ICC Cricket World Cup 2007: Australia's Third Consecutive Title

The 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup was held in the West Indies from March to April 2007. Australia, under Ricky Ponting, became the first team to win three consecutive World Cup titles, going through the entire tournament undefeated. The final against Sri Lanka was played under controversial Duckworth-Lewis conditions after bad light interrupted play.

The Super 8s Format

The 2007 World Cup used a Super 8s format after the group stage, in which eight teams played each other in a second round-robin before semi-finals. Australia dominated both stages. India and Pakistan were eliminated in the group stage — a massive upset that dampened the tournament's commercial appeal.

The Final in Barbados

In the final at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Adam Gilchrist played one of the great World Cup innings — 149 off 104 balls, widely reported as having been helped by a squash ball hidden inside his glove for grip. Australia posted 281. Sri Lanka reached 215 for 8 when bad light ended play, giving Australia the win by 53 runs on Duckworth-Lewis.

Australia's Dominance

Australia's pace attack of Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, and Nathan Bracken was matched by Ponting's aggressive batting. Matthew Hayden scored 659 runs — the most in tournament history at that point. Australia's unbeaten run through three consecutive World Cups (1999, 2003, 2007) remains an unprecedented achievement.