The International Cricket Council (ICC) hosts the Cricket World Cup, a quadrennial One Day International (ODI) cricket competition in which men’s national teams compete. The 2019 Cricket World Cup was the 12th edition of the tournament.
The tournament took place between May 30 and July 14 at ten venues in England and one in Wales. England hosted the World Cup for the sixth time, while Wales hosted for the third time.
Here’s how the 2019 Cricket World Cup unfolded:
The Build-Up
Format
There were 10 teams competing, down from 14 in the previous edition, and the format changed to a single round-robin group with the top four teams moving on to the knockout stage. After six weeks of round-robin matches, India, Australia, England, and New Zealand finished first, second, third, and fourth, respectively, with Pakistan losing out on the net run rate.
Venues
A total of 10 venues across England and Wales hosted 48 World Cup matches, including the knockouts. Old Trafford and Edgbaston hosted the semifinals, while the Lords hosted the final of the tournament.
Teams
The 2019 World Cup had 10 teams, a drop from the previous two World Cups, which featured 14 teams in 2011 and 2015.
- Australia
- England
- India,
- New Zealand
- Pakistan,
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- West Indies
- Bangladesh
- Afghanistan
Favourites
The host countries, England and New Zealand, were the favourites for this World Cup.
2019 World Cup Group Matches
Match 1: May 30 | England vs South Africa
In the opening match, England posted 311 runs on the board, thanks to Ben Stokes’ 89 runs. In response, South Africa was bowled out for 207 runs, resulting in England winning the match by 104 runs.
Match 2: May 31 | Pakistan vs West Indies
In a shambolic performance, Pakistan were bundled out for 105 runs by the Windies bowlers. In reply, the Windies chased down the target in 14 overs and won the match by 7 wickets.
Match 3: June 1 | New Zealand vs Sri Lanka
Batting first, Sri Lanka could only muster 136 runs in front of a fierce New Zealand bowling attack. The chase was rather easy for the Kiwis as they cruised towards the target with 10 wickets in hand.
Match 4: June 1 | Afghanistan vs Australia
After electing to bat first, Afghanistan managed to score 207 runs before being bowled out in the 39th over. Then the Australian batters chased down the target in 35 overs, with David Warner (89) top-scoring for them.
Match 5: June 2 | Bangladesh vs South Africa
Bangladesh started their World Cup campaign on a winning note. After being invited to bat first, Bangladesh scored 330/6 in 50 overs, Later, the Bangladeshi bowlers were able to keep the South African batters to the bay as they clinched a victory by 21 runs.
Match 6: June 3 | England vs Pakistan
After their disappointing performance against the Windies, Pakistan rose back quickly and hammered 348 runs against England. Despite centuries from Joe Root (107) and Jos Buttler (103), England couldn’t chase down the target and lost the game by 14 runs.
Match 7: June 4 | Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka
The match between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka was reduced to 41 overs each. Batting first, Sri Lanka could only post 201/10 on the board. While defending the target, Sri Lankan bowlers ran through the Afghani batting lineup and bowled them out for 152 runs.
Match 8: June 5 | India vs South Africa
South Africa’s poor run in the tournament continued as they posted 227/9 against India. In response, Rohit Sharma’s unbeaten 122 took India home with 6 wickets to spare.
Match 9: June 5 | Bangladesh vs New Zealand
New Zealand decided to bowl first and restricted Bangladesh to 244 runs. Ross Taylor’s 82 helped the Kiwis chase the target in 48 overs with 2 wickets in hand.
Match 10: June 6 | Australia vs West Indies
Batting first, Australia struggled in front of the Windies bowling, but Nathan Coulter-Nile’s 92 off 60 balls helped them post 288 runs on the board. Then Mitchell Starc’s 5-wicket haul played a pivotal role in defeating the Windies by 15 runs.
Match 11: June 7 | Pakistan vs Sri Lanka
The match was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Match 12: June 8 | England vs Bangladesh
Jason Roy’s 153 took England to a score of 386/6 in 50 overs. In response, Shakib Al Hasan scored 121 runs, but the knock went in vain as they lost the match by a huge margin of 106 runs.
Match 13: June 8 | Afghanistan vs New Zealand
Afghani batters faced the wrath of James Neesham (5/31) and Lockie Ferguson (4/37) and mustered only 172 runs. In reply, the Kiwis lost their first wicket on the first ball, but that didn’t stop them from reaching the target in 33 overs with 7 wickets in hand.
Match 14: June 9 | Australia vs India
Valuable contributions from Shikhar Dhawan (117), Virat Kohli (82), and Rohit Sharma (52) helped India post a huge total of 352 on the scoreboard. In response, Australia looked well on their way to chasing down the target, but a bunch of wickets fell in the middle. They eventually reached 316, and India won by 36 runs.
Match 15: June 10 | South Africa vs West Indies
The rain interrupted the match when South Africa was batting 29/2 in 7.3 overs. The match couldn’t be resumed, and it ended with no result.
Match 16: June 11 | Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
The match was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Match 17: june 12 | Australia vs Pakistan
Riding on the back of David Warner’s 107-run knock, Australia posted 307 runs in 49 overs. In response, Pakistan was bowled out for 266 runs, and Australia won by 41 runs.
Match 18: June 13 | India vs New Zealand
The match was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Match 19: June 14 | England vs West Indies
After being asked to bat first, the Windies could only manage to score 212 runs. Joe Root’s all-round performance with the ball (2/27) and bat (100* off 94) was crucial in England’s win by 8 wickets.
Match 20: June 15 | Australia vs Sri Lanka
Aaron Finch’s captain’s knock of 153 helped Australia reach 334 runs in 50 overs. In response, Sri Lanka got off to a solid start, but their middle and lower order couldn’t sustain the momentum and lost the match by 87 runs.
Match 21: June 15 | Afghanistan vs South Africa
South Africa decided to bowl first and rattled the Afghani batting lineup by bowling them out for a mere 125 runs. In response, the Proteas chased the target rather easily and won the match by 9 wickets.
Match 22: June 16 | India vs Pakistan
India’s top order, led by Rohit Sharma (140), again stepped up against their archrivals, helping India reach 336 runs in 50 overs. Then the Indian bowling attack restricted Pakistan to 212/6, handing them a defeat by 89 runs. (D/L method).
Match 23: June 17 | Bangladesh vs West Indies
Shai Hope’s 96 helped the Windies post 321 runs on the board. In response, Shakib Al Hasan hammered 124 runs off 99 balls, and this time the knock resulted in Bangladesh winning by 7 wickets.
Match 24: June 18 | England vs Afghanistan
England captain Eoin Morgan’s swashbuckling knock of 148 of 71 took his team’s total to 397 runs in 50 overs. Morgan’s knock included a whopping 17 sixes, the most sixes in an ODI innings by a batter. On the other hand, Afghanistan’s formidable spinner Rashid Khan bowled (0/110) one of the most expensive bowling figures in ODI cricket history. While chasing the target, the Afghani batters could only score 247/8 and England won by 150 runs.
Match 25: June 19 | New Zealand vs South Africa
Batting first, South Africa managed to score 241 runs in 49 overs. In reply, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson’s unbeaten 106-run knock took the Kiwis home with 4 wickets to spare.
Match 26: June 20 | Australia vs Bangladesh
David Warner’s sublime innings of 166 runs helped Australia post a huge total of 381 runs on the board. In response, Bangladesh’s experienced batters showed their mettle, with Mushfiqur Rahim etching a century (102*), but they fell short by 48 runs.
Match 27: June 21 | England vs Sri Lanka
Batting first, Sri Lanka managed to score 232/9 in 50 overs. The target didn’t look too big, but it was enough for Sri Lanka to defeat the hosts. While chasing, England had a rough start; Ben Stokes (82) and Joe Root (57) tried to stabilise, but eventually they lost by 20 runs.
Match 28: June 22 | Afghanistan vs India
India elected to bat first, but they struggled in front of the Afghani bowling attack and managed to score 224/8. Later, Afghanistan needed 16 runs to win in the last over with 3 wickets in hand and a set Mohammad Nabi was on the strike. But Mohammed Shami’s hat trick helped India win by 11 runs.
Match 29: June 22 | New Zealand vs West Indies
New Zealand lost both their openers in the first over, and captain Kane Williamson (148) again led from the front and helped his side post 291 runs on the board. In response, the Windes too had a shaky start, but a crucial partnership between Chris Gayle and Shimron Hetmyer kept them in the game. Once both of them were out, Carlos Brathwaite (101) fought till the end while the wickets kept falling on the other end. The Windies needed 6 runs off 7 balls, but Brathwaite lost his wicket and his side lost the game by 5 runs.
Match 30: June 23 | Pakistan vs South Africa
Batting first, Pakistan posted 308 runs on the scoreboard. In response, South Africa was restricted to 259/9, and they were almost eliminated from the race of knockouts.
Match 31: June 24 | Afghanistan vs Bangladesh
After being asked to bat first, Bangladesh scored 262 runs in 50 overs. Then Shakib Al Hasan spun his web around the Afghani batters with his 5-wicket haul, and Bangladesh won by 62 runs.
Match 32: June 25 | England vs Australia
Aaron Finch’s 100 runs helped Australia post 285 runs against their arch-rivals, England. In response, England was bowled out for 221 runs, thanks to lethal bowling performances from Jason Behrendorff (5/44) and Mitchell Starc (4/43).
Match 33: June 26 | New Zealand vs Pakistan
New Zealand’s top and middle order failed in front of the Pakistani bowling attack; however, James Neesham (97) and Colin de Grandhomme (64) steered their sinking ship and helped the Kiwis reach a fighting total of 237/6. In response, Babar Azam’s 101 took Pakistan over the ropes with 6 wickets to spare.
Match 34: June 27 | India vs West Indies
After electing to bat first, India posted 268 runs on the scoreboard. While defending the target, the Windies batters were no challenge to the Indian bowling attack and were bundled out for 143 runs.
Match 35: June 28 | South Africa vs Sri Lanka
Batting first, Sri Lanka was skittled out for 203 runs. The chase was rather easy for the Proteas, as they won the match in the 38th over with 9 wickets to spare.
Match 36: June 29 | Afghanistan vs Pakistan
Afghanistan chose to bat first and managed to score 227 runs. Later, Afghani bowlers tried to keep their neighbours under pressure, but Pakistan prevailed and won the match by 3 wickets.
Match 37: June 29 | Australia vs New Zealand
Usman Khawaja’s 88 pushed Australia’s total to 243 runs. Then Mitchell Starc’s 5-wicket haul wreaked havoc on the Kiwis and bowled them out for 157, resulting in Australia winning the match by 86 runs.
Match 38: June 30 | England vs India
Batting first, England posted 337 runs on the scoreboard, thanks to Jonny Bairstow’s 111-run knock. Despite Rohit Sharma’s 102 runs, India lost the game by 31 runs.
Match 39: July 1 | Sri Lanka vs West Indies
Sri Lanka’s top and middle order collectively helped them score 338 runs, with Avishka Fernando (104) top-scoring for Sri Lanka. In reply, Nicholas Pooran scored 118 runs, but the knock went in vain as Sri Lanka won by 23 runs.
Match 40: July 2 | Bangladesh vs India
Rohit Sharma (104) and KL Rahul (77) put up a solid opening partnership of 180 runs, helping India post 314 runs on the board. While chasing, Bangladesh batters showed some fight, but India bowled them out for 286 runs.
Match 41: July 3 | England vs New Zealand
Jonny Bairstow’s century again helped England post 305 runs in 50 overs. In response, the Kiwis got off to a rough start, eventually losing the game by 119 runs.
Match 42: July 4 | Afghanistan vs West Indies
After electing to bat first, the Windies reached 311 runs in 50 overs. Despite a decent performance from Afghanistan’s middle order, they lost the game by 23 runs.
Match 43: June 5 | Bangladesh vs Pakistan
Imam-ul-Haq (100) and Babar Azam (96) helped Pakistan score 315/9. Later, the Pakistani bowling attack bowled out Bangladesh for 221 runs and won the match by 94 runs.
Match 44: June 6 | India vs Sri Lanka
After electing to bat first, Sri Lanka managed to score a good total of 264 runs on the board. In reply, Rohit Sharma’s 5th hundred of the tournament helped India win the match with 7 wickets in hand.
Also Read | Rohit Sharma ODI World Cup Runs and Centuries in Every Edition
Match 45: June 6 | Australia vs South Africa
Captain Faf du Plessis’ 100 helped South Africa end their World Cup campaign on a winning note. Chasing the target of 326 runs set by the Proteas, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 315 runs, resulting in South Africa winning by 10 runs.
Knockout Stage
1st Semi-Final: July 9, 2019 | New Zealand vs India
The first semi-final match between India and New Zealand took place at Manchester’s Old Trafford stadium. Williamson scored 67 runs before being run out in the 36th over, a figure equalled by Taylor when play was halted in the 47th over with New Zealand at 211/5 after the wickets of Neesham and De Grandhomme.
Because no further play was feasible on the day, the match was put on hold. When the game resumed the next day, Taylor added 7 more runs to his tally for the Kiwis, which finished their 50 overs with a total of 239/8.
The Indian chase got off to a shaky start, with India falling to 5/3 in the fourth over, with the top three batsmen all going for one run each, and 24/4 after 10 overs. After a brief 47-run partnership between Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya for the fifth wicket, MS Dhoni joined Ravindra Jadeja for a century partnership for the seventh wicket.
After that, India needed 37 runs from the last 3 overs. After Dhoni was run out, a late-order collapse saw New Zealand grab the last 4 wickets for only 13 runs, bringing them to their second World Cup final in a row.
2nd Semi-Final: July 11, 2019 | Australia vs England
Australia won the toss and opted to bat first; however, they were reduced to 14/3 in the seventh over after losing 3 of their top 4 batsmen for single-figure scores, two of them to Chris Woakes. Due to his recent form, wicketkeeper Alex Carey was pushed up the order, and despite having his helmet knocked off by a Jofra Archer bouncer, he made 46 before being caught by Adil Rashid.
As wickets fell at the other end, Steve Smith retained his wicket to top-score with 85 as Australia were bowled out for 223 runs, with Woakes and Rashid taking 3 wickets each.
England took their time getting going in the run chase, but they quickly picked up speed and reached 124 before Starc caught Jonny Bairstow LBW for the first wicket. Two overs later, quick-hitting Jason Roy was caught behind off a bouncer that appeared not to contact his bat, but England had already used their review on Bairstow’s wicket, and Roy exited for 85 off 65 balls, including 5 sixes.
Nonetheless, England was well over halfway to their target at this point, and an unbroken 79-run partnership between Joe Root and captain Eoin Morgan propelled them to an 8-wicket victory and their first World Cup final since 1992.
Final: July 14 | England vs New Zealand
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Henry Nicholls’ maiden half-century of the tournament and a further 47 from wicketkeeper Tom Latham helped the Kiwis to a total of 241/8 from their 50 overs, with Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett each taking 3 wickets.
Defending a low total, New Zealand’s bowlers bowled successfully, putting pressure on England’s top order, with only Jonny Bairstow managing more than a start with 36. England slipped to 86/4 in the 24th over after losing their top order, but a century partnership between Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler for the fifth wicket took them back into the game before Buttler was caught on 59.
However, with five overs remaining, England still needed 46 runs, forcing the lower order to bat more aggressively. Stokes was able to farm the strike and, more importantly, score runs, leaving England needing 15 runs from the penultimate over with two wickets in hand. The scores were level at 241, with Stokes remaining unbeaten at 84. After tying scores, a Super Over decided the outcome of the game.
England brought back Stokes and Buttler to the crease, and they batted well against Trent Boult’s bowling, scoring 15 runs. Martin Guptill and James Neesham faced Jofra Archer for New Zealand, who needed at least 16 runs to win the trophy.
New Zealand concluded with 15 runs to level the Super Over, but England’s better boundary count (26 to New Zealand’s 17) ensured they won the World Cup for the first time following three previous final failures in 1979, 1987, and 1992.
Special Moments in the World Cup of 2019
Mohammed Shami’s Hat Trick Against Afghanistan
Mohammed Shami was the unsung hero of India’s thrilling victory over Afghanistan in Southampton. India reached 224/8 thanks to half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Kedar Jadhav.
Mohammad Nabi led the chase in response, and Afghanistan needed 16 runs in the last over to win. Shami held the ball, and Nabi smashed the first ball straight over his head for a four.
Mohammed Shami turned up the heat after bowling the second ball a dot, as Nabi attempted a similar shot over the bowler but was caught by Hardik Pandya. Shami struck Aftab Alam’s stumps with a superb yorker on the next ball.
Then he made history by knocking Mujeeb Ur Rahman down with another Yorker. As a result, Shami became only the second Indian after Chetan Sharma to grab a hat trick in a World Cup.
MS Dhoni’s International Career Comes Full Circle with a Runout
India advanced to the ICC World Cup 2019 semi-finals, where they faced New Zealand in Manchester. New Zealand batted first and finished with a total of 239/8, with fifties from Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor. Due to rain, New Zealand finished their innings on the reserve day.
However, the rain proved to be India’s undoing. Unfortunately, MS Dhoni was run out for 50, and India fell 18 runs short.
This was also MS Dhoni’s final international innings before retiring in 2020. In fact, MS Dhoni was run out on his debut against Bangladesh in 2004 and ended his international career on a similar note.
Also Read | 47 Records held by MS Dhoni in International Cricket [All formats]
An Exciting Final at Lord’s Between New Zealand and England
England and New Zealand met in a historic World Cup final, with all the drama that such a match demands. New Zealand batted first and finished with a score of 241/8. Then England tied the match thanks to an incredible knock from Ben Stokes (84*) and a disputed six runs when the ball hit his bat and went for a boundary.
England scored 15 runs in the Super Over, and then Jimmy Neesham smashed a six to Jofra Archer to pull New Zealand within 2 runs with 2 balls to go. However, Martin Guptill was run out going for the second, and the super-over was also tied. However, England was declared the winner based on a ‘boundary count’ regulation because they struck more fours than New Zealand during the match.
Players from New Zealand Console Carlos Brathwaite After an Incredible Knock
The Kiwis batted first and finished with a total of 291/8 in 50 overs. Sheldon Cottrell took 4/56 for the West Indies. In response, Shimron Hetmyer scored 54 runs, but it was Carlos Brathwaite’s maiden ODI century that kept the West Indies in the game till the very end.
He scored 101 runs in 82 balls, with 5 sixes and 9 fours, as the West Indies fell just 5 runs short of their target of 286 runs. After the game, Brathwaite appeared exhausted and on his knees in disappointment, but New Zealand players consoled him and applauded his wonderful innings.
The Bails’ Mysteries
Five times during the competition, the bails did not fall off after the ball struck the stumps. Several players, including Kohli and Finch, requested a change during the competition. The ICC, on the other hand, refused to modify the zing bails in the middle of the World Cup.
Final Thoughts
The ICC Cricket World Cup is a worldwide phenomenon. Fans from all over the world come to stadiums in the host country to see the action live, while others who are unable to attend the games in person are glued to their screens to keep up with the action. In terms of excitement, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 was one of the most spectacular in history.
