The ICC World Cup, now in its 13th edition, is happening right now. Over the years, this tournament has seen some incredible matches. Teams put everything into their games because the World Cup is such a big deal.
Their determination has led to some amazing turnarounds during matches. The cricketing world has seen teams make unbelievable comebacks in World Cups. They’ve achieved unexpected victories by chasing difficult targets or completely changing the game in surprising ways. These matches have become legendary moments in cricket history.
In this article, we’ll explore five such World Cup games where teams overcame huge challenges to win.
5. England vs Zimbabwe, 1992
One of the biggest surprises in the ODI World Cup history happened in 1992. England, who were expected to win easily, faced Zimbabwe. England had done well in previous tournaments and won most of their early games this time too. Zimbabwe, however, had lost all their matches so far.
England started strong by bowling out Zimbabwe for only 134 runs. Ian Botham and Richard Illingworth each took 3 wickets, putting England in a good position to win.
But Zimbabwe didn’t give up. They were determined to win at least one match in the World Cup. Eddo Brandes got England’s Graham Gooch out on the very first ball, and from then on, England kept losing wickets regularly. Finally, they were all out for 125 runs, losing the game by 9 runs.
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4. Scotland vs Afghanistan, 2015
Scotland were expected to win against Afghanistan in the 2015 World Cup. It was Scotland’s third time in the World Cup, while Afghanistan was playing for the first time.
Afghanistan surprised everyone by bowling out Scotland for 210 runs. Shapoor Zadran took 4 wickets and Dawlat Zadran took 3. Afghanistan started their batting well, scoring 42 runs without losing a wicket, but then Scotland fought back and took many quick wickets. Soon, Afghanistan was struggling at 97 for 7.
It seemed like Afghanistan would lose because they still needed more than 100 runs to win. But then, their number 4 batsman, Samiullah Shenwari, played amazingly. He scored 96 runs and almost led his team to victory, but he got out when Afghanistan needed just 18 runs to win. Scotland was still likely to win, but Afghanistan’s lower-order batsmen managed to finish the match and achieve a historic victory.
3. Australia vs England, 2003
When Australia and England play each other, it’s usually exciting, and the 2003 World Cup match was no different. England batted first and started well, reaching 72 runs with only one wicket down. But then they suddenly lost several wickets and were struggling at 87 runs for 5 wickets. Alec Stewart and Andrew Flintoff helped them recover to score 204 runs for 8 wickets.
Australia, expected to win easily, faced a tough challenge from England. Andy Bichel bowled exceptionally well, taking 7 wickets for just 20 runs, his best performance ever. England’s Andy Caddick also took 4 wickets, putting Australia in trouble at 48 runs for 4 wickets.
Despite this, Australia’s Darren Lehmann and Michael Bevan stabilized their innings, taking the score past 100 runs. However, Australia again lost wickets quickly and were struggling at 135 runs for 8 wickets. But Bevan and Bichel made an unbeaten partnership of 73 runs, guiding Australia to an unexpected victory.
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2. India vs Zimbabwe, 1983
India was in trouble after losing two games in a row when they faced Zimbabwe in a crucial match to stay in the tournament. The top batsmen didn’t perform well, and India was struggling at 17 for 5, facing a likely big loss.
But captain Kapil Dev didn’t give up. He played one of the best innings ever seen in one-day internationals, scoring 175 runs from 138 balls with 16 fours and 6 sixes. This amazing effort helped India reach 266 for 8. In response, India bowled out Zimbabwe for 235 runs, securing victory. India went on to win the World Cup that year.
1. Australia vs Afghanistan, 2023
Afghanistan surprised everyone by defeating strong teams like England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands in the competition. However, their match against Australia was even more unexpected. Afghanistan played well for most of the game and seemed on track for another big win. But Glenn Maxwell’s outstanding performance turned things around for Australia.
Afghanistan batted first and scored 291 runs, thanks to Ibrahim Zadran’s excellent century. Australia struggled in their reply, losing early wickets and reaching only 91 runs with 7 players out. It seemed like they had little chance of winning. However, Glenn Maxwell, despite battling back pain and cramps, played a remarkable innings of 201 not out. This helped Australia chase down the target in the 47th over, with a crucial partnership of 202 runs alongside captain Pat Cummins.
Maxwell made history by becoming the first Australian to score a double-century in a One Day International (ODI), and he achieved this milestone while chasing a target, a first in the world. His effort led Australia to a memorable victory against Afghanistan.
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