Record Book – The first ODI on Scottish soil

The third-place playoff of the 1997 ICC Trophy (as the World Cup Qualifier was then known) in Malaysia saw Scotland beat Ireland by 51 runs on the D/L method, which gave them a spot at the 1999 World Cup. They duly made their ODI debut at the World Cup, losing to Australia by seven […]

Specials – Best of the 1999 World Cup, Part 5

In this fifth and concluding part of our series on the matches that shaped the 1999 World Cup, we look back at the highly significant last game of the Super Six stage, the two semifinals – one of which was arguably the best ODI of all time – and the final at Lord’s. Waugh […]

Specials – Associate nations at the World Cup, Part 5

The 16-team format used for the 2007 World Cup proved to be short-lived, as the tournament reverted to a two-group structure of 14 teams (as was the case in 2003, but with quarterfinals instead of the Super Six) for the next two editions. In this final part of our series on Associates at the […]

Specials – Best of the 1999 World Cup, Part 4

Having looked back at the best from the group stage of the 1999 World Cup in the first three parts of this five-part series, we move on to some of the memorable matches seen in the second round of the tournament, i.e. the Super Six stage, in which each of the six teams played […]

Specials – Associate nations at the World Cup, Part 4

Bangladesh’s elevation to Test status in 2000, coupled with the increase in the number of participating teams by two, led to room for four Associates at the 2003 World Cup in Africa. The 2007 edition in the Caribbean was even more inclusive, as an unprecedented six Associates featured in it. Continuing our series on […]

Specials – Best of the 1999 World Cup, Part 3

In this third of a five-part series on the matches that shaped the 1999 edition of the World Cup, we look back at the best that the final phase of the tournament’s group stage had to offer. Johnson’s superb all-round show – South Africa v Zimbabwe, Group A, Chelmsford Zimbabwe qualified for the […]

Specials – Best of the 1999 World Cup, Part 2

As the 2019 World Cup rolls on, we continue our five-part series on the matches that shaped the 1999 edition of the tournament, after having begun the nostalgic ride in Part 1. Tendulkar’s courageous century – India v Kenya, Group A, Bristol Following defeats to South Africa and Zimbabwe, India’s chances of going […]

Specials – Associate nations at the World Cup, Part 3

As seen in Part 2, Zimbabwe became the ninth Test nation in 1992, thus opening up further opportunities for the Associates to partake at the World Cup. Moreover, the next two editions of the World Cup saw 12 teams in action, which meant that three spots were up for grabs for the Associates in […]

Specials – Associate nations at the World Cup, Part 2

Having revisited the fortunes of Associate nations at the first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979 in Part 1 of this five-part series, we move ahead to the next three editions – held in England in 1983, in India and Pakistan in 1987-88, and in Australia and New Zealand in 1991-92. The decade […]

Specials – Associate nations at the World Cup, Part 1

Thanks to the International Cricket Council’s retrograde decision to reduce the number of the teams at the World Cup, the 12th edition of the showpiece event, set to begin in England on May 30, will feature only ten teams – the least number of teams since the 1992 edition. More tellingly, it will […]