ICC Men’s World Cup (1975-2023)

1999 World Cup – It was my favourite World Cup, as it was played in Retro jerseys. It was hosted by England. All the teams wore their magnificient jerseys and Rahul Dravid become the Man of the Series. This Cup would be remembered for Lance Klusner heroics. South Africa missed the golden opportunity of not reaching the final. In the Winter of Britian, this Cup would be always be remembered. Pakistan reached the final for the second time, but they were beaten by their counterparts Australia. From this Cup, the golden age of Australia was started. The four teams reaching the Semi-finals were Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand.

2003 World Cup– This Cup was hosted by South Africa, Kenya and Zimbabwe. The tournament featured 14 teams which was the largest in any Cups. The tournament had many upside downs as big teams lost in the group stages. The four team to reach the Semi-final was India, Australia, Kenya and Sri lanka. Kenya shocked everyone to reach the Semis. The Indian team was classic at this Cup and if the decision was correct and Ricky Ponting not had made the century, India could have win this World Cup. Sourav Ganguly captained the team perfectly and Sachin was at his peak. This World Cup is best remembered for Shoaib Akhtar bowling the quickest delivery in the world.

2007 World Cup- This was not a promising Cup. It was hosted by West indies. There were 16 teams which were divided by four groups of four each. This Cup is famous for the Bermuda team match against India. We saw many upsets in this Cup, India and Pakistan which were the favourites to win this Cup, were eliminated in the Group Stages Australia continued their dream run at the Cup and become a historic and the first team to win four World Cups. Pakistan’s coach Bob Wolmer was found death after the team was knocked out by Ireland in the tournament. The four teams to reach the final was Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and South Africa.

2011 World Cup– This was the most promising World Cup, as India had won the tournament after 28 years. M.S. Dhoni captained the team exceptionally. Sachin Tendulkar played his last World Cup and become the highest scorer in this tournament. This was the first Cup after 1992 to have not feature Australia in the Finals. Yuvraj Singh won the Man of the Series award and the whole team was very proud of him. The four teams that had reached the Semis were India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Emotions were high and it was the second time that the host nation had won the world cup. Sri Lanka had complained that the final was fixed.

2015 World Cup– This cup was the second tournament that was hosted by Australia and New Zealand. It was one of the finest tournament. We saw some tragedy, emotions and some fabulous innings. Martin Guptill scored a record 237 runs against west Indies in the Quarterfinals. New Zealand reached the finals for the first time. Emotions were high as many legends played their last World Cups- these were Kumar Sangakkara, Misbah Ul-haq, Micheal Clarke, Ab De Villiers and Shahid Afridi. Australia won the Cup for the fifth time. The teams that had reach the Semifinals were India, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Chis Gayle made 205 against Zimbabawe.

2019 World Cup- It featured the format of the 1992 World Cup. There were 9 teams in the competitions. It was hosted by England and Wales. It was a very profitable Cup. England won for the first time in the history of World Cups. There were many upside- downs in this Cup as South Africa which was clearly a recipient of winning the trophy was beaten by Bangladesh. Many greats like Lasith Malinga, M.S. Dhoni played their last cup. Teams that had reached the Semi-finals were India, England, New Zealand and Australia. In a match of India and England, all the teams were supporting India but India was supporting England.

2023 World Cup- In a nail-biting conclusion to the 2023 Cricket World Cup, Australia emerged as the undisputed champions, securing a resounding victory that will be etched in the annals of cricket history. The culmination of weeks of intense competition, the final match showcased the epitome of skill, strategy, and sportsmanship. Facing a formidable opponent in the grand finale, Australia demonstrated a stellar performance with both bat and ball. The team’s top-order batsmen laid a solid foundation, setting an imposing target for their rivals. The middle order, known for its resilience, further consolidated Australia’s position, leaving the opposition grappling to find a breakthrough.

The bowlers, spearheaded by a disciplined pace attack and crafty spinners, defended the total with unwavering precision. Their ability to strike at crucial junctures and apply consistent pressure on the opposition batsmen played a pivotal role in Australia’s triumph. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric, with fans from around the world witnessing a spectacle of cricketing brilliance. The players, donned in the iconic green and gold, celebrated their success with unbridled joy, epitomizing the culmination of dedication and teamwork.

As the Australian team lifted the coveted World Cup trophy, the cricketing fraternity acknowledged their exceptional performance throughout the tournament. The 2023 World Cup will be remembered not only for the thrilling matches and individual brilliance but also for India’s great performances 10 consecutive win on the trot , but also for Australia’s commanding display, securing their status as world champions in the cricketing arena.

All the World Cups played an important role in our lives. We are able to learn many things from our cricket idols. Virat Kohli had played four World Cups, his best performance came in the 2023 edition where he was the highest run getter , and his worst came in the 2019 edition. It was not worst but he didn’t managed to score centuries against the opponents. Sachin Tendulkar is the only person to have played six world Cup and his record of scoring 5 centuries in the Cup was broken by Rohit Sharma. It was a dream year for him and he should always play like this for India.