Five greatest cricket World Cup finals in history

Every four years, the excitement of cricket fans reaches a fever pitch as top players from the ten Test playing nations get together for the International Cricket Council’s greatest ever showpiece – the World Cup.

The whole tournament is a colourful affair with each country’s chosen warriors battling it out to claim ODI cricket’s greatest prize. For those who are playing in the marquee event for the first time, it is an experience they get to cherish for life – especially if their team goes on to win the title. For some of the veteran players, however, it is their last shot at ultimate glory in the shorter format of the game.

With a number of associate and affiliate member nations also participating in the jamboree, the World Cup is a great way to bring together various cultures and people from all over the globe. The kind of passion that each performer brings into each game is merely an all-too familiar feature of the quadrennial event – more so if it happens to be an India-Pakistan encounter.

The summit clashes have seen both lopsided and keenly contested games over the 30 years since the tournament was first established in 1975. Since 1992, finals have always featured a subcontinental team, although the Australians have won the prestigious trophy a record four times.

Here is a list of the top five greatest finals in World Cup history:

5. ICC World Cup 2011 (Wankhede Stadium , Mumbai)

Eight years after Sourav Ganguly led a young team into the final of the 2003 event in South Africa, India once again stood on the cusp of history. This time around, they were in their own backyard – at the legendary Wankhede Stadium in the beautiful city of Mumbai. Standing between them and the trophy were their southern neighbours Sri Lanka, who had made the finals in 1996 (which they won) and 2007.

After a gaffe with the toss, the Lankans made first use of the wicket, and were pushed onto the backfoot immediately, with Indian spearhead Zaheer Khan making life difficult for both the openers, sending down three consecutive maidens in his first six-over spell. After progressing to 60 in the 17th over with both Dilshan and Tharanga back in the pavilion, the veterans Sangakkara and Jayawardene took over, adding 62 runs in almost 12 overs before left-arm spinner Yuvraj Singh dismissed the left-handed Sri Lankan captain for 48. Samaraweera and Chamara Kapugedara followed in quick succession, but the gritty Jayawardene then accelerated hard in the company of Nuwan Kulasekara and all-rounder Thisara Perera, reaching his century as his side coasted to 274/6 in 50 overs, hammering 91 runs in their last 10.

In reply, India got off to a shaky start, with both openers Sachin and Sehwag falling to slinger Lasith Malinga. Then came the rescue act – the Delhi duo of Gambhir and Kohli added 83 runs for the third wicket before the latter was dismissed by Dilshan.

Knowing that the required run rate was going to rise rapidly, skipper Dhoni gambled by promoting himself up the order. His strategy was to negate the off-spin of the wily Muralitharan, while ensuring that a left-right pair put the other bowlers off their lines and lengths. The two Indians then added 109 for the fourth wicket, taking the score to 223 before Perera bowled Gambhir for 97.

In the company of Yuvraj Singh, Dhoni took his side over the finish line, slamming Kulasekara for a huge six to secure the win and the trophy for his nation, ending a 28-year drought. The winning hit has now become one of the lasting images of the tournament, and India had set a record for the highest successful run-chase in WC history.

It was a keenly contested final right from Jayawardene’s later assault to Malinga’s initial burst, before MSD uncorked his magic. It will go down in history as one of the best World Cup final victories of all-time.

4. Prudential World Cup 1975 final (Lord’s Cricket Ground, London)

This was where the journey started for the quadrennial tournament, in which teams vied for the world championship crown in One-Day Internationals. Consisting of white flannels, a red ball and 60 overs, it was the precursor for the future editions of this event.

At the time, England was the only nation that had the resources to manage an occasion of such magnitude. Eight teams participated in the tourney, culminating in a final showdown between the powerful West Indies and the spirited Australians.

Ian Chappell put the Caribbean side into the bat after winning the toss on a glorious June morning. Almost immediately, fast bowlers Dennis Lillee and Gary Gilmour rocked the batting line-up, reducing them to 50/3. Then came the turnaround.

In strode skipper Clive Lloyd – and proceeded to unleash a brutal display of power hitting, of the sort that we have come to expect from the likes of Shahid Afridi or Virender Sehwag. He clipped Lillee off his toes first up, and when the bowler responded with a bouncer, the southpaw sent the ball soaring over backward square leg for a massive six. Lloyd also punished the hapless Max Walker, who ended up conceding 71 runs in his 12 overs.

The bespectacled West Indian ended up scoring a magnificent century from just 85 balls in a 140-run stand with Rohan Kanhai. His dismissal triggered a mini-collapse, but lusty hitting from the lower order enabled the Calypso kings to reach 291 in their 60 overs. The left-handed Gilmour grabbed 5/48, but none of the other Aussie bowlers could make an impact on Lloyd.

In reply, Australia lost Rick McCosker early before Alan Turner and Ian Chappell steadied the ship with a 56-run stand. But none of them had reckoned with that outstanding fielder and batsman extraordinaire Viv Richards; he effected three sharp run-outs, sending back both the Chappell brothers and Turner to leave the batting side gasping for breath at 162/4.

The rest of the batsmen followed soon after, leaving the side reeling at 233/9 and West Indies on the brink of making history.

But then came the last stand – between Lillee and Thomson – causing a further holdup before Deryck Murray’s under-arm throw found the latter short of his crease after a 41-run stand. West Indies were now the first winners of the coveted world title, and would go on to defend it successfully in 1979.

The game stands out for Lloyd’s audacity, Gilmour’s five-wicket haul, Richards’ superb fielding and the final resistance from the Aussie fast bowlers. Truly, it is a glittering entry in the cricketing annals!

3. Reliance World Cup 1987 final (Eden Gardens, Calcutta)

In the tournament’s relatively short history, this was the first time it was hosted away from the UK.

Eden Gardens played host to traditional cricketing rivals Australia and England – the latter having trounced defending champions India in the semi-finals. Australia batted first and posted 253 in their allotted 50 overs, largely on the back of David Boon’s magnificent 75 and a stroke-filled unbeaten 45 from Mike Veletta.

England were comfortably placed at 135/2, with captain Mike Gatting and Bill Athey at the crease. Their partnership was beginning to rattle the Australians.

Just then, Aussie skipper Allan Border came on to bowl his left-arm orthodox spin, and Gatting succumbed to what can only be described as a rush of blood. He tried to execute a reverse sweep, but the ball hit his shoulder and flew into the gloves of wicket-keeper Greg Dyer, who managed to hold on despite his surprise. Gatting left, shaking his head in bewilderment.

Athey fell soon after, and despite Allan Lamb’s valiant 45 and a quick cameo by Phil Defreitas, Australia were not to be denied, and they scampered home by seven runs. They would go on to win the title three more times – but it was Border’s brilliant move that signalled England’s doom in the quest for the world championship. Terrific stuff!

2. 1992 World Cup final (Melbourne Cricket Ground)

Desperate to bag a major cricket title, England scampered through the qualifying stages and eked out a controversial win over South Africa via a strange method of calculating the target scores in the second semi-final.

Pakistan, who had a far more rough entry into the final, demolished New Zealand in the first semi-final, courtesy Inzamam ul-Haq’s spectacular innings. Their morale had been at an all-time low two weeks prior, but they managed to dig themselves out of the hole and survived to face the British in the summit clash.

Imran Khan won the toss and decided to bat first. Seamer Derek Pringle removed both Aamer Sohail and Rameez Raja to leave the Men in Green tottering at 24/2. With fellow 1975 World Cup veteran Javed Miandad for company, Imran added 139 for the third wicket, taking the score to 163 before Miandad was removed by Richard Illingworth for 58. Imran fell later for 72, but big hitting from Inzamam and Wasim Akram piloted Pakistan to a score of 249.

England’s chase was rocked by Akram’s brilliance; he dismissed makeshift opener Ian Botham for a duck. Gooch, Stewart and Hick followed to leave their side reeling at 69/4 before Neil Fairbrother and Allan Lamb staged a recovery, taking the score to 141.

However, Akram then provided two of the most brilliant moments of the final – he fired one on to Lamb’s pads, which shaped in and moved away from the astonished batsman to uproot the off-stump. Next ball, the left-armer removed Chris Lewis with a widish delivery outside off-stump that nipped back in sharply, once again dislodging the off-stump.

This effectively ended England’s resistance – Fairbrother fell to Aaqib Javed, and despite a valiant attempt by the tail, Pakistan were not to be denied, with Imran dismissing Illingworth courtesy a catch by Rameez Raja.

The legendary Sir Colin Cowdrey handed over the glittering crystal trophy to the Pakistan captain – whose grinning face as he held it aloft became, after Jonty Rhodes’ brilliance in the field, remained etched in the minds of fans for eons to come.

1. 1983 World Cup final (Lord’s Cricket Ground, London)

Billed as a ‘David vs Goliath’ contest, underdogs India had progressed to the final of the World Cup for the first time. The West Indies team were making their third appearance, having won the previous two editions, and were firm favourites to complete a hat-trick of titles.

Clive Lloyd won the toss and invited India to bat first. The fearsome four-pronged pace battery of Roberts, Garner, Marshall and Holding ripped through the batting line-up, and Larry Gomes also joined the party by bagging two wickets. India’s only pieces of resistance came from Krishnamachari Srikkanth (38), Sandeep Patil (27), all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath (26) and seamer Madan Lal (17), as they crumbled to 183 all out.

The Windies received their first shocker when opener Gordon Greenidge (1) shouldered arms to an in-swinging delivery from Balwinder Sandhu; the ball curled in and clipped the top of off-stump. Nine more to go.

But any fears of a possible upset were, for a brief while, allayed by the mastery of Viv Richards. He effortlessly dispatched the bowlers into the fence, and his buccaneering ways took his side to 57/2.

However, captain Kapil Dev took a blinder of a catch running backwards towards mid-wicket after the King mistimed a hook off Madan Lal. The Caribbean supporters were shocked into sepulchral silence; their hero had fallen.

It went downhill from there – Madan and Binny then ran through the rest of the batting, while Kapil knocked over Roberts. Amarnath, who had earlier removed Marshall, trapped Holding LBW to send the champions hurtling towards a 43-run defeat.

The unthinkable had occurred. The mighty Calypso Kings had fallen. 1983 became the year of the underdog with India’s superb victory – a feat replicated 28 years later by Dhoni’s men. For sheer cricketing brilliance, this one tops the list of the greatest WC finals in the history of cricket!