AHMEDABAD: After 46 days and 48 matches, huge totals, shock wins, heartbreaking losses, records and controversies, the Cricket World Cup ended on Sunday.
AFP Sport looks at 10 highlights from the 2023 tournament:
South African cricketers celebrate after winning the ICC Cricket World Cup match between South Africa and Sri Lanka in New Delhi, India, on October 7, 2023. (AP)
The tournament was just two days old when South Africa’s Aiden Markram smashed the fastest World Cup century off 49 balls against Sri Lanka in New Delhi.
His team also entered the record books with the highest ever tournament total of 428 in a 102-run win.
Markram’s blitz bettered the 50 balls Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien needed to hit a hundred against England in Bengaluru in 2011.
However, Markram said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if his record was beaten by the end of the tournament. He was proved right by Glenn Maxwell just 18 days later.
Abdullah Shafique celebrates after scoring a century against Sri Lanka during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Hyderabad, India, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. (AFP)
Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique made centuries as Pakistan chased down the highest target in World Cup history to beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in Hyderabad.
Rizwan overcame leg cramps to score 131 not out while Shafique hit 113 as Pakistan overhauled their 345-run target.
Sri Lanka’s imposing total of 344-9 was built around hundreds from Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama.
Afghanistan players celebrate after defeating England in a ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, India on October 15, 2023. (REUTERS)
Afghanistan pulled off one of the greatest World Cup shocks when they defeated defending champions England by 69 runs in New Delhi.
Chasing 285 to win, after opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz had hit a blistering 80, England were bowled out for 215 with spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan claiming three wickets each.
Eight days later in Chennai, Afghanistan chased down 283 to shock neighbors Pakistan with Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah and Gurbaz all scoring fifties.
In between, the Netherlands exploited South Africa’s dislike of chasing by stunning the Proteas by 38 runs in what Dutch media described as “the miracle of Dharamsala.”
Australia's David Warner tosses the bat as he walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal during the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between Australia and Netherlands at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, India, on October 25, 2023. (AFP)
Maxwell took Markram’s fastest World Cup century record by hitting a 40-ball hundred in Australia’s 309-run rout of the Netherlands at New Delhi.
Australia made 399-8 before the Dutch were dismissed for just 90 in 21 overs.
Maxwell’s ton was also the fourth fastest century in all ODIs.
New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson, left, and Trent Boult shake hands with Australian players after they lost the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match against Australia in Dharamshala, India on October 28, 2023. (AP)
Australia edged out New Zealand by just five runs in the highest-scoring World Cup game in history in Dharamsala.
Australia scored 388 as Travis Head top-scored with 109 and fellow opener David Warner made 81.
New Zealand battled hard with Rachin Ravindra making 116.
With a total of 771 runs, it was the highest scoring game at a World Cup, beating the 754 scored in South Africa’s win against Sri Lanka earlier in the tournament.
India's Mohammed Shami, left, celebrates the dismissal of Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews, center, during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match between India and Sri Lanka in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. (AP)
Mohammed Shami took five wickets as Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 55 as India secured a semifinal place with a colossal 302-run win in Mumbai.
Sri Lanka’s woeful innings featured five noughts, with both their openers falling for golden ducks as they flopped in pursuit of 358.
Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews, foreground walks off the field after he was declared timed out during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in New Delhi, India, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023. (AP)
Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews branded Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan as “disgraceful” after he became the first player in 146 years of international cricket to be given “timed out.”
Mathews was adjudged to be out after failing to take strike within the two-minute time limit when he came out to bat in New Delhi.
Shakib refused to withdraw the appeal.
“I had to take a decision to make sure that my team wins,” he said.
Australia's Glenn Maxwell celebrates after winning the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup one-day international (ODI) match between Australia and Afghanistan at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on November 7, 2023. (AFP)
Australia captain Pat Cummins described it as “the greatest one-day innings ever played” as Glenn Maxwell’s stunning 201 not out guided Australia into the semifinals in a sensational three-wicket victory over Afghanistan in Mumbai.
At 91-7, chasing 292, Australia were staring at defeat before Maxwell’s 128-ball innings which featured 21 fours and 10 sixes as he became just the third batsman to score a World Cup double century.
He achieved the mark despite battling cramps and back spasms which meant he was reduced to hobbling pace while Afghanistan were left to rue Mujeeb Ur Rahman dropping a simple catch when Maxwell had made just 33.
India's Virat Kohli celebrates after reaching his 50th century, breaking Sachin Tendulkar's record of most number of ODI centuries, during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup first semifinal match between India and New Zealand in Mumbai on November 15, 2023. (REUTERS)
Virat Kohli scored a record 50th one-day international hundred in the semifinal win against New Zealand in Mumbai, hailing the landmark as being “like a dream.”
Kohli, 35, reached his century — his third of the tournament — with a two off fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, having faced 106 balls, hitting eight fours and a six, to break the record of 49 ODI hundreds he had shared with Sachin Tendulkar.
He did so on his former India team-mate’s home ground, with Tendulkar among those applauding at the Wankhede Stadium as Kohli bowed toward his childhood hero and fellow 2011 World Cup-winner.
Australia players celebrate with the trophy after Australia won the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup final match against India in Ahmedabad, India, on November 19, 2023. (AP)
Opening batsman Travis Head hit 137 and took a spectacular catch to dismiss Rohit Sharma to steer Australia to a six-wicket win over India in the final for a sixth World Cup title.
India were dismissed for 240 before Australia reached their target with seven overs to spare in front of over 90,000 fans in Ahmedabad.
“That’s huge, that’s the pinnacle in cricket, winning a World Cup, especially here in India, and these are the moments you remember for the rest of your life,” said skipper Pat Cummins.
