England, tasked with chasing 285 to win after opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz‘s explosive 80, found themselves all out for 215, despite Harry Brook‘s resilient 66, as spinners Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan each secured three wickets.
Take a look at the greatest upsets at the showpiece event:
- 1983: India vs West Indies
In one of the most remarkable upsets in World Cup history, led by Kapil Dev, India shocked the two-time defending champions (1975, 1979), West Indies, by a margin of 43 runs to claim their first-ever title at the iconic Lord’s. Despite defending a modest total of 183, India displayed a splendid bowling performance, dismissing the formidable West Indies team for just 140 runs.
- 1983: Zimbabwe vs Australia
In a surprising turn of events during the 1983 edition, Zimbabwe caused a major upset by defeating Australia by 13 runs at Trent Bridge in their World Cup debut. Duncan Fletcher played a crucial role, scoring an unbeaten 69 runs to help his team reach a total of 239 for six in their allotted 60 overs. Fletcher also excelled with the ball, taking four wickets for 42 runs. This remarkable performance limited the Australian side, which featured renowned players like Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson, and Allan Border, to a final score of 226 for seven.
Ireland delivered a remarkable upset when a team inspired by Kevin O’Brien defeated England by successfully chasing down a massive target of 328 with three wickets to spare at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. O’Brien’s remarkable performance included scoring the then World Cup’s fastest century in just 60 balls. He struck six sixes and 13 fours in his brilliant innings of 113 runs, coming off only 63 deliveries.
- 1996: Kenya vs West Indies
In their maiden World Cup appearance, Kenya created a sensational upset by claiming a 73-run victory over West Indies in Pune. This marked the first instance in World Cup history where a non-Test-playing nation defeated a Test-playing nation. Taking advantage of the spin-friendly conditions, off-spinner Maurice Odumbe’s remarkable figures of 3/15 off 10 overs played a pivotal role. Despite featuring star players like Brian Lara and Richie Richardson, the formidable West Indies team was dismissed for a mere 93 runs while chasing a target of 164.
- 1999: Bangladesh vs Pakistan
In an inconsequential match held at Northampton, Bangladesh caused a surprise by defeating Pakistan. Bangladesh posted a total of 223/9, and in response, Pakistan’s innings crumbled as they were bowled out for 161 in 44.3 overs.
During a group stage match at Port of Spain, Bangladesh secured a five-wicket victory over India, which ultimately led to India’s early exit from the tournament. Mashrafe Mortaza’s remarkable performance, where he claimed 4/38, put India under pressure, and they were bowled out for a subpar total of 191 in 49.3 overs. Bangladesh successfully chased down the target in 48.3 overs, with five wickets in hand.
