13 Best World Cup Cricket Matches of All Time

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Cricket World Cup is a feast for cricket fans. It’s a thrilling experience to see different nations competing to take the World Cup to their country. Additionally, the event guarantees to give some spectacular and unforgettable matches.

Today, we are peeking at some of the best world cup cricket matches. These matches gave the fans every penny worth of their money.

Lords Cricket Ground (Source: Tripadvisor)
Lords Cricket Ground (Source: Tripadvisor)

The thrilling and memorable matches have been recorded as some of the best ones in history. Similarly, these moments have given the fans something to remember fondly.

So now, without any delay, let us take a walk back to some of the best world cup cricket matches.

13 Best World Cup Cricket Matches of All Time

We have assembled the list with the help of internet sources like the ICC-Cricket, SportsShow, etc. Let’s take a look at the orders of the moments before getting into the full details.

Teams Date
13. India VS Pakistan 2003
12. Australia VS West Indies 1996
11. Australia VS India 1987
10. Pakistan VS England 1992
9. India VS Zimbabwe 1983
8. England VS Australia 2003
7. England VS India 2011
6. New Zealand VS South Africa 2015
5. Sri Lanka VS Australia 1996
4. New Zeland VS England 2019
3. England VS Ireland 2011
2. Australia VS Soth Africa 1999
1. Australia VS West Indies 1975

13. India VS Pakistan 2003

India and Pakistan are two countries known for their cricket rivalry. In 2003’s World Cup, the two rivals came face to face, and it became the best World Cup cricket match of all time.

The match is remembered as an epic faceoff between two cricket giants. The cross-border tension had come to the field, and the match was much-anticipated. But there were calls for India to boycott the match.

While Pakistan had big names like Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, and Waqar Younis, the Indian team had Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Yuvraj Singh on their roster.

India VS Pakistan 2003
India VS Pakistan 2003 (Source: First Post)

Tendulkar gave one of the best plays while Akhtar’s fiery bowling electrified the whole stadium. Various records were made during the match. Anwar forced his way to a century and posted 273 for seven from 50 overs.

The match was hyped for a year after knowing the date of the fixture. Likewise, the match is truly one of the most memorable World Cup matches.

12. Australia VS West Indies 1996

On our 12 of the best World Cup cricket matches of all time, we are going back to 1996 when the Calypso faced the Aussies. The match is rememberable for how the Australian teams won the almost impossible victory.

The West Indies were at the top of their game. The team had dominated the entirety of the game for 91 overs, and they needed 43 to score from 54 balls with 8 wickets at hand. It looked like the team had the win in their bad.

But then, the game was not over for Australia. Instead, the game turned when Jimmy Adams entered the field, which changed the course of the game.

Australian team celebrating their win
Australian team celebrating their win (Source: Cricket Country)

Stuart Law and Michael Bevan also contributed to the team. Lo and behold! The game was turned on its head in the last 5 or 6 overs. The Australian team took 7 wickets, falling for 29 runs.

The Australians could keep their focus while the Indies lost the game that everyone thought they almost had. After their unbelievable victory, the Aussies reached their first final in World Cup in nine years.

11. Australia VS India 1987

The next best World Cup cricket match goes to the 1987 match between Australia and India. Both the cricket powerhouses were fighting in the second Final appearances.

India was hosting the game; therefore, the team had more pressure to defeat the Aussies on their home ground. Many remember the game as one of the finest matches with beautiful sportsmanship.

The match was close, and fans were on the edge of their seats. Dean Jones’s batting and Steve Waugh’s bowling gave the Indian team captained by Kapil Dev a tough competition.

Australia VS India 1987
Australia VS India 1987 (Source: SportsShow.net)

Navjot Sidhu and Krishnamachari Srikkanth tried to save the Indian wicket, but their effort did not amount to much. Then the game ended with two runs added before the end of the innings.

India needed 271 to win the match but missed the mark by 269. The game was a close one and one of the best matches between the Aussies and India.

10. Pakistan VS England 1992

On number 10, we have the match between Pakistan ad England. The match was one of Pakistan’s finest moments in World Cup history. The game took place at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia.

There were an estimated 87,182 spectators at the audience at the event. It was Pakistan’s first-ever entry into the World Cup final, and they gave one of the best performances of their lives.

The English team kept losing the wickets to be 69 for 4. Then after the arrival of Neil Fairbrother and Allan, they provided stability to the team.

Paksitan team clebrating after the win
Pakistan team celebrating after the win (Source: Getty Images)

In the ten remaining overs, England required 84 runs from 54 balls. Then Aaquib Javed took away England’s hope dismissing Fair brother with 62 runs off 70 balls.

Wasim Akram and Imran Khan also made major contributions to the game. Pakistan won its first-ever World Cup title under the captaincy of Imran Khan.

Twenty-two runs defeated England. Akram’s aggressive bowling and crucial 31 runs earned him the Man of the Match. The match is one of Pakistan’s finest and is considered one of the World cup cricket matches.

9. India VS Zimbabwe 1983

The match between India and Zimbabwe in 1983 is memorable for many reasons. The game showcased one of the finest performances from the Indian team and especially from Kapil Dev.

Zimbabwe had dominated the game, with India losing 8 wickets at 140. India was down to 17 for five, and five of India’s top batsmen were in the pavilion. With India in a slump, Kapil Dev came to the rescue.

He contributed 175 runs where India had set the 267 run target. It was one of Dev’s finest performances as he hit 16 fours and 6 sixes. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s Kevin Curran contributed the most to the team.

India VS Zimbabwe, 1983
India VS Zimbabwe, 1983 (Source: Indian Express)

Curran took three wickets and scored 73; however, it was not enough to stop the Indian team. At the end of the game, India came out victorious.

8. England VS Australia 2003

On our number 8 of the World Cup cricket matches of all time, we have a 2003 group stage match between England and Australia. The two countries have been known for their rivalries for over a century.

The match between the two rivals was interesting, and fans were excited to see the two rivals on the field. The match took place in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

England VS Australia 2003
England VS Australia 2003 (Source: SportsShow.net)

Australia was an undefeated mountain England had to climb to proceed to the next stage. However, the Australian team had Andy Bichel on their team. He turned out to be the main contributor to the team.

He claimed his career-best record of 7-20 to reduce England to 8-204. After this, Australia only needed 205 to win. Australia remained undefeated, and England exited from the group stage.

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7. England VS India 2011

For the 2011 World Cup, India was playing host for the Cup. As passionate as India is for cricket, they were determined to see the English team defeated. However, the English team also had a strong chance to win the match.

During the match, India’s Master Blaster, Sachin Tendulkar, got all the glory as a player. He scored his 5th World Cup century and finished on 120.

England VS India 2011
England VS India 2011 (Source: Sky Sports)

Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh also contributed half-centuries on India’s behalf. In response to the Indian team’s display, England captain Andrew Strauss led his team to 158.

Likewise, Ian Bell also contributed 69 to the team. However, England could not match India’s performance as the match ended on 338/8 at the end of their 50 overs. 

6. New Zealand VS South Africa 2015

The semi-final match between New Zealand and South Africa in 2015 is remembered as one of the iconic matches in cricket history. Thus, it is our number 6 best World Cup cricket match.

The match was a thrilling one, and it was one of the best displays of sportsmanship in the sport. So naturally, the match gathered a lot of attractive, and Twitter was filled with clips and tweets of the event.

South Africa batted first but quickly lost their wickets. However, Faf Su Plessis and AB De Villers did their best to lift the team, and each scored 82 and 65, respectively.

New Zealand VS South Africa: Semi Final - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup
New Zealand VS South Africa: Semi Final – 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup (Source: Getty Images)

New Zealand got a good start to the game, but they suffered heavy blows in the middle of the game. The Kiwis needed 298 scores to win, and Grant Elliot’s contribution helped change the game.

Elliot’s 84 off 73 helped the New Zealand team to win the game. It truly was a spectacular show and one of the best world cup match.

5. Sri Lanka VS Australia 1996

We are going back to 1996 for this match. It was the final match between Sri Lanka and Australia in 1996. The event was held in Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan.

The Australian team was making their third appearance in the World Cup, and they had previously won the 1987 World Cup. However, Sri Lanka was an underdog compared to the powerhouse, Australia.

After the Sri Lankan team won the toss, the Aussies were the first to bat. Ricki Pointing gave the team the electrifying start the team needed.

Sri Lanka VS Australia 1996
Sri Lanka VS Australia 1996 (Source: Indian Express)

Mark Taylor scored 74 while Michael Bevan made 36 off 49 balls. In a comprehensive set of 241/7, the Australian team scored 63 in the last 10 overs.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan team had a rocky start. However, with the help of Captain Ranatunga, Asanka Gurusingha, and Aravinda De Silva, the game’s outcome was overturned.

Additionally, Sanath Jayasuriya took 3 for 42 in his ten overs. As a result, Sri Lanka won by 128 runs in 45 overs, and Jayasuriya was called Man of the Series for his performance in the game.

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4. New Zealand VS England 2019

Our number 4 of the best World Cup cricket matches of all time is the 2019 match between New Zealand and England. The match took place at Lord’s, London, England.

Since England was playing in their home country, they had the pressure to win the Cup more than ever. However, the Kiwis were also not going to back down without fighting.

England scored 15/0 off their 6 balls while New Zealand finished with 15/1 off their 6 balls. The game ended in a tie-in normal play of 100 overs.

New Zealand v England - ICC Cricket World Cup Final 2019
New Zealand v England – ICC Cricket World Cup Final 2019 (Source: The Sports Rush)

Then the game went to the Super Over, where both the team scored 15 runs. With such a close match, the fans were on the edge of their seats. England was out for 241 on the last ball of the 50th over while chasing New Zealand’s 241 for 8.

With such a close call, England won the title based on more boundaries scored in the match. The competition is remembered as one of the most dramatic matches in World Cup history. 

3. England VS Ireland 2011

England and Ireland are neighboring countries. Hence, the clash between the neighbors was one of the best world cup cricket matches of all time.

The match was held in Bangalore at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. England was calculated to have much more chances of winning the game than their neighbor Ireland. However, Ireland’s potential was also not to be underestimated.

England chose to bat after winning the toss. Although Ireland stood its ground at the beginning of the match, it did not last.

Ireland team celebrating their win
Ireland team celebrating their win (Source: ICC-Cricket.com)

Soon England caught up, and they completely took over the game. They made 327-8 off their 50 overs. Then it was Kevin O’Brien of Ireland who changed the match’s momentum.

O’Brien made 48 runs with 6 sixes and 13 fours in 50 balls. Meanwhile, Alex Cusack also made 47 for 162 runs in 17 overs.

With this, Ireland was able to attend victory over England. Kevin O’Brien scored the fastest century record in cricket history. Therefore, the match is our number 3 of the best world cup cricket matches of all time.

2. Australia VS South Africa 1999

Next, the match we will talk about is one of the most thrilling matches in World Cup history. The match took place in Birmingham, where Australia and South Africa faced off in the semi-final of the 1999 World Cup.

Australia won the game with nine runs with one over remaining. Herschelle Gibbs scored a century for South Africa.

As the Australian team was struggling, Ricky Pointing and Steve Waugh turned the tide for the team. Similarly, Lance Klusener hit the first two balls of the over for consecutive boundaries.

Australia celebrating after the win
Australia celebrating after the win (Source: Cricket Country)

South Africa could have still won the game as they only needed one run to win. However, Allan Donald was run out on the third last ball of its 50 overs. Australia won the semi-final match to move to the final.

The run-out was one of the most remarkable facts about the match. And also, the line dropped by Steve Waugh to Herschelle Gibbs, “You just dropped the Cup, mate!”

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1. Australia VS West Indies 1975

Our number 1 best world cup cricket match of all time is the iconic match between Australia and West Indies. It was the first Cricket World Cup Final, and the two teams were playing in the Lord’s, London.

The crowd anticipated a great game, and the two teams gave the fans more than that. Aussies had won the toss and opted to bowl first.

The West Indies made 291/8 in 60 overs, whereas Clive Lloyd made 102 runs from just 85 balls. Meanwhile, Rohan Kanhai also made 55 runs from 105 balls, and Deyruck Murray made 14 runs from 10 balls.

West Indies wins the 1975 World Cup
West Indies wins the 1975 World Cup (Source: ICC-Cricket.com)

When it was Australia’s turn to bat, Ian Chappell and Alan Turner made 62 and 40 runs respectively. After that, Vivian Richards made 3 straight run-outs; however, the Aussies fell 17 runs short of their target of 291.

The West Indies got victory over the first edition of the World Cup Final by 17 runs. The match is also most memorable for being the first edition of the World Cup and will always be the best World Cup cricket match of all time.

Conclusion

Regardless of our list, every game in the Cricket World Cup is a thrilling affair. Fans gather from all around the globe to celebrate the game and support their country.

While the matches are always fun to talk about, the ones on our list are the most memorable in cricket history. So we hope you enjoyed taking a trip down old memories with us!

Boby Rai
Boby Raihttps://playersbio.com/

Boby Rai

Boby Rai is a dedicated writer who specializes in capturing the essence of sporting excellence through his unique lens. As the creative mind behind numerous sports-centric projects, he brings a fresh perspective to the world of athletics, blending insightful commentary with captivating narratives.

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