Top National Cricket Teams And World Cup Winners

The Cricket World Cup is an international sports competition that is organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It is held every four years and considered as the flagship competition of the international cricket circuit with the first three world cups held in England. Although the first game of the first International Cricket competition was played between the United States and Canada in 1844, the first Test match was between England and Australia in 1877. The first One-Day International match was between Australia and England in 1971.

ICC Member Countries

The first Cricket World Cup was played in England in 1975 with West Indies bringing home the trophy. The eight participating teams included the first six test nations: England, Australia, New Zealand, India, West Indies, and Pakistan. East Africa and Sri Lanka also joined the competition. Today, there are ten full-member countries in the ICC with additional members under the classification of associates and affiliate members. These memberships are approved by the World Cricket League and chosen under a qualifying tournament.

The Winning Nations

With 5 wins, Australia ranks number 1 among the cricket World Cup winners, followed by India and West Indies, with 3 wins each.

In 2015, with 93,013 cricket watchers in attendance, the Australian team, captained by Michael Clarke won by 7 wickets with New Zealand (183 all out (45 overs) as runner-up. Melbourne hosted the competition.

In the 2011 Mumbai World Cup, the Indian team, captained by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, won by 6 wickets with Sri Lanka (274/6 (50 overs) as runner-up. There were 42,000 cricket watchers in attendance.

The West Indies team captained by Clive Lloyd won the World Cup in 1979 in London by 92 runs with England (194 all out (51 overs) as runner-up. The match was watched by 32,000 people.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan have 1 win each. In the 1996 World Cup in Lahore watched by 62,645 people, the Sri Lankan team, captained by Arjuna Ranatunga, won by 7 wickets with Australia (241/7 (50 overs) as runner-up. In 1992, watched by 87,182 people, the Pakistan team, captained by Imran Khan, won by 22 runs with England (227 all out (49.2 overs) as runner-up. England was 3 times runner-up in 1979, 1987, and 1992. New Zealand was one-time runner-up in the 2015 World Cup.

Final Matches

The award for the Man of the Tournament was given to the player who contributed most to the winning team in the world cup final. The recipients are as follows: James Faulkner (2015), Australia; Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2011), India; Adam Gilchrist (2007), Australia; Ricky Ponting (2003), Australia; Shane Warne (1999), Australia; Aravinda de Silva (1996), Sri Lanka; Wasim Akram (1992), Pakistan David Boon (1987), Australia; Mohinder Amarnath (1983), India; Viv Richards (1979), West Indies; Clive Lloyd (1975), West Indies.

In the 2015 World Cup, Martin Guptill of the Australian team achieved the highest score of 237. In batting, the player with the most runs from 1992-2011 was Sachin Tendulkar of the Indian team. The highest partnership of 2nd wicket in 2015 was Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels of the West Indies team at 372 in 2015 versus Zimbabwe. In bowling, Australia’s Glenn Mcgrath had the most wickets with 71 from 1996-2007. Mcgrath also had the best bowling figures versus Namibia in 2003 at 7/15. Mcgrath also achieved most wickets with 26 in 2007. Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka had the best strike rate minimum of 1000 balls bowled with 23.8 from 2007-2015.