Scott Clark
Nov 21, 2023 - 01:10

Six Tops and Flops at Cricket World Cup

Australia wins 6th Cricket World Cup title. Afghanistan, Maxwell, Kohli, Azam, Buttler, and Mathews are the tournament's tops and flops.

Australia claimed their sixth Cricket World Cup title after beating India by six wickets in Ahmedabad. The 13th edition of the tournament saw some standout performances from various teams, as well as some unexpected disappointments.

One of the standout teams of the tournament was Afghanistan, who started off with a stunning win over defending champions England. Their spin wizard Rashid Khan took three wickets as they posted 284 and then bowled out England for 215. They continued their impressive form by beating Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands, prompting coach Jonathan Trott to predict a "bright future" for the team.

Glenn Maxwell was another player who left a lasting impression, smashing the tournament's fastest century in 40 balls against the Netherlands. He defied cramp and back spasms in a match-winning knock of 201 against Afghanistan, earning praise from his skipper Pat Cummins for what he called the "greatest ODI innings."

Virat Kohli also made his mark, recording his 50th ODI century and surpassing compatriot Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 tons. His 765 runs in 11 matches made him the leading batsman in the tournament.

On the other hand, Babar Azam's Pakistan team entered the tournament with high expectations but faced disappointment with losses to India, Australia, and Afghanistan. Their defeat to Afghanistan was particularly painful, and Azam eventually resigned as captain from all formats.

England's Jos Buttler, who led the team to their maiden T20 World Cup victory in 2021, failed to inspire his team as they suffered early exits after just one win in the first seven matches.

The tournament also saw controversy, with Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews becoming the first batsman in 146 years of international cricket to be given "timed out" in a match against Bangladesh. The incident reignited the "spirit of cricket" debate and left the cricket world divided.

Overall, the 13th edition of the Cricket World Cup was filled with thrilling performances, unexpected outcomes, and moments that sparked debates within the cricket community.