ICC Men's Cricket World Cup

Overview

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup is the quadrennial One Day International championship, first held in England in 1975. Australia have won a record six titles, most recently beating hosts India by six wickets in Ahmedabad in 2023.

The first Cricket World Cup was hosted by England in 1975, the only nation able to put forward the resources to stage an event of that size at the time. The first three tournaments, all in England, were known as the Prudential Cup after sponsor Prudential plc and were played over 60 overs per side in whites with red balls. Eight teams took part in 1975: Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, West Indies, Sri Lanka and a composite East Africa side. West Indies won the first two editions, in 1975 and 1979.

India stunned West Indies in the 1983 final at Lord's, and India and Pakistan then co-hosted the 1987 edition, the first outside England, where innings were cut from 60 to 50 overs. The 1992 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand introduced coloured clothing, white balls and day/night matches, and saw South Africa play for the first time after the end of the sporting boycott. Sri Lanka, as a co-host in 1996, became the first host nation to win the title, before Australia won three in a row in 1999, 2003 and 2007.

India won again as hosts in 2011, becoming the first team to win a final played in their own country, and Australia added a fifth title in 2015. England won their first title in 2019 in a final against New Zealand that was tied and then settled on boundary countback after a super over. Australia took a record sixth title in 2023, beating unbeaten India in the final at Ahmedabad, and the 2027 edition is set for South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

How it works

The current men's World Cup is played over 50 overs per side by ten teams in a single round-robin league, with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals and the winners meeting in the final. This was the format used in 2019 and 2023. The 2027 edition expands to 14 teams, and in July 2026 the ICC announced a new format with a short play-in round, two groups of six, a seven-team Super 7 stage and then semi-finals and a final.

Who has won it most?

Titles won by each team across all 13 editions.

Australia 6 titles

2023, 2015, 2007, 2003, 1999, 1987
West Indies 2 titles

1979, 1975
India 2 titles

2011, 1983
Pakistan 1 title

1992
Sri Lanka 1 title

1996
England 1 title

2019

Winners by year

Newest first.

Year	Winner	Runner-up	Host	Result
2023	Australia	India	India	Australia won by 6 wicketsPlayer of the tournament: Virat KohliIndia 240 (50 ov); Australia 241/4 (43 ov). Player of the match in the final: Travis Head (137). Kohli scored a record 765 runs in the tournament.
2019	England	New Zealand	England, Wales	Match tied; England won on boundary countback after a tied super overPlayer of the tournament: Kane WilliamsonEngland 241 (50 ov); New Zealand 241/8 (50 ov); super over 15/0 v 15/1. Player of the match in the final: Ben Stokes (84*). Williamson scored 578 runs.
2015	Australia	New Zealand	Australia, New Zealand	Australia won by 7 wicketsPlayer of the tournament: Mitchell StarcNew Zealand 183 (45 ov); Australia 186/3 (33.1 ov). Player of the match in the final: James Faulkner (3/36). Starc took 22 wickets.
2011	India	Sri Lanka	India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh	India won by 6 wicketsPlayer of the tournament: Yuvraj SinghSri Lanka 274/6 (50 ov); India 277/4 (48.2 ov). Player of the match in the final: MS Dhoni (91*). India were the first team to win a World Cup final on home soil.
2007	Australia	Sri Lanka	West Indies	Australia won by 53 runs (D/L method)Player of the tournament: Glenn McGrathAustralia 281/4 (38 ov); Sri Lanka 215/8 (36 ov), in a rain-affected final. Player of the match in the final: Adam Gilchrist (149). McGrath took 26 wickets.
2003	Australia	India	South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya	Australia won by 125 runsPlayer of the tournament: Sachin TendulkarAustralia 359/2 (50 ov); India 234 (39.2 ov). Player of the match in the final: Ricky Ponting (140*). Tendulkar scored 673 runs.
1999	Australia	Pakistan	England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Netherlands	Australia won by 8 wicketsPlayer of the tournament: Lance KlusenerPakistan 132 (39 ov); Australia 133/2 (20.1 ov). Player of the match in the final: Shane Warne (4/33). England was the sole designated host, with some matches in the other nations.
1996	Sri Lanka	Australia	India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka won by 7 wicketsPlayer of the tournament: Sanath JayasuriyaSri Lanka 245/3 (46.2 ov); Australia 241/7 (50 ov). Player of the match in the final: Aravinda de Silva (3/42 and 107*). Sri Lanka were the first co-host to win the title.
1992	Pakistan	England	Australia, New Zealand	Pakistan won by 22 runsPlayer of the tournament: Martin CrowePakistan 249/6 (50 ov); England 227 (49.2 ov). Player of the match in the final: Wasim Akram (33* and 3/49). Crowe scored 456 runs.
1987	Australia	England	India, Pakistan	Australia won by 7 runsPlayer of the tournament: David Boon (final)Australia 253/5 (50 ov); England 246/8 (50 ov). Player of the match in the final: David Boon (75). First World Cup held outside England and the first played over 50 overs.
1983	India	West Indies	England, Wales	India won by 43 runsPlayer of the tournament: Mohinder Amarnath (final)India 183 (54.4 ov); West Indies 140 (52 ov). Player of the match in the final: Mohinder Amarnath (26 and 3/12).
1979	West Indies	England	England	West Indies won by 92 runsPlayer of the tournament: Viv Richards (final)West Indies 286/9 (60 ov); England 194 (51 ov). Player of the match in the final: Viv Richards (138*).
1975	West Indies	Australia	England	West Indies won by 17 runsPlayer of the tournament: Clive Lloyd (final)West Indies 291/8 (60 ov); Australia 274 (58.4 ov). Player of the match in the final: Clive Lloyd (102). No player-of-the-tournament award until 1992.

Records & facts

Most titles: Australia (6)
Most runs in World Cups: Sachin Tendulkar, India (2,278, 1992-2011)
Most runs in a tournament: Virat Kohli, India (765, 2023)
Highest individual score: Martin Guptill, New Zealand (237* v West Indies, 2015)
Most hundreds: Rohit Sharma, India (7, 2015-2023)
Most wickets in World Cups: Glenn McGrath, Australia (71, 1996-2007)
Best bowling figures: Glenn McGrath, Australia (7/15 v Namibia, 2003)
Most wickets in a tournament: Mitchell Starc, Australia (27, 2019)
Highest partnership: Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels, West Indies (372 for the 2nd wicket v Zimbabwe, 2015)
Highest team total: South Africa (428/5 v Sri Lanka, 2023)
Lowest team total: Canada (36 v Sri Lanka, 2003)
Most dismissals by a wicket-keeper: Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka (54, 2003-2015)