Australia at World Cups – history of domination
Australia’s domination at the World Cup is unrivalled. The team in the yellow outfit has won the competition five out of 11 times while no other nation has more than two trophies. They are the defending champions going into the 2019 World Cup. Here is a look back on their glorious record over the years.
Team record:
Played – 84, Won – 62, Lost – 20, Tie – 1, No result – 1
Notable performances:
Champions – 5 (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015), Runner up – 2 (1975, 1996)
Most runs: Ricky Ponting (1743 runs in 46 matches)
Most wickets: Glenn McGrath (71 wickets in 39 matches)
History:
In 1971, Australia played and won the first-ever ODI match. Leading into the 1975 World Cup, they were amongst the most experienced teams. In the group stage, Australia finished second with a loss against West Indies. Ian Chappell’s side faced English challenge in the semi-final. Gary Gilmour rose to the occasion and won the match with a splendid all-round performance of 6/14 and 28 not out.
In the final, West Indies batted first and riding on Clive Lloyd’s 102 from 85 balls, posted a total of 291/8. Australia fought hard in the chase but their pursuit was punctured by five run-outs. They fell 17 runs short of the target and ended as the runner up.
The worst outings
Next two World Cups were largely forgettable for the Australian side. They bowed out of the group stage in both these campaigns. In 1979, their only win was against Canada while they conceded losses against England and Pakistan. After four years, the Aussie team was jolted by Zimbabwe and India. Kim Hughes’ men mustered only two wins in six matches.
The first taste of success
The golden dawn arrived in 1987 with Allan Border at the helm. Australian cricket was in a phase of transition at that time and expectations from this side were low. Playing in the subcontinent, Australia cleared the group stage without a loss (one tied game against India). Solid team performance in the knockout matches helped them defeat Pakistan and England in semi-final and final. They won their first World Cup by a margin of seven runs.
Gaining steam
After a quiet World Cup on home soil in 1992 (5th position with four wins and four losses), Australia returned with a bang four years later. Playing on the Asian soil, the Aussies showed their hunger for World Championship in 1996. They advanced from the group stage with flying colors and brushed aside New Zealand in the quarterfinal.
Australia’s campaign was in lethal danger agaisnt West Indies in the semi-final with the Caribbean side breezing through the chase. Shane Warne turned the match on its head and secured the final berth for the nation. Sri Lanka’s Aravinda de Silva foiled Australia’s plans but this was just the beginning of the domination.
The reign begins
In the group stages of the 1999 World Cup in England, Australia lost two consecutive encounters against New Zealand and Pakistan. Their loss versus Pakistan proved to be their last negative result till the 2011 World Cup group stage. After clearing Super Six, Australia played the famous tied match against South Africa and entered into the final. They then crushed Pakistan by eight wickets to start world domination.
Australia remained unbeaten throughout the 2003 and 2007 World Cup. They played in 22 matches and won each of those. 2003 World Cup was played in South Africa whereas West Indies hosted the 2007 edition. It didn’t matter for Ricky Ponting’s men, they just defeated everyone they faced. India and Sri Lanka were the runner ups in these two editions and both the finals were one-sided matches.
A fresh start
In the 2011 World Cup, Australia completed a full circle by conceding a defeat to Pakistan in the group stage. The defending champions then faced India in the quarter-final. Despite Ricky Ponting’s 104, they lost the match by five wickets and their reign at the World Cup was over.
The mega event returned to the Australian shores after a break of 23 years and the home sides made it count. Both Australia and New Zealand were drawn in the same group. The team under Steve Smith’s leadership conceded only one loss in the group stage (one-wicket loss against NZ). They defeated Pakistan and India in the knockouts to face the Kiwis in the final. This time the Aussies overwhelmed the Blackcaps at MCG and claimed their fifth World Cup with a comprehensive seven-wicket win.
Looking ahead
While the Australian team’s recent ODI record may not be too bright, their morale will be boosted by the 3-2 win over India. David Warner was at his best in the IPL and the current Australian bowling lineup is second to none. Without a doubt, the 2019 World Cup will be the sternest test for the Yellow team. Can the defending champions keep their throne?
