ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2007
2007 · 16 teams · ODI cricket
Tournament Overview
Series Overview
The 2007 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup was hosted by the West Indies across sixteen nations and teams in March-April 2007. The tournament expanded to sixteen teams, producing new matches and new stories — most memorably Ireland's extraordinary group-stage victory over Pakistan, which eliminated the 1992 champions and sent shockwaves through the game. Australia entered the tournament having won the previous three World Cup editions in 1999, 2003, and as far back as their 1987 victory. Ricky Ponting's team were formidable from the start, winning every match on their way to the final. In the decider at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Australia posted 281/4 with Ponting scoring an imperious unbeaten 113. Sri Lanka's chase was hampered by a rain interruption that triggered the DLS calculation, and they were ultimately bowled out for 215/8 off 38.2 overs — falling 53 runs short of the revised target. Glenn McGrath, playing in his final World Cup before international retirement, was the tournament's outstanding bowler with 26 wickets at an average of 13.73. Australia's fourth successive title — four in a row across sixteen years — established them as the most dominant team in the history of the 50-over World Cup.
Key Highlights
- 1Australia won a record fourth consecutive ODI World Cup — an unprecedented dynasty in tournament cricket
- 2Ricky Ponting's unbeaten 113 in the final was a masterclass of controlled aggression against Sri Lanka
- 3Glenn McGrath took 26 wickets in the tournament at 13.73 — one of the greatest individual bowling performances in World Cup history
- 4The final was affected by rain and decided on DLS method — Australia's total of 281/4 was given a winning target Sri Lanka could not reach
- 5Ireland produced the tournament's most stunning upset, defeating Pakistan by 3 wickets in the group stage