For days, the teams battle it out to reach the grandest stage of them all – the World Cup finals. For how they fare here determines the rest of their lives. As Walter Hagen was famously quoted, “No one remembers who came second.”
There have been 10 World Cup finals and Suvajit Mustafi lists out the 10 men who handled the nerves impeccable and made the difference to their respective teams, helping them win cricket’s most desired trophy.
1: Clive Lloyd vs Australia at Lord’s (London) in 1975 World Cup final
West Indian skipper Clive Lloyd came in to bat at 50 for three, with the side in a spot of bother. Lloyd launched a fearless counter-attack, which helped West Indies post 291 in 60 overs. Lloyd scored 102 from 85 balls, an innings that made the difference in the end as West Indies went on to win the match by 17 runs. Lloyd’s match-winning hundred got him the man-of-the-match award.
2: Viv Richards vs England at Lord’s (London) in 1979 World Cup final
West Indian batsman Viv Richards had a quiet World Cup with the bat in 1975, but he made for it in the next edition. Batting at No three, he smacked an unbeaten 138 from 157 balls, as West Indies posted 286. In the end it was a comfortable victory for West Indies as they beat Mike Brearley’s England by 92 runs. The man-of-the-match wasn’t a tough choice at all.
3: Mohinder Amarnath vs West Indies at Lord’s (London) in 1983 World Cup final
Mohinder Amarnath’s good all-round show saw him win the man-of-the-match in the semi-final, when India beat England. In the final, once again he applied himself with the bat, scoring a gritty 26 in a low-scoring encounter. His ennui-inducing bowling then did the trick as he got the leather to talk. He picked up the wickets Jeff Dujon, Malcolm Marshall and the last wicket of Michael Holding, as West Indies were dethroned after eight years and India crowned the new World Champions.
4: David Boon vs England at Eden Gardens (Calcutta) in 1987 World Cup final
Australian opener David Boon’s 75 at the top of the order lent solidity to the innings, as the side from Down Under put up a fighting 253 on the board against arch-rivals England. It was one of the two half-centuries in the match – the other being Bill Athey’s 58. Considering Australia won by the narrow margin of seven runs, Boon’s 75 was monumentally important for the winners.
5: Wasim Akram vs England at MCG (Australia) in 1992 World Cup final
In the first ever day-night World Cup final, Pakistan put up 249 on the board. England did have the batting to chase it down but Wasim Akram, who had scored a quick 33 from 18 balls, was making the ball talk. In a brilliant display of skills, Akram picked up the important wickets of Ian Botham, Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis, as Pakistan went on to win by 22 runs.
6: Aravinda de Silva vs Australia at Gadaffi Stadium (Lahore) in 1996 World Cup final
Sri Lanka were chasing well, but to chase down 242 in the World Cup final, that too against a powerful Australian bowling, wasn’t going to be easy. They needed a special effort and once again Aravinda de Silva raised his hand. He was adjudged the man-of-the-match in the semi-final for his fluent fifty on a difficult track at Eden Gardens and now in the grandest stage of all, de Silva bettered that effort as he went on to score an unbeaten 107. The hundred, coupled with his three wickets, played a huge factor in Sri Lanka winning the World Cup.
7: Shane Warne vs Pakistan at Lord’s (London) in 1999 World Cup final
Shane Warne’s brilliant spell of bowling helped Australia come back in the semi-final against South Africa. The match ended in a tie, but Australia got through to the final and Warne finished with four for 29. In the final, Warne once spun his web and caught four Pakistani batsmen in it this time, while conceding 33 runs in nine overs. Pakistan were bowled out for 132 and in the end; an easy win for Australia.
8: Ricky Ponting vs India at Wanderers (Johannesburg) in 2003 World Cup final
Australian captain Ricky Ponting reserved one of his best-ever performances in the grand finale. Ponting butchered the Indian bowlers as he scored an unbeaten 140 from just 121 balls, an innings that contained eight sixes. Ponting and Damien Martyn added an unbeaten 234 for the third wicket to bat India out of the game, as Australia posted 359 in their 50 overs.
9: Adam Gilchrist vs Sri Lanka at Kensington Oval (Bridgetown) in 2007 World Cup final
When Adam Gilchrist got going, the word ‘brutal’ looked an understatement. That’s what he did against Sri Lanka in the rain affected final in Bridgetown. Gilchrist was severe on all the Lankan bowlers and scored 149 from 104 balls, as Australia put up 281 in their stipulated 38 overs. In the end it proved to be a lot for Sri Lanka.
10: MS Dhoni vs Sri Lanka at Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai) in 2011 World Cup final
It’s not uncommon to see crumble under pressure of chasing, especially in an important game like the World Cup final. But MS Dhoni has the gift to remain composed in the direst of situations. Chasing 275, that too under the expectations of intense home pressure, wasn’t going to be easy. To make things worse, India lost Virender Sehwag and the key wicket of Sachin Tendulkar quite cheaply and early.
Dhoni promoted him at No. 5 ahead of Yuvraj Singh — a brave decision considering the great form Yuvraj was in. Dhoni added 109 with Gautam Gambhir for the fourth wicket to put India on the road to victory. In the 49th over, he smacked a six over long-on to win give India their second World Cup title. He remained not out on 91 from 79 balls. After Lloyd and Ponting, Dhoni became the third captain to be awarded the man-of-the-match in a World Cup final.
11: James Faulkner vs New Zealand at MCG (Australia) in 2015 World Cup final
Australia had got off to a great start in the grand finale but Grant Elliott and Ross Taylor had brought them back. From 39 for three in the 13th over, they recovered to 150 for three in 35th over and were getting set to launch themselves in the batting Powerplay. To bowl during the Powerplays have been one of the toughest jobs and James Faulkner took up the challenge and brought Australia back in the match. In the first three balls, the got two key wickets – Taylor and Corey Anderson, to set the game in Australia’s favour. He finished with 9-1-36-3, and his spell won him the man-of-the-match in the grandest stage of all.
(Suvajit Mustafi consumes cricket for lunch, fiction for dinner and munches numerous other snacks throughout the day. Yes, a jack of several trades, all Suvajit dreamt of was being India’s World Cup winning skipper but ended up being a sports writer, author, screenwriter, director, copywriter, graphic designer, sports marketer, strategist, entrepreneur, philosopher and traveller. Donning so many hats, it’s cricket which gives him the ultimate high and where he finds solace. He can be followed at @RibsGully and rivu7)
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