The day that Lankan fans were really overjoyed...:

Lanka won Cricket World Cup 1996

By A.C De Silva

A cricket match all Sri Lankans will never forget is the 1996 sixth Cricket World Cup 1996 organised by the International Cricket Council. It was the second World Cup to be hosted by Pakistan, India and for the first time by Sri Lanka.

The tournament was won by Sri Lanka, who defeated Australia in the final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.

Sri Lanka who won the toss chose to field first and Australia's Mark Taylor (74) and Ricky Ponting (45) shared a second-wicket partnership of 101 runs. When Ponting and Taylor were dismissed, however, Australia fell from 137/1 to 170/5 as the famed 4-pronged spin attack of Sri Lanka took its toll.

Despite the slump, Australia struggled on to 241/7 in 50 overs.

Sri Lanka lost two early wickets but Asanka Gurusinha (65) and Aravinda de Silva (107 not out) and Arjuna Ranatunga (47 not out) paved the way for a Sri Lankan win.

No one had dominated a final to the extent that Aravinda de Silva did in 1996. He took two catches and three wickets, including Australia's top scorers Taylor (74), Ricky Ponting (45), then strolled to an elegant 107 not out.

Handicapped by a slippery, dew-covered ball, Australia dropped several catches, and never looked like defending 241.

1996 ICC World Cup final: Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA

M.A. Taylor c Jayasuriya b De Silva                             74

M.E. Waugh c Jayasuriya b Vaas                                12

R.T. Ponting b De Silva                                             45

S.R. Waugh c De Silva b Dharmasena                        13

S.K. Warne st.Kaluwithrana b Muralitharan                 02

S.G. Law c De Silva b Jayasuriya                                22

M.G. Bevan not out                                                  36

Ian Healy b De Silva                                                  02

P.R. Reiffel not out                                                   13

Extras (lb10, w11, nb1)                                           22

Total (50 overs 7 wkts)                                       241

Did not bat: D.W. Fleming, C.D. McGrath

Fall of wickets: 1-36, 2-137, 3-152, 4-156, 5-170, 6-202, 7-205.

Bowling: P. Wickremasinghe 7-0-38-0
              C. Vaas 6-1-30-1
              M. Muralitharan 10-0-31-1
              K. Dharmasena 10-0-47-1
              S. Jayasuriya 8-0-43-1
              Aravinda de Silva 9-0-42-3

SRI LANKA

S.T. Jayasuriya run out                                             09

R.S. Kaluwitharana c Bevan b Fleming                         06

A. Gurusinghe b Reffel                                              65

P.A. de Silva not out                                               107

A. Ranatunga not out                                               47

Extras (lb, lb4, w5, nb1)                                           20

Total (46.2 overs, 3 wkts)                                   245

Did not bat: R.S. Mahanama, H.P. Tillekeratne, H.D.P.K. Dharmasena, C. Vaas, G.P. Wickremasinghe, M. Muralitharan.

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-23, 3-148.

Bowling: G. McGrath 8.2-1-28-0
               Fleming 6-0-43-1
               Warne 10-0-58-0
               Reiffel 10-0-49-1
               M. Waugh 6-0-35-0
               S. Waugh 3-0-15-0
               M. Bavan 3-0-12-0

1975

1975 was the year that most cricket fans waited for and on June 7 the cricket world came alive when the first Edition of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Cricket World Cup got staged. It was held from June 7 to 21 in England.

The tournament was sponsored by Prudential Assurance Company and had 8 participating countries. They were the 6 Test playing countries of that time - namely Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and the West Indies.

Sri Lanka and East Africa were the non-Test playing teams that participated in this tournament.

The preliminary matches were played in two groups of 4 each. Sri Lanka of course lost all three preliminary round matches and finished at the bottom of the points table in group 'B'.

In the final, the West Indies few Australia by 17 runs, after an accomplished innings from captain Clive Lloyd (102 from 85 balls, 12 fours and 2 sixes).

West Indies: 291 for 8 wkts in 60 overs (R. Kanhai 55, Clive Lloyd 102)

Australia: 274 in 58.4 overs (I. Chappell 62).

1979

The 1979 Cricket World Cup as the Prudential World Cup, 1979 was the second edition of the tournament and was won by the West Indies again. It was held from June 9 to June 23 in 1979. The format had remained unchanged from 1975. Eight countries participated in the event.

In 1979 final, West Indies made 286 and England got 194.

The preliminary round matches were played in 2 groups of 4 each. The top two teams in each group played the semi-finals, whose winners played the final.

The matches played consisted of 60 overs per team and were played in traditional white clothing and with red balls. They were all played during the day and hence started early.

West Indies: 286 for 9 wkts in 60 overs (Vivian Richards 138 not out, C.L. King 86).

England: 194 in 51 overs (J.M. Brearly 64, G. Boycott 57, G.A. Gooch 32).

1983

The 1983 Cricket World Cup was the third edition of the tournament. It was held from June 9 to 25 in 1983 in England and was won by India.

Eight countries participated in the event. The preliminary round matches were in two groups of four teams each, and each country played the others in its group twice. The top two teams in each group qualified for the semi-finals.

The matches consisted of 60 overs per team and were played in traditional white clothing and with red balls. They were all played during the day.

The tournament was full of dramatic cricket right from the start. Teams like India and Zimbabwe who were not playing well at those times scored upset victories over the West Indies and Australia respectively.

England, Pakistan, India and tournament favourites West Indies qualified for the semi-finals. The preliminary matches were played in two groups of four teams each, and each country played the others in its group twice.

In the first semi-final, England won the toss and batted first.

The English batsmen mistimed many balls and used the bat's edge frequently, as the restrictive Indian bowling led-England to score 213 (all our).

In reply, Yaspal Sharma (61) and Sandeep Patil (51) made half-centuries as India reached their target in 54.4 overs, winning by 6 wickets in a classic victory over the previous tournament's runner-ups. India made 217 for 4 wickets.

In the second semi-final, West Indies won the toss and sent Pakistan to bat and Pakistan were restricted to 184 for 8 wickets. Mohsin Khan made 70.

The West Indies bowled well-Marshall took 3 for 28 and Andy Roberts had 2 for 25.

The Windies innings was based around a superb innings of Viv Richards (80) and an unbeaten 50 by Larry Gomes as the defending champs reached their target - 188 for 2 wickets.

1983 - FINAL

India: (183 in 54.4 overs) K. Srikkanth 38, M. Amarnath 26, S.M. Patil 27)

WEST INDIES: 140 in 52 overs (Vivian Richards 33, P. Dujong 25, M.D. Marshall 18).

1987

Australia beat England by 7 runs

The 1987 Reliance World Cup was the fourth Edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup tournament and it was held from October 8 to November 8, 1987 in India and Pakistan - the first such tournament held outside England.

The competition was won for the first time by Australia who beat England by 7 runs in a close final.

Australia made 253 for 5 wkts in 50 overs with David Boon making 75, M. Veletta 45 not out.

ENGLAND scored 246 for 8 wkts, with C. Athey making 58, A. Lamb 45, M. Gatting 41).

1992

There were a participating teams in the 1992 Cricket World Cup which was the fifth edition organised by the International Cricket Council.

It was held in Australia and New Zealand from February 22 to March 25 and it ended with Pakistan beating England in the final to became the World Champions for the first time.

The 1992 World Cup was the first to feature coloured player clothing, white cricket balls and beach sight screens with a number of matches being played under floodlights.

The 1992 World Cup was also the first to be in the Southern hemisphere. It was also the first World Cup to include the South Africa national cricket team.

Pakistan batting first made 249 for 6 wickets in 50 overs and they beat England by 22 runs.

For Pakistan, Imran Khan 72, Javed Miandad 58, Inzamam-Ul-Haq 42, Wasim Akram 33).

For England; the side was out for 227 in 49.2 overs (N.H. Fairbrother 62, A.J. Lamb 31).

Australia win by 8 wickets

The 1999 ICC Cricket World Cup, the seventh edition was hosted primarily by England, with some games being hosted primarily by England, with some games being hosted by Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the Netherlands.

The World Cup was won by Australia, who beat Pakistan by 8 wickets at Lord's Cricket ground in London, New Zealand and South Africa were the other semi finalists.

The nine full members contested the World Cup along with three associate members Kenya, and for the first time, Bangladesh and Scotland who all qualified through the 1997 ICC Trophy.

Batting first, Pakistan were all out for 132 in 39 overs and Australia scored 133 for 2 wickets with Allen Gilchrist being the top scorer with 54.

PAKISTAN: 132 in 39 overs.

AUSTRALIA: 133 for 2 wkts in 20.1 overs (A.C. Gilchrist 54, M. Waugh 37 not out, R. Ponting 24).

Australia win by 125 runs

The 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup was the eight World Cup, organised by the International Cricket Council. It was co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya and this edition of the World Cup was the first to be played in Africa. The tournament featured 14 teams, the largest number in the World Cup's history at the time, playing a total of 54 matches.

The tournament was eventually won by defending champions Australia who won all eleven of their matches, beating India in the final played at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. This was Australia's third World Cup, making them the most successful nation in the tournament's history.

AUSTRALIA: 359 for 2 wkts in 50 overs (A. Gilchrist 57, M. Hayden 37, R. Ponting 140, not out D.R. Martyn 88 not out).

INDIA: 234 all out in 39.2 overs (V. Sehwag 82, R. Dravid 47).

Australia beat Sri Lanka by 53 runs (D/C method)

Aussies win by 53 runs

The 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup was the 9th edition of the Cricket World Cup tournament that took place in the West Indies.

The 16 competing teams were initially divided into four groups, with the tow best-performing teams from each group moving on to "Super 8" format. From this, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and South Africa won through to the semi-finals, with Australia defeating Sri Lanka in the final to win their third consecutive World Cup and their fourth overall.

This was the first World Cup final to be a repeat - the sides previously met in the 1996 World Cup final, which Sri Lanka won.

This 2007 World Cup was won by Australia by 53 runs according to the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Australia batting first made 281 for 4 wickets in 38 overs with A. Gilchrist making the top score of 149.

Then Sri Lanka made 215 for 8 wickets in 36 overs, the top scorers were Sanath Jayasuriya (63) and K. Sangakkara (54) added 116 runs for the second wicket, the contest became alive, but after the pair got out, Sri Lanka's chances slowly washed away. Sri Lanka finally made 215 for 8 wickets in 36 overs.

AUSTRALIA: 281 for 4 wkts in 38 overs beat Sri Lanka by 53 runs (D/C method) (A. Gilchrist 149, M. Hayder 38, B. Ponting 37).

SRI LANKA: 215 for 8 wickets in 36 overs (S.T. Jayasuriya 63, K. Sangakkara 54).

India beat Sri Lanka by 6 wkts

The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup was the 10th Cricket World Cup. It was played in India, Sri Lanka and (for the first time) Bangladesh. Fourteen national cricket teams participated including ten full members and four associate members of the ICC.

India won the tournament, beating Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in the final in Mumbai, thus becoming the first country to win the Cricket World Cup final on home soil. This was the first time in World Cup history that two Asian teams had appeared in the final. It was also the first time since 1992 World Cup that the final match did not feature Australia in the final.

World Cup Final 2011

SRI LANKA: 274 for 6 wkts in 50 overs (T.M. Dilshan 33, K. Sangakkara 48, Mahela Jayawardene not out 103, K. Kulasekera 32, T. Samaraweera 21, N. Perera not out 22).

INDIA: 277 for 4 wkts in 48.2 overs (G. Gumbhir 97, V. Kohli 35, M.S. Dhoni not out 91, Yuvraj Singh not out 21).