ICC Cricket World Cup: Statistical analysis of Australia's trophy-wining campaigns
Australia will be heading into the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup as one of the favorites to win the tournament. They have five ODI World Cup titles (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2015). Led by Pat Cummins, the Aussies will look to bag their sixth title at the marquee event, starting on October 5. They will face India in their opener in Chennai.
Australia's maiden World Cup title in 1987
Australia finished second in group A behind India on run rate. The Allan Border-led team lost their only match against India. The Aussies won the semi-finals against Pakistan. They defended a total of 267/8 and bowled Pakistan out for 249 to progress to the finals. They defended 253/5 against England to win by only seven runs to lift their maiden World Cup title.
Notable stats for Australia in the 1987 World Cup
With 447 runs, David Boon was Australia's highest scorer at the World Cup. He slammed five fifties in the tournament averaging 55.87. Geoff Marsh hammered 428 runs at 61.14. The dasher slammed two hundred and a solitary fifty. Craig McDermott was the highest wicket-taker at the marquee event with 18 wickets at an average of 18.94. Steve Waugh returned with 11 wickets at 26.18.
Australia's 1999 World Cup triumph
Steve Waugh led Australia to their second World Cup title in 1999. They finished second in Group B behind Pakistan after losing to NZ and Pakistan. Australia won all three of their Super Sixes clashes. Their semi-final clash against South Africa ended in a tie. But the Aussies went ahead because they finished higher in the Super Sixes. They hammered Pakistan in the final.
Notable stats for Australia in the 1999 World Cup
Waugh slammed 398 runs in eight innings and was Australia's highest scorer in the tournament and the second-highest overall. With 375 runs at 41.66, Mark Waugh also delivered for Australia. Ricky Ponting was the only other Australian with 300-plus runs (354). Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath claimed 20 and 18 wickets, respectively. Warne was the joint-highest wicket-taker of the tournament (4W: 2).
Consecutive World Cup titles for Australia
Australia maintained their dominance by lifting the 2003 World Cup as well. They topped Pool A without losing a single game. Progressing to the Super Sixes, the Kangaroos were unscathed yet again, winning all their matches. Australia defeated SL in the semi-finals by 48 runs via the DL method. They faced India in the final and outclassed them with a 125-run win.
Notable stats for Australia from the 2003 World Cup
Ponting delivered with the bat, scoring 415 runs at an average of 51.87. He hammered two hundreds and a solitary fifty. Adam Gilchrist was Australia's second-highest scorer in the tournament with 408 runs at 40.80. The southpaw slammed four fifties. Brett Lee and McGrath claimed 22 and 21 wickets respectively. Both pacers picked up a fifer each. McGrath's 7/15 came against Namibia.
Australia clinched their fourth World Cup title in 2007
The streak continued as Australia clinched their fourth World Cup title in 2007. Ponting's men topped Group A, winning all three matches. The Aussies were left unscathed in the Super 8 round winning all seven matches. They hammered SA in the semi-finals winning by seven wickets followed by an intense final against SL. Australia won the clash by 53 runs (DL method).
Notable stats for Australia from the 2007 World Cup
Hammering 659 runs at an impressive average of 73.22, Matthew Hayden was the top scorer of the 2007 World Cup. He tonked three centuries and a solitary fifty. Ponting slammed 539 runs at 67.37. He hammered four fifties and a century. McGrath was in fiery form as he scalped 26 wickets at 13.73. Shaun Tait and Brad Hogg claimed 23 and 21 wickets respectively.
Australia won their fifth World Cup title in 2015
Australia won their fifth World Cup crown in 2015 at home. They finished second in Pool A behind NZ to whom they lost. Their match against Bangladesh was abandoned. They hammered Pakistan by six wickets in the quarter-finals before claiming a 95-run victory over India in the semi-finals. Australia bowled out NZ for 183 in the final and won by seven wickets (33.1 overs).
Notable stats for Australia at the 2015 World Cup
With 402 runs at an average of 67, Steve Smith was Australia's highest scorer in the tournament. The veteran batter smashed four fifties and a century. David Warner hammered 345 runs at 49.28. Mitchell Starc was the joint-highest wicket-taker at the 2015 World Cup with 22 wickets at 10.18. His best figures of 6/28 came against NZ. Mitchell Johnson claimed 15 dismissals at 21.73.
Ponting leads the runs tally for Australia in World Cups
Ponting has amassed 1,743 runs in 46 matches at 45.86. He is Australia's highest scorer and overall second-highest run-scorer in World Cup history. He has slammed five centuries. Gilchrist and Mark Waugh have scored 1,085 and 1,004 respectively and are the only other batter with 1,000-plus runs for Australia. Among active players, Warner (992) and Smith (834)are the highest scorers.
McGrath has scalped the most World Cup wickets
McGrath has an incredible record of 71 wickets from 39 World Cup matches. He owns an average of 18.19 and has scalped two fifers. Starc has claimed 49 wickets and is the second-highest wicket-taker for Australia. He tallied three fifers and as many four-wicket hauls. He has an impressive average of 14.81. McGrath's 7/15 is the best bowling figures in the World Cup history.
