Top 10 Greatest Moments in the ICC World Cup history

The 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup will be the 13th edition of the Cricket World Cup. The tournament will be hosted by India, beginning on 5 October and concluding on 19 November 2023. Ten national teams will participate; Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. England are the defending champions, having won the 2019 edition by defeating New Zealand in the final.

It will be the first men's Cricket World Cup to be hosted solely by India. The tournament will take place in ten different stadiums. The first and second semi-finals will be held at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and Eden Gardens in Kolkata respectively, while the final will take place at Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad. As fans brace themselves for the 2023 World Cup in India, here at SportzPoint we look back at 10 of the most iconic moments from the tournament's history.

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Top 10 Greatest Moments in the ICC World Cup history

1. MS Dhoni's World Cup-winning six, World Cup 2011

Indian captain MS Dhoni in a tense 2011 World Cup final run-chase, sealed the deal with an iconic six in the second last over of the match against Sri Lanka. His shot over long-on will always be the best moment of the World Cup as Team India ended their World Cup drought by lifting the title for the first time in 28 years.

2. Ben Stokes' accidental deflection, World Cup 2019

In the 2019 World Cup final at Lord's, England found themselves in a tight spot chasing New Zealand's 241. Ben Stokes, the hero of the match dived to complete a second run in a tense final over. A throw from the deep struck his bat and raced to the boundary. These accidental, vital runs tied the game and set the stage for a historic Super Over. England won the Super Over and the World Cup.

3. MS Dhoni's heartbreaking semi-final runout, World Cup 2019

In the semi-final clash between India and New Zealand at the 2019 World Cup, the 'Men in Blue' legend MS Dhoni found himself just inches short of his crease against Martin Guptill's brilliant throw from backward square leg. Guptill's direct hit hit the stumps and the dreams of more than a billion Indian fans along with it. The heartbreaking moment also turned out to be Dhoni's last one on the international stage as he announced his retirement a year later.

 4. Kapil Dev's Heroics, World Cup 1983

In the final of the 1983 Cricket World Cup, India faced the mighty West Indies. India were struggling at 183 for 6. Kapil Dev played an innings for the ages. His iconic 175-not-out turned the match on its head and led India to a historic victory, marking their first-ever World Cup win.

5. Adam Gilchrist's 149 and Australia's historic hat-trick, World Cup 2007

Australia's historic 2007 World Cup final win was built by Adam Gilchrist's inning of 149 in Bridgetown. The opener hit 13 boundaries and eight sixes and punished every single bowler from Sri Lanka's high-flying attack.

This inning also guided Australia to their third successive title, making them the first and only side so far to complete a hat-trick of World Cups.

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Top 10 Greatest Moments in the ICC World Cup history

6. Glenn McGrath's magical spell, WC 2007

Glenn McGrath's performance in the 2007 World Cup was just something else. He scalped 26 wickets in the tournament, leading Australia to their third consecutive title. His incredible consistency and dominance with the ball earned him the Player of the Tournament award.

7. Sachin Tendulkar's 'Desert Storm', WC 1998

During the 1998 tournament, Sachin Tendulkar's famous "Desert Storm" inning against Australia remains attached in memory. In a high-pressure match, Tendulkar's breathtaking 143 guided India to victory and showcased his unbelievable skillset in the game.

8. Herschelle Gibbs Hits 6 Sixes in 2007, WC 2007

The right-hander became the first player to hit six sixes in an over of International Cricket during the group game in Basseterre. Daan van Bunge was the bowler on the receiving end of the record. The leg-spinner had no answer as Gibbs continuously launched him over the rope.

Despite the match being cut to 40 overs each, South Africa still made 353-4. Gibbs scored 72 from 40 balls and managed only one other maximum in his inning before being dismissed by Luuk van Troost.

9. Wasim Akram Destroys England, WC 1992

Wasim Akram smashed a quick 33 in his side's inning of 249-6 in the final against England at the MCG. England had slipped to 69-4 in their reply, but Allan Lamb and Neil Fairbrother repaired the early damage with a fifth-wicket stand worth 72. However, Akram dismissed Lamb and new batsman Chris Lewis in successive deliveries, both bowled on the angle. Pakistan went on to win the match by 22 runs, allowing skipper Imran Khan to lift the trophy.

10. South Africa vs. Australia Tie, WC 1998

In a semi-final clash, South Africa needed one run off the final ball to reach the final. A mix-up led to a dramatic run-out, resulting in a tie. The 'Super Six' rule came into play, and Australia advanced to the final, leaving South Africa heartbroken.

This concludes the list of our Top 10 Greatest Moments in the ICC World Cup history. For more amazing stats and news, follow SportzPoint.