Cricket World Cup facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
ICC Men's Cricket World Cup

The Cricket World Cup Trophy
Administrator	International Cricket Council (ICC)
Format	One Day International
First edition	1975  England
Latest edition	2023  India
Next edition	2027  South Africa  Zimbabwe  Namibia
Number of teams	10(14 from 2027)
Current champion	Australia (6th title)
Most successful	Australia (6 titles)
Most runs	Sachin Tendulkar (2,278)
Most wickets	Glenn McGrath (71)

The Cricket World Cup is a super exciting international cricket tournament. It's like the Olympics for One Day International (ODI) cricket! Teams play matches that last one day. The International Cricket Council (ICC) organizes this big event every four years.

It's one of the most-watched sports events in the world. Many people see it as the most important cricket championship. The Cricket World Cup is a huge deal for cricket fans everywhere!

The very first World Cup for men was held in England in June 1975. Before that, a Women's Cricket World Cup had already taken place. Also, a tournament with different international teams was played way back in 1912. The first three men's World Cups were all held in England. Since 1987, different countries have taken turns hosting the tournament. Fourteen ICC member countries have hosted at least one match.

To play in the World Cup, teams first go through a qualification stage. This takes about three years. Then, 10 teams, including the host country, compete for the title. They play games in the host country for about a month. For the 2027 tournament, the plan is to have 14 teams compete.

So far, 20 different teams have played in the 13 World Cups. In the most recent 2023 tournament, 10 teams competed. Australia has won the World Cup six times, which is more than any other team! India and West Indies have each won twice. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and England have each won once. The team from Kenya did really well in 2003, reaching the semi-finals.

Australia are the current champions. They won the 2023 World Cup in India. The next World Cup in 2027 will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

History of the World Cup

Cricket has a long history! The first international cricket match was played in 1844 between Canada and the United States. But the first official Test match was in 1877 between Australia and England. These two teams played regularly for a special trophy called The Ashes. South Africa joined Test cricket in 1889.

For a long time, international cricket was mostly played as two teams playing against each other. In the early 1960s, a shorter version of cricket became popular in England. These games lasted only one day. The first One-Day International (ODI) match happened in 1971 between England and Australia. It was a success! This led the ICC to think about creating a Cricket World Cup.

Early World Cups (1975–1983)

The Prudential Cup trophy

The first Cricket World Cup was held in England in 1975. England was the only country ready to host such a big event back then. The first three tournaments were called the Prudential Cup. In these early games, each team played 60 overs. Players wore traditional white uniforms and used red cricket balls.

Eight teams played in the first tournament. These included Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, and the West Indies. Sri Lanka and a team from East Africa also joined. South Africa was not allowed to play because of its apartheid policies. The West Indies won the first World Cup! They beat Australia in the final match.

In the 1979 World Cup, new teams could qualify through a competition called the ICC Trophy. Sri Lanka and Canada qualified. The West Indies won again, beating England in the final. After this, the International Cricket Conference decided to hold the World Cup every four years.

The 1983 World Cup was also in England. Sri Lanka was now a Test-playing nation, and Zimbabwe qualified. India became the champions, surprisingly beating the West Indies in the final.

New Champions Emerge (1987–1996)

India and Pakistan hosted the 1987 tournament together. This was the first time it was held outside England. Because of shorter daylight hours in these countries, games were changed to 50 overs per team. This is still the standard today. Australia won this championship, beating England in a very close final.

The 1992 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand brought many changes. Teams wore colored uniforms, used white balls, and played matches at night under lights. South Africa joined the tournament for the first time after a long ban. Pakistan had a tough start but ended up winning the World Cup, beating England in the final.

The 1996 championship was held in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka won their first World Cup title. They beat Australia in the final match in Lahore.

Australia's Winning Streak (1999–2007)

In 1999, England hosted the event again, with some matches in other nearby countries. Twelve teams competed. Australia had some very close matches but made it to the final. They then easily beat Pakistan to win the championship.

Fans welcoming the Australian team after they won their third World Cup in a row in 2007.

South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya hosted the 2003 World Cup. More teams played this time, with 14 in total. Kenya did amazingly well, reaching the semi-finals! In the final, Australia scored a huge number of runs and beat India to win their second World Cup in a row.

The 2007 tournament was held in the West Indies. It had 16 teams. Australia won again, beating Sri Lanka in the final. This was Australia's third World Cup win in a row! They had an amazing winning streak of 29 matches in the World Cup.

Host Countries Win (2011–2019)

Autographed bat of World Cup winning captains until 2015.

India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh hosted the 2011 World Cup. The number of teams was 14. Australia's long winning streak ended in this tournament. India won their second World Cup title by beating Sri Lanka in the final in Mumbai. India was the first country to win the World Cup while hosting the final match at home.

Australia and New Zealand hosted the 2015 World Cup together. New Zealand reached their first-ever World Cup final. But Australia defeated New Zealand in Melbourne to win their fifth World Cup title.

England celebrating their victory at Lord's in 2019.

The 2019 World Cup was held in England and Wales. Only 10 teams played this time. Both England and New Zealand reached the final, and neither had won the World Cup before. The final match was incredibly exciting! The scores were tied after 50 overs, and then tied again after a special "super over." England won because they had hit more boundaries (fours and sixes) during the match.

Australia's Latest Win (2023)

India hosted the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Ten teams played, including the Netherlands, who returned after 12 years. The tournament started with all teams playing each other once. The top four teams then went into semi-finals. India played very well and won all their group games. They beat New Zealand to reach the final. Australia, after losing two games in the group stage, beat South Africa in their semi-final. Afghanistan had their best World Cup ever, winning four games. In the final, Australia defeated India to win their sixth World Cup title!

How the World Cup Works

How Teams Qualify

For many years, most teams got into the World Cup automatically. This was usually because they were "Full Members" of the ICC. For the 2019 World Cup, it was mostly based on their ranking.

Since 1979, a few other teams could qualify through special tournaments. The first one was called the ICC Trophy. Later, more qualifying tournaments were added. From the 2023 World Cup onwards, only the host country gets in automatically. All other countries have to play in a series of leagues to earn their spot.

Tournament Format

Autographs of the winning teams of each World Cup at a museum in India.

The way the Cricket World Cup is played has changed a lot over time. The first four tournaments had 8 teams, split into two groups. The top two teams from each group played in semi-finals, and then the winners played in the final.

In 1992, with South Africa joining, 9 teams played each other once. The top four teams went to the semi-finals. In 1996, the tournament grew to 12 teams, with two groups of six. The top four from each group went to quarter-finals and then semi-finals.

For the 1999 and 2003 World Cups, a "Super 6" stage was used. Teams carried points from earlier games into this stage. The top four from the Super 6 went to the semi-finals.

In 2007, 16 teams were divided into four groups. The top two from each group went to a "Super 8" round. Again, points were carried forward. The top four from Super 8 played in the semi-finals.

The 2011 and 2015 World Cups had two groups of seven teams. The top four from each group moved to quarter-finals, then semi-finals, and finally the final.

For the 2019 and 2023 tournaments, the number of teams was 10. All teams played each other once in a "round-robin" style. The top four teams then went to the semi-finals. The World Cups in 2027 and 2031 will have 14 teams, using a format similar to the 2003 edition.

The World Cup Trophy

The Cricket World Cup Trophy.

The ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy is the prize given to the winning team. The trophy we see today was made for the 1999 championship. Before that, a different trophy was sometimes made for each World Cup. This trophy was designed and made in London.

The trophy is made of silver and gold. It has a golden globe (like a cricket ball) held up by three silver columns. These columns look like cricket stumps and bails. They represent the three main parts of cricket: batting, bowling, and fielding. The globe is tilted, just like the Earth!

The trophy is about 60 centimeters (2 feet) tall and weighs around 11 kilograms (24 pounds). The names of all the past winners are carved into the base of the trophy. There's space for 20 names in total. The ICC keeps the original trophy. The winning team gets a copy of the trophy to keep forever.

World Cup Facts and Records

Media and Fans

The Cricket World Cup is one of the most-watched sports events in the world. More and more people watch each tournament. The 2011 World Cup was shown in over 200 countries! Billions of people watched the 2019 World Cup, especially the match between India and Pakistan.

Many fans also come to watch the games live. Over a million people attended the 2011 and 2023 World Cups!

Where the World Cup is Held

The ICC's committee decides which countries will host the World Cup. They look at the offers made by different nations.

A building lit up for the 2003 Cricket World Cup in South Africa.

England hosted the first three World Cups. The ICC chose England because it had the resources to organize the big event.

Many World Cups have been hosted by several countries in the same area. For example, South Asia hosted in 1987, 1996, and 2011. Australia and New Zealand hosted together in 1992 and 2015.

The hosts for upcoming ICC events until 2031 have already been chosen through a bidding process.

World Cup Winners

So far, 20 countries have played in the Cricket World Cup. Six teams have played in every tournament. Five of these teams have won the title! The West Indies won the first two World Cups. Australia has won six times, and India has won twice. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and England have each won once.

The West Indies (in 1975 and 1979) and Australia (in 1999, 2003, and 2007) are the only teams to win two or more World Cups in a row. Australia has played in eight of the thirteen finals! New Zealand has reached the final twice but hasn't won yet.

Kenya, a non-Test playing nation, reached the semi-finals in 2003. This was their best performance.

Sri Lanka was the first host country to win the tournament in 1996. India won in 2011 as a host, becoming the first team to win the final in their own country. Australia (2015) and England (2019) also won while hosting.

Teams' Performances Over Time

This table shows how teams have done in each World Cup.

Host Team	1975 (8)	1979 (8)	1983 (8)	1987 (8)	1992 (9)	1996 (12)	1999 (12)	2003 (14)	2007 (16)	2011 (14)	2015 (14)	2019 (10)	2023 (10)	Apps.
Afghanistan											GP	10th	6th	3
Australia	RU	GP	GP	W	5th	RU	W	W	W	QF	W	SF	W	13
Bangladesh							GP	GP	7th	GP	QF	8th	8th	7
Bermuda									GP					1
Canada		GP						GP	GP	GP				4
England	SF	RU	SF	RU	RU	QF	GP	GP	5th	QF	GP	W	7th	13
India	GP	GP	W	SF	7th	SF	6th	RU	GP	W	SF	SF	RU	13
Ireland									8th	GP	GP			3
Kenya						GP	GP	SF	GP	GP				5
Namibia								GP						1
Netherlands						GP		GP	GP	GP			10th	5
New Zealand	SF	SF	GP	GP	SF	QF	SF	5th	SF	SF	RU	RU	SF	13
Pakistan	GP	SF	SF	SF	W	QF	RU	GP	GP	SF	QF	5th	5th	13
Scotland							GP		GP		GP			3
South Africa					SF	QF	SF	GP	SF	QF	SF	7th	SF	9
Sri Lanka	GP	GP	GP	GP	8th	W	GP	SF	RU	RU	QF	6th	9th	13
United Arab Emirates						GP					GP			2
West Indies	W	W	RU	GP	6th	SF	GP	GP	6th	QF	QF	9th		12
Zimbabwe			GP	GP	9th	GP	5th	6th	GP	GP	GP			9
Defunct teams
East Africa	GP													1

Legend

• W – Winner
• RU– Runner up
• SF– Semi-finals
• QF– Quarter-finals
• GP – Group stage / First round

Teams Playing for the First Time

This table shows which teams made their first appearance in each World Cup.

Year	Teams	Total
1975	Australia,  East Africa,  England,  India,  New Zealand,  Pakistan,  West Indies,  Sri Lanka	8
1979	Canada	1
1983	Zimbabwe	1
1987	none	0
1992	South Africa	1
1996	Kenya,  Netherlands,  United Arab Emirates	3
1999	Bangladesh,  Scotland	2
2003	Namibia	1
2007	Bermuda,  Ireland	2
2011	none	0
2015	Afghanistan	1
2019	none	0
2023	none	0

Overall Team Stats

This table gives a quick look at how teams have done in all World Cups.

	Statistics							Best performance
Team	Apps	Mat.	Won	Lost	Tie	NR	Win%*
Australia	13	105	78	25	1	1	75.48	Champions: 6 (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, 2023)
India	13	95	63	30	1	1	67.55	Champions: 2 (1983, 2011)
West Indies	12	80	43	35	0	2	55.12	Champions: 2 (1975, 1979)
England	13	93	52	39	1	1	57.14	Champions: 1 (2019)
Pakistan	13	88	49	37	0	2	56.97	Champions: 1 (1992)
Sri Lanka	13	89	40	46	1	2	46.55	Champions: 1 (1996)
New Zealand	13	99	59	38	1	1	60.71	Runners-up (2015, 2019)
South Africa	9	74	45	26	2	1	63.01	Semi-finals (1992, 1999, 2007, 2015, 2023)
Kenya	5	29	6	22	0	0	21.42	Semi-finals (2003)
Zimbabwe	9	57	11	42	1	3	21.29	Super 6s (1999, 2003)
Bangladesh	7	49	16	32	0	1	33.33	Quarter-finals (2015)
Ireland	3	21	7	13	1	0	35.71	Super 8s (2007)
Netherlands	5	29	4	25	0	0	13.79	Group Stage (1996, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2023)
Canada	4	18	2	16	0	0	11.11	Group Stage (1979, 2003, 2007, 2011)
Afghanistan	3	24	5	19	0	0	20.83	Group Stage (2015, 2019, 2023)
Scotland	3	14	0	14	0	0	0.00	Group Stage (1999, 2007, 2015)
United Arab Emirates	2	11	1	10	0	0	9.09	Group Stage (1996, 2015)
Namibia	1	6	0	6	0	0	0.00	Group Stage (2003)
Bermuda	1	3	0	3	0	0	0.00	Group Stage (2007)
Defunct teams
East Africa	1	3	0	3	0	0	0.00	Group Stage (1975)
Source: ESPNcricinfo

Note:

• The Win percentage does not count games with no result and counts ties as half a win.
• Teams are listed by their best performance, then by winning percentage, then alphabetically.

Amazing World Cup Records

Sachin Tendulkar, who has scored the most runs in World Cup history.

Glenn McGrath has taken the most wickets in World Cup history.

Here are some of the top records from the Cricket World Cup!

World Cup records
Batting (Scoring Runs)
Most runs	Sachin Tendulkar	2,278 (1992–2011)
Highest score in one game	Martin Guptill v  West Indies	237 not out (2015)
Most runs in one tournament	Virat Kohli	765 (2023)
Most hundreds (100 runs or more)	Rohit Sharma	7 (2015–2023)
Bowling (Taking Wickets)
Most wickets	Glenn McGrath	71 (1996–2007)
Best bowling figures (most wickets for fewest runs)	Glenn McGrath v  Namibia	7 wickets for 15 runs (2003)
Most wickets in one tournament	Mitchell Starc	27 (2019)
Fielding (Catching and Stopping Runs)
Most dismissals (by a wicket-keeper)	Kumar Sangakkara	54 (2003–2015)
Most catches (by a fielder)	Ricky Ponting	28 (1996–2011)
Team Records
Highest score in a game	South Africa v  Sri Lanka	428/5 (2023)
Lowest score in a game	Canada v  Sri Lanka	36 (2003)
Most consecutive wins	Australia	27 (from 1999 to 2011)
Most consecutive tournament wins	Australia	3 (1999–2007)

Awards for Each Tournament

Year	Winning Captain	Player of the final	Player of the tournament	Most runs	Most wickets
1975	Clive Lloyd	Clive Lloyd	Not Awarded	Glenn Turner (333)	Gary Gilmour (11)
1979	Clive Lloyd	Viv Richards	Not Awarded	Gordon Greenidge (253)	Mike Hendrick (10)
1983	Kapil Dev	Mohinder Amarnath	Not Awarded	David Gower (384)	Roger Binny (18)
1987	Allan Border	David Boon	Not Awarded	Graham Gooch (471)	Craig McDermott (18)
1992	Imran Khan	Wasim Akram	Martin Crowe	Martin Crowe (456)	Wasim Akram (18)
1996	Arjuna Ranatunga	Aravinda de Silva	Sanath Jayasuriya	Sachin Tendulkar (523)	Anil Kumble (15)
1999	Steve Waugh	Shane Warne	Lance Klusener	Rahul Dravid (461)	Geoff Allott / Shane Warne (20)
2003	Ricky Ponting	Ricky Ponting	Sachin Tendulkar	Sachin Tendulkar (673)	Chaminda Vaas (23)
2007	Ricky Ponting	Adam Gilchrist	Glenn McGrath	Matthew Hayden (659)	Glenn McGrath (26)
2011	Mahendra Singh Dhoni	Mahendra Singh Dhoni	Yuvraj Singh	Tillakaratne Dilshan (500)	Shahid Afridi / Zaheer Khan (21)
2015	Michael Clarke	James Faulkner	Mitchell Starc	Martin Guptill (547)	Mitchell Starc / Trent Boult (22)
2019	Eoin Morgan	Ben Stokes	Kane Williamson	Rohit Sharma (648)	Mitchell Starc (27)
2023	Pat Cummins	Travis Head	Virat Kohli	Virat Kohli (765)	Mohammed Shami (24)

Images for kids

• 1987 ICC Cricket World Cup trophy.jpg

  The 1987 ICC Cricket World Cup trophy.

• 1992 ICC Cricket World Cup trophy.jpg

  The 1992 ICC Cricket World Cup trophy.

• 

  The captains of the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

See also

• ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup
• ICC T20 World Cup
• ICC Champions Trophy
• ICC World Test Championship
• 2023 Cricket World Cup
• Women's Cricket World Cup
• Asia Cup
• World Cup
• List of world cups