World Cup History - Australia

1975 World Cup

Australia placed in Group B made to the semi-finals with two wins in the three games played at group stages. In the semi-final, left arm swing bowler Gary Gilmour single-handedly took Australia past England, taking 6 for14, in one of the finest exhibition of fast bowling. However, West Indies reigned supreme against Australia, powered by a captain’s innings from left-handed batsman Clive Lloyd (102 off 85 balls) to give them their first World Cup crown, as Australia were beaten by 17 runs at Lords.

1979 World Cup

Australia had a miserable exit from the second edition of the World Cup, as they failed to qualify for the semi-finals, winning just a solitary game against Canada in Group A.

1983 World Cup

The agony of the disastrous campaign in the previous World Cup followed Australia as they crashed out of the World Cup with just two victories out of the six games played.

1987 World Cup

Underdogs Australia started their journey in style; registering five wins in six games played from Group A, to book a semi-final appointment with Pakistan, under the new captain Allan Border in the sub-continent. They beat Pakistan by 15 runs at Lahore, to sail through to the finals.

In the final, a resurgent Australia beat England by a narrow margin of seven runs, assisted by David Boon’s 75 at Eden Gardens Kolkata to complete a fairy tale, giving them their first World Cup title. Australian number three batsman David Boon amassed 447 runs in eight matches, while emerging fast bowler Craig McDermott snared 18 scalps, the most by any bowler in this World Cup.

1992 World Cup

Hosts Australia along side New Zealand couldn’t clear the round robin stages. They narrowly missed the spot to Pakistan, who secured the semi-final berth on account of their superior
run-rate, with equal number of victories.

1996 World Cup

The Australians started off well with three wins in the five games played in Group A. In the quarter-final against the arch-rivals New Zealand, they chased down a formidable 286 runs, as run machine Mark Waugh produced a sublime 110 at Chennai.

Subsequently, Australia went on to snatch victory from the West Indies, with Shane Warne running through the West Indies line-up to script an unbelievable 5-run triumph.

However, the euphoria was spoiled by Sri Lanka, with Aravinda De Silva’s splendid hundred sealed a seven-wicket World Cup title for Sri Lanka.  

1999 World Cup

The Australian team progressed to the Super Six stages, on the basis of three wins in five games, placed in Group B. They secured the semi-finals spot as skipper Steve Waugh led from the front. In the one of the most tense and pulsating semi-final encounter, Australia went through to the finals based on a superior net run-rate to South Africa, as spin wizard Shane Warne picked up 4 for 29.

In a one-sided final, leg spinner Shane Warne again raised his game to help Australia bowl out Pakistan for paltry 132 in 39 overs. Opener Adam Gilchrist completed the formality racing away to 54 off just 36 deliveries to seal a superb World Cup triumph for Australia.

Skipper Steve Waugh was Australia’s the top run-getter with 398 runs, while match-winning combination of leg spinner Shane Warne and paceman Glenn McGrath snared 38 wickets between them. 

 2003 World Cup

Defending champions Australia under the new skipper Ricky Ponting were ruthless in the group stages winning all six games in Pool A, which comprised six other teams. The winning momentum continued in the Super Sixes as did not concede a single game in three matches played, guaranteeing a semi-final berth with the 1996 champions Sri Lanka, where they handed them a 96- run heavy defeat at Centurion Super Sports Park.

In the final, skipper Ricky Ponting’s remarkable undefeated 140 took them to 359 in the allotted 50 overs. India could not climb the mountain of runs, as they succumbed to 125-run defeat to give Australia their second successive World Cup title. Speedster Brett Lee was the leading wicket taker for Australia with 22 wickets.

2007 World Cup

Three times champion Australia dominated yet again playing true to the “favourites tag ” to win all the Super Eights game, after victory in all three Group A games.

Australia cruised to an emphatic seven-wicket victory in the semi-final against South Africa, after they bundled the Proteas for 149.

The rain-affected final saw Ricky Ponting led Australia lift their third World Cup on a trot, as opener Adam Gilchrist sent the Sri Lankans on a leather hunt with a pugnacious 149 off 104 balls to power them to an imposing 281 in 38 overs. The Sri Lankans went down by 53 runs and seasoned fast bowler Glenn McGrath was named “Player of the Series” for his 26 wickets.

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