As Australia prepares to face India in the World Cup final at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, cricket enthusiasts around the world are reminiscing about the history of Australia’s performances in the prestigious tournament’s finals. With five World Cup titles under their belt, Australia is undoubtedly one of the most successful teams in the history of the Cricket World Cup.
Australia’s journey in the World Cup finals began in 1975 when they clashed with West Indies at Lord’s in the inaugural final. The match was a thrilling encounter, with West Indies setting a target of 292 runs. Although Australia’s Ian Chappell and Alan Turner delivered standout performances, they fell short by 17 runs, bundled out for 274, as West Indies claimed their first title.
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In 1987, Australia faced England in the final, which was a colorful affair hosted in India. Despite fine performances by David Boon and Mike Veletta, Australia posted a total of 253/6. England appeared poised to win but fell short by seven runs, with the Aussie bowlers holding their nerves to restrict England to 246/8.
The 1996 World Cup final saw Australia taking on Sri Lanka in Lahore. Mark Taylor and Ricky Ponting were the top scorers for Australia, guiding them to a fighting total of 241/7. However, Sri Lanka’s middle-order, led by Asanka Gurusinha, Aravinda de Silva, and skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, orchestrated a seven-wicket win with 22 balls to spare, securing Sri Lanka’s maiden World Cup title.
Australia’s dominance returned in 1999 when they faced Pakistan at Lord’s. Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne starred with the ball, bundling out Pakistan for just 132. Australia chased down the target comfortably, with Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh playing pivotal roles in their eight-wicket win.
In the 2003 final against India in Johannesburg, Australia showcased their batting prowess, scoring a massive 359/2 with Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn leading the charge. In reply, India, despite a valiant effort from Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly, were bowled out for 234, losing by 125 runs, as Australia secured their second consecutive World Cup.
The 2007 final saw Australia making it a hat-trick of titles by defeating Sri Lanka in Bridgetown. Australia set a target of 282, with Adam Gilchrist’s explosive century being the highlight. Sri Lanka’s pursuit was hindered by Michael Clarke’s impressive bowling, as they finished at 215/8 in their revised target of 269 in 36 overs.
Australia’s most recent World Cup triumph came in 2015 when they faced New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. New Zealand was bowled out for 183, with James Faulkner and Mitchell Johnson leading the Australian bowling attack. Australia chased down the target comfortably, with Michael Clarke and Steve Smith scoring fifties, winning by seven wickets with more than 16 overs to spare.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Prasidh Krishna, Suryakumar Yadav.
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