ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 represented the 11th installment of the tournament and featured the world’s top men’s national teams competing in the sport’s most prestigious One Day International (ODI) event.
Organized by
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Host
Australia & New Zealand
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Champions
Australia (5th title)
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Participants
| Team | Method of qualification | Past appearances | Last appearance | Previous best performance | Rank[nb 1] | Group |
| England | Full members | 10 | 2011 | Runners-up (1979, 1987, 1992) | 1 | A |
| South Africa | 6 | 2011 | Semi-finals (1992, 1999, 2007) | 2 | B | |
| India | 10 | 2011 | Champions (1983, 2011) | 3 | B | |
| Australia | 10 | 2011 | Champions (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007) | 4 | A | |
| Sri Lanka | 10 | 2011 | Champions (1996) | 5 | A | |
| Pakistan | 10 | 2011 | Champions (1992) | 6 | B | |
| West Indies | 10 | 2011 | Champions (1975, 1979) | 7 | B | |
| Bangladesh | 4 | 2011 | Super 8 (2007) | 8 | A | |
| New Zealand | 10 | 2011 | Semi-finals (1975, 1979, 1992, 1999, 2007, 2011) | 9 | A | |
| Zimbabwe | 8 | 2011 | Super 6 (1999, 2003) | 10 | B | |
| Ireland | WCL Championship | 2 | 2011 | Super 8 (2007) | 11 | B |
| Afghanistan | 0 | — | — | 12 | A | |
| Scotland | World Cup Qualifier | 2 | 2007 | Group stage (1999, 2007) | 13 | A |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 | 1996 | Group stage (1996) | 14 | B |
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Venues
| Venue | City | Country | Capacity | Matches |
| Adelaide Oval | Adelaide | Australia | 53,500 | 4 (quarter-final) |
| The Gabba | Brisbane | Australia | 42,000 | 3 |
| Manuka Oval | Canberra | Australia | 13,550 | 3 |
| Bellerive Oval | Hobart | Australia | 20,000 | 3 |
| Melbourne Cricket Ground | Melbourne | Australia | 100,000 | 5 (quarter-final, final) |
| WACA Ground | Perth | Australia | 24,500 | 3 |
| Sydney Cricket Ground | Sydney | Australia | 48,000 | 5 (quarter-final, semi-final) |
| Eden Park | Auckland | New Zealand | 50,000 | 4 (semi-final) |
| Hagley Oval | Christchurch | New Zealand | 20,000 | 3 |
| University Oval | Dunedin | New Zealand | 6,000 | 3 |
| Seddon Park | Hamilton | New Zealand | 12,000 | 3 |
| McLean Park | Napier | New Zealand | 22,500 | 3 |
| Saxton Oval | Nelson | New Zealand | 5,000 | 3 |
| Wellington Regional Stadium | Wellington | New Zealand | 37,000 | 4 (quarter-final) |
Official ICC team rankings 2015
1. Australia – 122 rating points
2. India – 116 rating points
3. South Africa – 112 rating points
4. Sri Lanka – 108 rating points
5. New Zealand – 107 rating points
6. England – 101 rating points
7. Pakistan – 95 rating points
8. West Indies – 92 rating points
9. Bangladesh – 76 rating points
10. Zimbabwe – 50 rating points
11. Ireland – 44 rating points
12. Afghanistan – 38 rating points
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Format
Group Stage and Knockout Stage
Group A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | NR | Pts | NRR |
| 1 | New Zealand | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2.564 |
| 2 | Australia | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2.257 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.371 |
| 4 | Bangladesh | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0.136 |
| 5 | England | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | −0.753 |
| 6 | Afghanistan | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | −1.853 |
| 7 | Scotland | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −2.218 |
Group B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | NR | Pts | NRR |
| 1 | India | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1.827 |
| 2 | South Africa | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1.707 |
| 3 | Pakistan | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | −0.085 |
| 4 | West Indies | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | −0.053 |
| 5 | Ireland | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | −0.933 |
| 6 | Zimbabwe | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | −0.527 |
| 7 | United Arab Emirates | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −2.032 |
Knockout stage
Semi-finals
24 March
| South Africa 281/5 (43 overs) | v | New Zealand 299/6 (42.5 overs) |
| Faf du Plessis 82 (107) Corey Anderson 3/72 (6 overs) | Grant Elliott 84* (73) Morne Morkel 3/59 (9 overs) |
| New Zealand won by 4 wickets (D/L method) Eden Park, Auckland Umpires: Ian Gould (Eng) and Rod Tucker (Aus) Player of the match: Grant Elliott (NZ) |
26 March
| Australia 328/7 (50 overs) | v | India 233 (46.5 overs) |
| Steve Smith 105 (93) Umesh Yadav 4/72 (9 overs) | MS Dhoni 65 (65) James Faulkner 3/59 (9 overs) |
| Australia won by 95 runs Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SL) and Richard Kettleborough (Eng) Player of the match: Steve Smith (Aus) |
Final
29 March 2015
| New Zealand 183 (45 overs) | v | Australia 186/3 (33.1 overs) |
| Grant Elliott 83 (82) Mitchell Johnson 3/30 (9 overs) | Michael Clarke 74 (72) Matt Henry 2/46 (9.1 overs) |
| Australia won by 7 wickets Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Attendance: 93,013[89] Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SL) and Richard Kettleborough (Eng) Player of the match: James Faulkner (Aus) |
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Statistics
Most runs
| Player | Team | Runs |
| Martin Guptill | New Zealand | 547 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 541 |
| AB de Villiers | South Africa | 482 |
| Brendan Taylor | Zimbabwe | 433 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | India | 412 |
Most wickets
| Player | Team | Wickets |
| Mitchell Starc | Australia | 22 |
| Trent Boult | New Zealand | 22 |
| Umesh Yadav | India | 18 |
| Mohammed Shami | India | 17 |
| Morné Morkel | South Africa | 17 |
| Jerome Taylor | West Indies | 17 |
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Interesting Facts
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 featured historic milestones including Kumar Sangakkara’s four consecutive centuries, Martin Guptill’s record 237*, and Australia’s fifth title win.
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Player of the Tournament
The Player of the Tournament for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 was Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc.
Tournament Innovations and Quirks
1. Split into Two Groups of Seven
The tournament used a format of two groups of seven teams, with the top four from each group advancing to the quarter-finals.
2. Advanced Broadcast Technology
The World Cup featured extensive use of Spidercam, Hawk-Eye ball tracking, UltraEdge/Snicko, Hot Spot, and high-speed replay cameras, giving fans one of the most technologically advanced broadcasts of its time.
3. LED Zing Bails and Stumps
LED Zing bails and illuminated stumps were used throughout the tournament, making run-outs and stumpings easier to judge and adding a striking visual effect during night matches.
4. Record-Breaking Crowds
More than 1 million spectators attended the tournament, making it one of the best-attended Cricket World Cups in history.
5. Colorful Indigenous-Inspired Branding
The official logo and tournament branding incorporated Aboriginal Australian and Māori (Koru) design elements, reflecting the cultures of both host nations.
6. Fast, Bouncy Australian and New Zealand Pitches
Unlike subcontinent World Cups, teams had to adapt to pace, bounce, and swing-friendly conditions, producing exciting contests between bat and ball.
7. Huge Boundaries at Iconic Stadiums
Venues such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and Adelaide Oval featured large outfields, making athletic fielding and running between the wickets especially important.
8. Memorable Theme and Presentation
The 2015 World Cup was widely praised for its modern graphics, vibrant presentation, energetic theme music, and colorful team kits, making it one of the most visually distinctive ODI World Cups.
Bizarre and Memorable Matches
Boult’s Bowling Brilliance: Trent Boult produced a sensational spell of 5/27, dismantling Australia’s batting line-up and bowling them out for just 151.
Williamson’s Match-Winning Six: Chasing a modest target, New Zealand survived a late collapse before Kane Williamson struck a towering straight six to secure a thrilling one-wicket victory, handing Australia their first defeat of the tournament.
Historic First World Cup Victory: Afghanistan celebrated their first-ever Cricket World Cup win after edging past Scotland in a tense one-wicket finish.
Shinwari’s Match-Winning Knock: Samiullah Shinwari anchored Afghanistan’s chase with a courageous 96, guiding his team to a memorable victory that marked a significant milestone in Afghan cricket history.
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 squads
- Australia
- Michael Clarke (c), George Bailey (vc), Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin (wk), Steven Smith, David Warner, Shane Watson, Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Xavier Doherty, Mitchell Marsh.
- Pakistan
- Misbah-ul-Haq (c), Ahmed Shehzad, Ehsan Adil, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Irfan, Nasir Jamshed, Rahat Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shahid Afridi, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohail Khan, Umar Akmal (wk), Wahab Riaz, Yasir Shah, Younis Khan. (Note: Jamshed and Rahat Ali served as injury replacements for Mohammad Hafeez and Junaid Khan).
- New Zealand
- Brendon McCullum (c/wk), Martin Guptill, Tom Latham (wk), Luke Ronchi (wk), Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Corey Anderson, Grant Elliott, Daniel Vettori, Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Nathan McCullum, Mitchell McClenaghan, Kyle Mills.
- Sri Lanka
- Angelo Mathews (c), Lahiru Thirimanne (vc), Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Rangana Herath, Mahela Jayawardene, Dimuth Karunaratne, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Sachithra Senanayake, Upul Tharanga. (Note: Tharanga and Chandimal stepped up as mid-tournament injury replacements).
- Zimbabwe
- Elton Chigumbura (c), Regis Chakabva (wk), Tendai Chatara, Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Solomon Mire, Tawanda Mupariwa, Tinashe Panyangara, Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor (wk), Prosper Utseya, Sean Williams.
- United Arab Emirates
- Mohammad Tauqir (c), Khurram Khan (vc), Amjad Ali, Andri Berenger, Shaiman Anwar, Swapnil Patil (wk), Rohan Mustafa, Saqlain Haider, Amjad Javed, Krishna Chandran, Manjula Guruge, Fahad Alhashmi, Mohammad Naveed, Nasir Aziz, Kamran Shazad.
- India
- MS Dhoni (c/wk), Virat Kohli (vc), Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma. (Note: Mohit Sharma replaced Ishant Sharma due to injury before the tournament).
- South Africa
- AB de Villiers (c/wk), Hashim Amla (vc), Quinton de Kock (wk), Faf du Plessis, David Miller, Rilee Rossouw, Farhaan Behardien, Jean-Paul Duminy, Vernon Philander, Kyle Abbott, Imran Tahir, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Dale Steyn.
- England
- Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler (wk), Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Joe Root, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes.
- West Indies
- Jason Holder (c), Marlon Samuels (vc), Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Chris Gayle, Nikita Miller, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Jerome Taylor.
- Bangladesh
- Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Shakib Al Hasan (vc), Al-Amin Hossain, Anamul Haque (wk), Arafat Sunny, Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal.
- Ireland
- William Porterfield (c), Andrew Balbirnie, Peter Chase, Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, Andrew McBrine, John Mooney, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O’Brien, Niall O’Brien (wk), Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson (wk), Craig Young.
- Scotland
- Preston Mommsen (c), Kyle Coetzer (vc), Richie Berrington, Frederick Coleman, Matthew Cross (wk), Josh Davey, Alasdair Evans, Hamish Gardiner, Majid Haq, Michael Leask, Matt Machan, Calum MacLeod, Safyaan Sharif, Robert Taylor, Iain Wardlaw.
- Afghanistan
- Mohammad Nabi (c), Afsar Zazai (wk), Aftab Alam, Asghar Afghan, Dawlat Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Hamid Hassan, Javed Ahmadi, Mirwais Ashraf, Najibullah Zadran, Nasir Jamal, Nawroz Mangal, Samiullah Shinwari, Shapoor Zadran, Usman Ghani.
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