Cup will be the first to be exclusively hosted by India. In the past, India had co-hosted the event with other countries on the Indian subcontinent in 1987, 1996, and 2011. Check out a list of the ODI World Cup winning teams from 1975 to 2019.
1975 – West Indies
The 1975 Cricket World Cup, held in England, marked the beginning of the prestigious tournament. It featured a total of eight teams – Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and East Africa (a team representing Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia).
Finishing at the top in Group B, the West Indies advanced to the semi-finals, in which they secured a five-wicket win and advanced to the final. The final took place at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground between West Indies and Australia. Batting first, the eventual champions posted 291 runs on the board on the back of a century from Clive Lloyd. In response, Australia fell short of the target by 17 runs.
1979 – West Indies
The second edition of the tournament was also held in England and won by the West Indies. It featured eight teams – Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Canada.
The first semi-final between West Indies and Pakistan was held at The Oval in London. West Indies, batting first, scored 293 for six, in reply to which Pakistan managed only 250 runs.
West Indies then faced England in the final at Lord’s. Batting first, the West Indies set a challenging target of 286 runs as Vivian Richards scored an unbeaten century – 138 off 157 balls. In response, England were bowled out for 194 runs.
1983 – India
The 1983 World Cup, also played in England, witnessed one of the greatest underdog stories in cricketing history. Led by Kapil Dev, the Indian team stunned the cricketing world by defeating the mighty West Indies in the final at Lord’s. It was India’s first-ever World Cup triumph.
India were the least favourites to win the final, especially after their batting debacle in the first innings, in which they managed to score just 183 runs. However, the bowlers then restricted the West Indies to 140, securing a historic 43-run victory.
1987 – Australia
Australia won their first-ever ODI World Cup in 1987, which was co-hosted by India and Pakistan. The final, which was played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, saw Australia defeat England by seven runs. Their opening batsman David Boon scored a half-century to guide them to a total of 253, in reply to which England marginally fell short of the target.
Eight teams participated in the 1987 World Cup and a total of 27 matches were played including the semi-finals and the final.
1992 – Pakistan
The 1992 World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand, and finished with Pakistan beating England by 22 runs in the final. Imran Khan lifting the trophy at the MCG remains an iconic image in the history of Pakistani cricket.
Pakistan batted first and scored 249 runs with contributions from Inzamam-ul-Haq and Imran Khan. In the chase, England struggled to keep up with the required run rate and eventually fell short by 22 runs, finishing at 227.
1996 – Sri Lanka
The 1996 Cricket World Cup was co-hosted by India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and featured 12 teams. The tournament was won by Sri Lanka, who defeated Australia by seven wickets in the final at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Aravinda de Silva scored an unbeaten century to guide Sri Lanka to a first innings total of 242, in reply to which Australia were bowled out for 241 runs, losing the final by 22 runs.
1999 – Australia
The 1999 World Cup witnessed Australia’s dominance as they clinched their second World Cup title. The tournament was hosted by England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
The 1999 World Cup Final was a one-sided affair with Australia showcasing their superiority over Pakistan. Australia chased down the target of 133 in only 20.1 overs, with Adam Gilchrist scoring a half century.
2003 – Australia
The 2003 World Cup once again showcased Australia’s dominance as they cruised to their third World Cup victory. The tournament was jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya.
In the final between Australia and India, the eventual winners put up a mammoth total of 359 runs, thanks to a brilliant century from Ricky Ponting. Despite a fighting knock from Virender Sehwag, India could only manage 234 runs.
2007 – Australia
The 2007 World Cup saw Australia’s dominance continue as they clinched their third consecutive and overall, fourth World Cup title. However, the tournament is also remembered for the rain-affected final, which was met with some controversy. Australia won by 53 runs in the final via the DLS method.
This edition of the tournament was full of surprises, one among them being the exit of pre-tournament favourites India and Pakistan in the group stage.
2011 – India
The 2011 Cricket World Cup was the tenth edition of the tournament and was co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. The final was held on April 2, 2011, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India. Hosts India faced Sri Lanka in the title clash. Chasing 275 runs to win, India lost early wickets but were guided by a brilliant innings from Gautam Gambhir (97 runs) and a match-winning knock from captain MS Dhoni (91*)
The 2011 World Cup marked a historic moment for Indian cricket as they won their second World Cup title, 28 years after their first triumph in 1983.
2015 – Australia
The 2015 World Cup, which was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, marked Australia’s dominance as they won their fifth World Cup title.
The final was held at Melbourne Cricket Ground, with Australia facing New Zealand in the title clash. New Zealand, batting first, were bowled out for 183 runs, in reply to which Australia comfortably reached the target in the 34th over.
2019 – England
The 2019 World Cup is remembered for its thrilling final and the first-ever Super Over in a World Cup final. England won their maiden Cricket World Cup title in dramatic fashion.
New Zealand batted first and posted a total of 241 runs. In England’s chase, the match ended in a tie with both teams scoring 241 runs. The final then went into a Super Over, where both teams scored 15 runs. Due to scoring more boundaries throughout the match, England was declared the winners.
