In this Cricket Legends related article you are going to get info on the best performances of the Cricketing legends of all time in the World Cup Finals. We are going to see some of the best World Cup Cricket Final performances that won the World Cup for their countries. So stick with this informative article.
So let’s begin.
ICC Cricket World Cup Finals: Best Performances (1975–2023)
(Includes Man of the Match & Player of the Tournament)
1. 1975 World Cup Final – West Indies vs Australia
- Result: West Indies won by 17 runs.
- Best Batting: Clive Lloyd (WI) – 102 (85 balls).
- Best Bowling: Gary Gilmour (AUS) – 6/14 (12 overs).
- Man of the Match: Clive Lloyd (102 runs).
- Player of the Tournament: Glenn Turner (NZ) – 333 runs.
- Impact: Lloyd’s century and Gilmour’s 6-wicket haul were highlights, but WI’s bowling (Keith Boyce 4/50) sealed the win.
2. 1979 World Cup Final – West Indies vs England
- Result: West Indies won by 92 runs.
- Best Batting: Viv Richards (WI) – 138* (157 balls).
- Best Bowling: Joel Garner (WI) – 5/38 (11 overs).
- Man of the Match: Viv Richards (138* runs).
- Player of the Tournament: Gordon Greenidge (WI) – 253 runs, 3 fifties.
- Impact: Richards’ century and Garner’s 5-wicket spell crushed England (194 all out).
3. 1983 World Cup Final – India vs West Indies
- Result: India won by 43 runs.
- Best Batting: Krishnamachari Srikkanth (IND) – 38 (57 balls).
- Best Bowling: Mohinder Amarnath (IND) – 3/12 (7 overs).
- Man of the Match: Mohinder Amarnath (26 runs + 3 wickets).
- Player of the Tournament: Viv Richards (WI) – 367 runs.
- Impact: Amarnath’s all-round show and Kapil Dev’s iconic catch (Richards) won India its first WC.
4. 1987 World Cup Final – Australia vs England
- Result: Australia won by 7 runs.
- Best Batting: David Boon (AUS) – 75 (125 balls).
- Best Bowling: Craig McDermott (AUS) – 4/31 (9.4 overs).
- Man of the Match: David Boon (75 runs).
- Player of the Tournament: Graham Gooch (ENG) – 471 runs.
- Impact: Boon’s 75 and McDermott’s wickets defended 253 after Gatting’s infamous reverse-sweep dismissal.
5. 1992 World Cup Final – Pakistan vs England
- Result: Pakistan won by 22 runs.
- Best Batting: Imran Khan (PAK) – 72 (110 balls).
- Best Bowling: Wasim Akram (PAK) – 3/49 (9 overs).
- Man of the Match: Wasim Akram (33* runs + 3 wickets).
- Player of the Tournament: Martin Crowe (NZ) – 456 runs.
- Impact: Akram’s two wickets in one over (Botham & Lamb) were decisive.
6. 1996 World Cup Final – Sri Lanka vs Australia
- Result: Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets (D/L).
- Best Batting: Aravinda de Silva (SL) – 107* (124 balls).
- Best Bowling: Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) – 1/24 (6 overs).
- Man of the Match: Aravinda de Silva (107* + 1 wicket).
- Player of the Tournament: Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) – 221 runs + 7 wickets.
- Impact: De Silva’s century and Jayasuriya’s aggressive batting (82 in semis) led SL to its first WC.
7. 1999 World Cup Final – Australia vs Pakistan
- Result: Australia won by 8 wickets.
- Best Batting: Ricky Ponting (AUS) – 140* (121 balls).
- Best Bowling: Shane Warne (AUS) – 4/33 (9 overs).
- Man of the Match: Shane Warne (4/33).
- Player of the Tournament: Lance Klusener (SA) – 281 runs + 17 wickets.
- Impact: Warne’s spin (4/33) bundled Pakistan for 132; Ponting’s century sealed it.
8. 2003 World Cup Final – Australia vs India
- Result: Australia won by 125 runs.
- Best Batting: Ricky Ponting (AUS) – 140* (121 balls).
- Best Bowling: Glenn McGrath (AUS) – 3/52 (8.2 overs).
- Man of the Match: Ricky Ponting (140*).
- Player of the Tournament: Sachin Tendulkar (IND) – 673 runs.
- Impact: Ponting’s brutal century (8 sixes) and McGrath’s dismissal of Tendulkar were key.
9. 2007 World Cup Final – Australia vs Sri Lanka
- Result: Australia won by 53 runs (D/L).
- Best Batting: Adam Gilchrist (AUS) – 149 (104 balls).
- Best Bowling: Glenn McGrath (AUS) – 3/62 (10 overs).
- Man of the Match: Adam Gilchrist (149 runs).
- Player of the Tournament: Glenn McGrath (AUS) – 26 wickets (WC record).
- Impact: Gilly’s “squash ball” century (8 sixes) powered Australia to 281/4.
10. 2011 World Cup Final – India vs Sri Lanka
- Result: India won by 6 wickets.
- Best Batting: Gautam Gambhir (IND) – 97 (122 balls).
- Best Bowling: Lasith Malinga (SL) – 2/42 (9 overs).
- Man of the Match: MS Dhoni (91* off 79 balls).
- Player of the Tournament: Yuvraj Singh (IND) – 362 runs + 15 wickets.
- Impact: Gambhir’s 97 and Dhoni’s finishing six won India’s second WC after 28 years.
11. 2015 World Cup Final – Australia vs New Zealand
- Result: Australia won by 7 wickets.
- Best Batting: Michael Clarke (AUS) – 74 (72 balls).
- Best Bowling: James Faulkner (AUS) – 3/36 (9 overs).
- Man of the Match: James Faulkner (3/36).
- Player of the Tournament: Mitchell Starc (AUS) – 22 wickets.
- Impact: Faulkner’s wickets and Starc’s 2/20 restricted NZ to 183.
12. 2019 World Cup Final – England vs New Zealand
- Result: England won via boundary count after a tie.
- Best Batting: Ben Stokes (ENG) – 84* (98 balls).
- Best Bowling: Chris Woakes (ENG) – 3/37 (9 overs).
- Man of the Match: Ben Stokes (84* + Super Over).
- Player of the Tournament: Kane Williamson (NZ) – 578 runs.
- Impact: Stokes’ heroics (including the “deflected four”) and Woakes’ early strikes.
13. 2023 World Cup Final – India vs Australia
- Result: Australia won by 6 wickets.
- Best Batting: Travis Head (AUS) – 137 (120 balls).
- Best Bowling: Mitchell Starc (AUS) – 3/55 (10 overs).
- Man of the Match: Travis Head (137 runs).
- Player of the Tournament: Virat Kohli (IND) – 765 runs (most in a WC).
- Impact: Head’s century and Cummins’ 2/34 (dismissing Kohli & Rohit) dominated India’s 240.
Key Takeaways:
- Man of the Match winners often decided finals (e.g., Gilchrist 2007, Dhoni 2011, Stokes 2019).
- Player of the Tournament didn’t always win the WC (e.g., Sachin 2003, Kohli 2023).
- Bowling dominance: McGrath (2007), Warne (1999), and Akram (1992) delivered in finals.
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Concluding : Best World Cup Performances
The evolution of World Cup dominance in cricket reveals a fascinating journey of shifting power among nations. West Indies set the early benchmark with consecutive victories, and Australia later emerged as the dominant force, showcasing their strength with legends like McGrath, Warne, Ponting, Gilchrist, and Lee. Their consistency in winning three World Cups in a row, followed by continued dominance with players like Clarke, Cummins, and Starc, reinforces Australia’s legacy as one of the greatest cricketing nations. Today’s Australian dominance strongly resembles the West Indies’ reign in 1975, with both teams exhibiting unmatched strength in all departments — from world-class bowlers to aggressive, match-winning batsmen.
Other countries have also made their mark in World Cup history. Sri Lanka, with the brilliance of Muttiah Muralitharan and Aravinda de Silva, made history with their 1996 triumph, while England, led by players like Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes, finally saw their golden era with their first-ever World Cup win. New Zealand has remained a tough competitor with players such as Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, and Trent Boult, always coming close but falling short. South Africa, led by AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn, put up a mighty challenge, particularly in the 2015 World Cup.
India’s near-miss in the 2023 final, with key players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli failing to perform, was a significant disappointment. Despite India’s strong bowling attack with Bumrah and Shami, Australia’s superb bowling, especially from Cummins and Starc, overshadowed India’s efforts. The game was within India’s reach, but the loss of key wickets and the failure of some experienced players in crucial moments ultimately cost them the trophy.
In the end, the 2023 World Cup final demonstrated how cricket remains a game of fine margins, where every individual performance counts and where the best teams are often those who can maintain consistency over the years. Australia’s dominance today — akin to the West Indies in 1975 — continues to reflect a blend of sheer talent, aggression, and tactical excellence. This unwavering consistency, coupled with the rise of other nations, continues to make the World Cup one of the most unpredictable and thrilling tournaments in world sport.
So this was it regarding best World Cup Cricket performances of all time. I hope you liked it.
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