The ODI World Cup final in 2023 is just around the way. While India seeks their third World Cup championship, Australia is one step away from a historic sixth World Cup in this format. The final will be place on November 19 in Ahmedabad.
As shared before, Australia holds the record with five ODI World Cup victories. Both the West Indies and India twice hoisted the coveted trophy. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and England each grabbed glory once.
Many players have won numerous One-Day International World Cups. Here are the five players who have won the trophy the most times.
5. Clive Lloyd and Co. – 2
A slew of players, largely from the West Indian side of the 1970s, have won the ODI World Cup twice. Clive Lloyd led the Windies to victories in 1975 and 1979. In reality, he captained the team that lost the 1983 World Cup against India.
Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge were two of the great West Indian batsmen who won two ODI World Cups in the 1970s. These World Cup-winning sides also included Alvin Kallicharran, Deryck Murray, and Andy Roberts.
4. Multiple Australian players – 2
From 1999 to 2015, Australia dominated the One-Day International circuit, winning four of the five World Cups. Two of the World Cups were won by multiple players from the island country.
Steve Waugh won the World Cup as a player in 1987 and as captain in 1999. The 1999 and 2003 editions were won by Darren Lehmann and Michael Bevan, respectively.
Matthew Hayden, Andrew Symonds, and Brad Hogg were all members of the World Cup-winning sides in 2003 and 2007. Shane Watson and Michael Clarke captained Australia to World Cup victories in 2007 and 2015, respectively.
3. Adam Gilchrist – 3
Adam Gilchrist holds a big cricket record: he’s won three ODI World Cups. Only two other players match this. They all won in 1999, 2003, and 2007. Out of the trio, Gilchrist is the only one to clinch three victories in a row.
His role was key in these wins. He hit over fifty runs in the 1999 and 2003 finals and over a hundred in 2007’s final match. He played an impressive 149-run innings in 2007 that snagged him the Player of the Match award.
2. Glenn McGrath – 3
Glenn McGrath, a superstar in Australian cricket, has three consecutive ODI World Cup victories under his belt. He’s considered one of the top fast bowlers ever. His World Cup performance is outstanding. This right-arm, fast-medium bowler holds the title of highest wicket-taker in the history of ODI World Cup, having taken 71 wickets. In 2007, he was even named Player of the Series at the World Cup.
Until 2019, when Mitchell Starc managed 27, McGrath held the record for most wickets taken in one World Cup, having achieved 26 in 2007. But he still boasts other records. He has bowled the most maiden overs (42) in the history of the World Cup and holds the record for best bowling figures, with an impressive 7/17.
1. Ricky Ponting – 3
Ricky Ponting, an Australian cricket star, stood tall as the third from his country to bag three ODI World Cups. Curiously, he was included, much like McGrath, in the ’96 team, but saw defeat in Sri Lanka’s face in the final. Ponting, his name among the top-notch skippers of those times, held the reins during 2003 and 2007 World Cups.
Ponting’s runs tally leads him proudly to a staggering total of 1743 runs in sparking Cup history. With this, he’s snug on the second spot on the highest run-makers list at the time this was noted down. He shone brightly as the star player in the 2003 World Cup final, hitting 140 runs without losing a wicket against India.
