ICC ODI Cricket World Cup Winners List: From 1975 to 2023

The World Cup stands is the ultimate trophy and the pinnacle of sporting glory, in each game, be it football or cricket. Winning this trophy is like reaching the highest peak in sports when legends are created and dreams become history, but it’s a rigorous climb to success. It's not just about playing well, it's about showing determination, teamwork, and skill. Every game is important, with players giving their all to make their country proud. When a team lifts this ultimate trophy, it's a moment of pure joy and achievement, celebrated by fans everywhere. It isn't just a tournament; it's a symbol of unity, passion, and the thrill of competition. In cricket, being the ICC Cricket World Cup Winner is what every team aspires to be. It’s the tournament that brings out the best from every player. The competition is a name that resonates with millions of cricket fans around the globe. The ICC ODI Cricket World Cup is the premier competition that is the platform for all cricket-playing nations to showcase sporting brilliance.

In this article by ZAP, let’s look at the Cricket World Cup winning teams

The History of the ICC Cricket World Cup:

The first World Cup was played in 1975 in England, only 4 years after the first-ever ODI Cricket match was played. The ODI format was a quicker and shorter version of the game than the traditional 5 day test matches. This is what brought more and more teams to start playing one day and the format got super popular throughout the world. The success and appeal of domestic one-day tournaments in England and other nations led the International Cricket Council (ICC) to consider holding an ODI World Cup.

The first three Cups in 1975, 1979, and 1983 were 60 overs games and were held in England. 

ICC ODI Cricket World Cup winners:

Since 1975, thirteen tournaments have been played and over those 13 competitions, 6 nations have won the tournament. The Australian Team has won the Cricket World Cup the highest number of times (6). 

Let’s look at the One Day International (ODI) Cricket World Cup Winners list from 1975 to 2023:

Year	Winners	Runners Up	Result
1975	West Indies	Australia	West Indies won by 17 runs
1979	West Indies	England	West Indies won by 92 runs
1983	India	West Indies	India won by 43 runs
1987	Australia	England	Australia won by 7 runs
1992	Pakistan	England	Pakistan won by 22 runs
1996	Sri Lanka	Australia	Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets
1999	Australia	Pakistan	Australia won by 8 wickets
2003	Australia	India	Australia won by 125 runs
2007	Australia	Sri Lanka	Australia won by 53 runs
2011	India	Sri Lanka	India won by 6 wickets
2015	Australia	New Zealand	Australia won by 7 wickets
2019	England	New Zealand	The Match tied after regular play and super over and England won on a boundary count
2023	Australia	India	Australia won by 6 wickets

1975 and 1979 ICC Cricket World Cup - West Indies

Credit: Kyrosport

In 1975, the West Indies team, captained by Clive Lloyd, clinched the inaugural Cricket World Cup held in England. They triumphed over Australia in the final at The Lord’s Cricket Ground by 17 runs. Led by Lloyd and featuring standout performances from players like Vivian Richards, Keith Boyce, Andy Roberts, and Bernard Julien, the West Indies dominated the tournament, remaining undefeated throughout.

Four years later, in 1979, the West Indies retained their title in the Cricket World Cup hosted again by England. They defeated the host nation in the final by 92 runs to secure their second consecutive title. 

1983 ICC Cricket World Cup - India

Credit: The Bridge

In 1983, the Indian Cricket Team achieved a historic victory in the Cricket World Cup, defying all odds and securing their first-ever title in the tournament. Despite being considered underdogs, India, led by Kapil Dev, progressed to the semi-finals after a strong performance in the group stage, where they defeated the likes of West Indies, Australia, and Zimbabwe.

In the semi-finals, India defeated England, setting up a showdown with the formidable West Indies in the final. West Indies, aiming for their third consecutive title, seemed poised for victory after restricting India to a modest total of 183 runs. However, India's inspired bowling, led by Mohinder Amarnath and Madan Lal, turned the tide in their favor. They bowled out West Indies for just 140 runs in 52 overs, successfully defending their total and clinching the championship.

The 1983 was the last time the tournament was played with 60 overs format, and India would later go on to become the only country to win the tournament, both in the 50 and the 60 overs format. 

1987 ODI Cricket World Cup - Australia

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The 1987 event was held outside of England for the first time, with India and Pakistan sharing the hosting duties. Due to the shorter daylight hours in the Indian subcontinent than in England's summer, the games were cut from 60 overs to 50 overs per innings. 

Though India and Pakistan were considered the favorites to win the tournament, Australia emerged victorious under the captaincy of Allan Border. 

After their disappointing performance in the 1983 tournament, Australia showcased their strength and determination throughout the 1987 edition. In the semi-finals, Australia defeated Pakistan by 18 runs to secure their spot in the final against England. 

In the final match held at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Australia posted a competitive total of 253/5, with David Boon contributing 75 runs. Australia's bowlers then put up a disciplined performance to restrict England, ultimately winning the final by 7 runs. 

This victory marked Australia's first-ever Cricket World Cup title, starting a dynasty that would dominate Cricket for years to come.

1992 World Cup - Pakistan

Credit: India Today

The 1992 Tournament brought some interesting modifications to the game. Hosted by Australia and England, it was the first time teams wore coloured clothing, white leather balls were used in placed red balls and day night matches became a thing. There was even a change of fielding restrictions rule for this edition. This was the first time South Africa played in the tournament.

Read More: Pink Ball Day Night Test Matches 

Though, Pakistan had a poor start to the tournament, winning only one of their first five matches, they made a massive comeback securing a spot in the semi-finals. In a tense semi-final encounter against New Zealand, Inzamam-ul-Haq's explosive innings of 60 runs off 37 balls guided Pakistan to a thrilling four-wicket victory. 

This set the stage for the final showdown against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Led by captain Imran Khan's crucial knock of 72 runs, Pakistan posted a competitive total of 249/6 in the final. Their bowlers then delivered a superb performance, bundling out England for 227 runs to secure a 22-run victory.

ICC World Cup 1996 - Sri Lanka

Credit: India Today

The 1996 edition was played in the Indian subcontinent for the second time including Sri Lanka as the hosts. Sri Lanka's victory in the 1996 World Cup was a historic moment for the island nation. Led by captain Arjuna Ranatunga, the Sri Lankan team displayed remarkable skill and determination throughout the tournament.

In the group stage, Sri Lanka remained unbeaten, showcasing their strength early on. They continued their winning streak by defeating England in the quarter-final. India and Sri Lanka faced off in the semi-finals at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, where Sri Lanka demolished the Indian team. India was 8 wickets down for only 120 runs while chasing 252 and a riot erupted in the stadium by the Indian fans in retaliation for their team's performance. The match was abandoned and the win was awarded to Sri Lanka.

In the final showdown in Lahore, Sri Lanka put on a dominant performance, including an inspiring century by captain Arjuna Ranatunga, defeating Australia by seven wickets to clinch their first-ever Cricket World Cup title. This victory marked a significant milestone in Sri Lankan cricket history and brought immense pride to the nation.

1999, 2003, and 2007 ICC ODI World Cups - The Australian Treble

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The 1999 Edition was played mainly in England, but some matches were also played in Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the Netherlands. Australian dominance began in 1999. Australia defeated Pakistan in the final by dismissing them for 132 runs, reaching the target in less than 20 overs, doing so with eight wickets still remaining.

The 2003 World Cup was held in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. There were fourteen teams instead of the previous twelve competing in the event. Kenya reached the semi-finals, the best achievement by an affiliate. Australia scored 359 runs for the loss of two wickets, the highest-ever total in a final and defeated India by 125 runs. Ricky Ponting being the highest scorer for the kangaroos. Sachin Tendulkar, who was the best player of the edition scoring 673 runs was left heartbroken after the defeat. 

The West Indies hosted the 2007 edition of the competition, which featured sixteen teams. The tournament was a tragic one, when Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room. Nevertheless, the tournament went on with Australia extending their World Cup winning streak to 29 games by defeating Sri Lanka in the finals by 53 runs by Duckworth Lewis Method and becoming the first ever nation to win three straight titles.

2011 ICC ODI Cricket World Cup - India

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2011 was the year for India. India had not won a tournament in about 28 years and this edition being in India, we went into the competition as favorites. India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were supposed to host the tournament but Pakistan were stripped of their hosting rights. 

Throughout the tournament, India showcased resilience and skill, overcoming challenges in the group stages where they lost to South Africa and tied with England. Despite these setbacks, they secured victories when it mattered most. In the knockout stage, India displayed exceptional performance, defeating Australia in the quarter-finals and Pakistan in the semi-finals. Key contributions from players like Yuvraj Singh, who played an exceptional part both with the bat and ball and Zaheer Khan, who provided crucial breakthroughs, strengthened India's campaign.

In the final, the moment which no Indian can forget happened. MS Dhoni finished things off in style. and you know the rest. India became the first nation to win the trophy at home when they defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

2015 ICC World Cup - Australia

Credit: NDTV Sports

The 2015 World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand together. There were fourteen teams in this edition. One of the tournament's highlights was when New Zealand defeated South Africa in an exciting first semi-final to reach their first ever CWC final. Despite New Zealand and India emerging unbeaten from the group stages, Australia proved dominant, defeating both teams on their path to victory. 

In the quarter-finals, they secured a six-wicket win over Pakistan, followed by a commanding 95-run victory against India in the semi-finals.

In the final match held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Australia faced New Zealand and emerged victorious with a seven-wicket win, clinching the title in front of their home crowd.

Mitchell Starc emerged as the player of the tournament for his exceptional fast bowling, taking 22 wickets in eight matches

2019 Cricket World Cup - England

Credit: Wisden

England and Wales hosted the 2019 World Cup. There were fewer participants—only 10 for this edition. The first semi-final, which was postponed to the reserve day owing to weather, saw New Zealand overcome India. Dhoni's run out was a heartbreak for all Indian supporters. In the second semifinal match, England beat the reigning champions, Australia. Neither finalist had won the trophy before. 

England, the nation where the sport originated was playing the final for the fourth time ,having lost three already in the past. The final between England and New Zealand was one of the greatest any cricket fans would ever have seen, which ended in a tie, both teams scoring 241 runs in their allotted 50 overs.

Ben Stokes played a crucial role for England, scoring an unbeaten 84 runs to help tie the match. The tie led to a Super Over, which also ended in a tie with both teams scoring 15 runs each. England was declared the winner based on the boundary count rule, having hit more boundaries throughout the match and the Super Over combined.

After three previous World Cup final losses, England's victory in 2019 marked a historic moment for English cricket, bringing immense joy and pride to the team and their supporters.

Also Read: County Cricket

2023 ODI World Cup - Australia

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The 2023 ICC ODI Cricket World Cup was being held in India, who were also considered massive favourites for the tournament. Rohit Sharma’s Men in Blue  aslo played like champions advancing to the final unbeaten. 

Australia, led by Pat Cummins, had a shaky start to their campaign losing 2 out of the opening 2 encounters, but later pulled their socks up to become the title contenders. India defeated New Zealand while Australia won a tight contest against South Africa in the Semi Finals to advance to the 2023 Tournament Final.

Winning the toss at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Australia opted to bowl first and restricted India to 240 runs, despite their strong batting lineup. Travis Head's outstanding century (137 runs in 120 balls) anchored Australia's chase. They comfortably reached the target with six wickets and seven overs to spare, securing a memorable victory in the final and handing India another heartbreaking defeat. 

This was Australia's 6th Trophy, which showcased their resilience and determination, marking another significant milestone in their cricketing history.

The ICC World Cup Trophy:

Credit: SOF Olympiad Trainer

Winning the ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy the highest honour for a cricket playing nation, and the World Cup Trophy is the physical manifestation of this ultimate honour. Previously, unique sets of trophies were created for each edition by group of artisans from Garrard & Co. in London. The current trophy was designed for the 1999 Tournament and has been used ever since. The trophy is constructed of silver and gilded and has three silver columns supporting a golden globe. The globe symbolizes a cricket ball, while the columns, shaped like stumps and bails, stand in for the three essential components of the sport: batting, bowling, and fielding. The seam on the ball is angled to represent the Earth's axial tilt. The trophy weighs about 11 kg (24 lb) and is 60 cm (24 in) high. On the base of the trophy are the names of former winners. The original trophy is kept by the ICC and the winning team receives a replica with only the new inscriptions.

ICC ODI Women’s Cricket World Cup Winners:

Credit: NDTV Sports

With the first competition taking place in England in 1973, the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup is the oldest international competition in the sport. It was held even before the men’s tournament, a testament that the sport has always stood for gender equality and the growth of women in cricket. Until 2005, it was run by a distinct entity, the International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC), but now the tournament is held and organised by The International Cricket Council (ICC). 

Five nations have hosted the twelve Women's World Cups that have been played to date, including India and England three times each. The most successful team is Australia, which has won seven titles and only missed playing in the finals three times. The only other teams to win the competition are England with 4 titles and New Zealand with one, while India (twice) and the West Indies (once) have each made it to the final without going on to win.

Women’s Cricket World Cup Winners List:

Year	Winners	Runner Up	Result
1973	England	Australia	England won by 92 runs
1978	Australia	England	Australia won by 8 wickets
1982	Australia	England	Australia won by 3 wickets
1988	Australia	England	Australia won by 8 wickets
1993	England	New Zealand	England won by 67 runs
1997	Australia	New Zealand	Australia won by 5 runs
2000	New Zealand	Australia	New Zealand won by 4 runs
2005	Australia	India	Australia won by 98 runs
2009	England	New Zealand	England won by 4 wickets
2013	Australia	West Indies	Australia won by 114 runs
2017	England	India	England won by 9 runs
2022	Australia	India	Australia won by 106 runs

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