Flashback: 10 Greatest ICC Cricket World Cup Matches
May 25 (CRICKETNMORE) - Low-scoring thrillers, tenterhook ties and compelling comebacks – the 11 editions of the Cricket World Cup have had them all. Let's have a look through the ICC Cricket Wo
With the Cricket World Cup venturing away from familiar English climes for the first time since its inception, a thrilling opening game was needed to prove India could be equally fine hosts.
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But none of the thousands who packed into the ground in Madras could have envisaged just how closely matched the two nations would be.
Australia silenced the home crowd with a commanding effort with the bat, Geoff Marsh carving out 110 and asking India to chase down 270 from their 50 overs.
For every Indian wicket that fell, a commanding partnership followed in a compelling push-pull encounter but the heroics of Navjot Sidhu and Krishnamachari Srikkanth would prove in vain and a one-run loss.
New Zealand v South Africa, 2015
Where else but Eden Park for New Zealand’s red-letter World Cup day, the best part of 100 overs of a pulsating semi-final that ended with the hosts victorious.
South Africa – again in search of a first showpiece appearance – had their foot in the home side’s throat for the most part, Faf du Plessis and AB De Villiers dragging their side to 281 from 43 overs.
The Proteas were met with the full force of a nation in the run-chase, however, and Brendon McCullum’s bat to boot as the skipper slapped 56 at a cool strike-rate of 226.
It needed Grant Elliott to play the innings of his life, however, matching the pressure of needing five runs from two balls by lifting Dale Steyn for six over mid-on and sparking wild celebrations.
Australia vs West Indies 1996
This game marked the passing of one cricketing dynasty and the birth of another as West Indies were stopped at the semi-final stage for the first time ever by Australia.
Richie Richardson, bowing out of one-day cricket at the end of the tournament, would have been rubbing his hands when Australia slumped to 15 for four.
But even as Stuart Law and Michael Bevan led a recovery to 207, West Indies looked like they had more than enough as Shivnarine Chanderpaul careered them to 165 for two.
Then came a batting collapse of epic proportions, seven wickets falling for 29 runs and the Aussies reaching their first final in nine years.
