Cricket World Cup 2019 - History

  • 01/04/2019
Australia celebrate their 2015 World Cup win
Australia celebrate their 2015 World Cup win over New Zealand. Photo credit: AAP

Winners

1975 - West Indies (runners-up Australia)
Hosted by England, the inaugural tournament featured the six test nations (England, Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan & West Indies), plus Sri Lanka and East Africa. Games were contested over 60 overs in traditional white uniforms, during the day. 

1979 - West Indies (runners-up England)
Sri Lanka and Canada qualified to join the six test nations in an eight-team format. 

1983 - India (runners-up West Indies)
Sri Lanka becomes the seventh test nation, with Zimbabwe qualifying as the eighth team. Fielding restrictions were introduced and 66-1 outsiders India shocked the two-time defending champions in the final.

1987 - Australia (runners-up England)
At the first tournament outside England, games were shortened to 50 overs to accommodate shorter daylight hours in India. Australia's winning margin in the final was just seven runs, the closest result in the event's history.

1992 - Pakistan (runners-up England)
Hosted in Australia and New Zealand, this tournament say the introduction of coloured clothing, white balls and day/night matches. Innovatively led by Martin Crowe, New Zealand could not overcome Pakistan in pool play or a semi-final.

1996 - Sri Lanka (runners-up Australia)
Jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the hosts met in the semi-finals, with the Sri Lankans earning a default win, after Eden Gardens spectators rioted.

1999 - Australia (runners-up Pakistan)
The field was expanded to 12 teams, with Australia qualifying the semis in the last over over their second-stage group match against South Africa. They made the final after a dramatic tie, also against South Africa.

2003 - Australia (runners-up India)
Fourteen teams contested the event in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya. New Zealand defaulted against Kenya due to security concerns, and the non-test side also beat Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe to reach the semi-finals.

Australia's 359 runs in the final are the most scored in the tournament's history. 

2007 - Australia (runners-up Sri Lanka)
Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room, after his team was upset by Ireland in pool play. Australia extended their winning streak to 29 matches for their third straight title.

2011 - India (runners-up Sri Lanka)
Originally awarded to India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, the latter were stripped of their fixtures, after the 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team. Australia's winning streak ended at 35 and India became the first team to win the trophy on home soil.

2015 - Australia (runners-up New Zealand)
The Blackcaps won a thrilling semi-final against South Africa at Eden Park to qualify for their first World Cup final, but lost the final by seven wickets at the MCG.