The ICC World Cup returned to England for its 1999 edition, with some matches also taking place in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Netherlands. This tournament marked the debuts of Bangladesh and Scotland in the top-level competition.

Once again, Australia emerged as the champions, solidifying their position as the team with the most victories in this prestigious tournament. For India, the disappointment from three years prior persisted, as they once again fell short, unable to rectify their semi-final exit from the previous tournament.

The twelve participating teams were divided into two groups of six. The top three teams from each group would advance to the Super Six stage, where they would only face opponents from the other group, carrying forward their results against the qualified teams.

In Group A, India was placed alongside host nation England, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, and Kenya, resulting in a grouping of three African teams. The other group included Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, the West Indies, Bangladesh, and Scotland.

Surprisingly, at the conclusion of the group stage, Group A saw South Africa, India, and Zimbabwe progressing to the Super Six, while England’s campaign ended disappointingly in fourth place.

However, India faced a disadvantage in the Super Six due to their prior losses against South Africa and Zimbabwe in the group stage, resulting in them carrying forward zero points.

In the other group, Pakistan secured the top position, followed by Australia and New Zealand, setting the stage for the Super Six matchups.

India’s Challenging Super Six Phase
India performed reasonably well in the group stage, with Sourav Ganguly leading the charge through impressive innings, including a score of 97 against South Africa and a sensational 183 against Sri Lanka. Sachin Tendulkar also scored a century against Kenya.

Yet, their losses to South Africa and Zimbabwe came back to haunt them as they managed only one victory in the Super Six, placing them at the bottom of the table.

India began the Super Six with a defeat against Australia, despite Ajay Jadeja’s unbeaten century. Australia posted a total of 282/6, with their top order contributing, led by Mark Waugh’s 83. India fell short, ending at 205/10 in 48.2 overs. Their batting collapse to 4/17 sealed their fate, rendering Jadeja’s 100 not out and Robin Singh’s defiant 75 in vain.

In the following match against Pakistan, India emerged victorious, a fixture that always garners significant attention. Rahul Dravid scored 61, Mohammad Azharuddin added 59, and Sachin Tendulkar contributed 45 to India’s total of 227/6 in 50 overs. Pakistan’s batting crumbled, with Venkatesh Prasad’s impressive figures of 5/27 and contributions from Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble, resulting in Pakistan being bowled out for 180.

Unfortunately, India’s triumph was short-lived as they succumbed to New Zealand four days later, effectively ending their hopes of reaching the semi-finals with only two points in the Super Six stage.

Australia’s Remarkable Semifinal
Despite finishing behind Pakistan in the group stage, Australia found themselves in a familiar position when the knockout stage commenced. However, they refused to be denied.

In the first semi-final, Pakistan defeated New Zealand to secure their spot in their second World Cup final. The second semi-final, held at Edgbaston on June 17, featured Australia facing off against South Africa in an unforgettable match, now etched in World Cup history.

Australia struggled to score, posting 213 runs while batting first, with impressive performances by Shaun Pollock (5/36) and Allan Donald (4/32). Michael Bevan (65), captain Steve Waugh (56), and Ricky Ponting (37) provided determined batting efforts, contributing to the total.

While South Africa seemed poised for victory, the match took an unexpected turn. Shane Warne’s figures of 4/29 and resilient performances from the Australian bowlers limited South Africa to 183/7. Jacques Kallis (53) and Jonty Rhodes (43) made valiant efforts, with Herschelle Gibbs adding 30 runs.

Lance Klusener’s explosive innings (31 not out off 16 balls) kept South Africa in contention, and they needed two boundaries in the final over to secure victory. However, a disastrous run-out with two balls remaining saw Allan Donald failing to respond to Klusener’s call, resulting in his dismissal at the striker’s end after a relay to Adam Gilchrist. The match ended in a tie.

Australia advanced to the final due to their superior run rate over South Africa in the Super Six stage. In the final, Pakistan’s batting collapsed, and they were bowled out for just 132 runs in 39 overs. They struggled against Shane Warne’s bowling (4/33), with Glenn McGrath and Tom Moody also taking two wickets each. Only Ijaz Ahmed managed to score over 20 runs for Pakistan.

Australia comfortably chased down the target, with Adam Gilchrist scoring 54 and Mark Waugh contributing 37. This victory marked Australia’s second World Cup win, adding to their previous triumph in 1987.