The 2019 World Cup will be the 12th edition of the big-ticket event. For India, it's been a journey of ups and downs, euphoria and heartbreak. Ever since it won the title in 1983 and later in 2011, an encore is desired by the Indian fans whenever the extravaganza unfolds.
Here's a summary of India's journey in the World Cups - from 1999 to 2015.
1999 World Cup
Match 1: India vs South Africa at Hove – May 15, 1999
RESULT: SA won by four wickets
TALKING POINT: Captain Hansie Cronje’s earpiece, which was being used to relay information from the coach Bob Woolmer, attracted attention. Eventually, the umpires had to force Cronje to do away with them. It turned out to be an innovation Woolmer thought could prove useful to the sport.
Jacques Kallis’ 96 helped South Africa chase the target of 254 for the loss of six wickets, with 16 balls to spare. India’s innings was led by Sourav Ganguly, who was run out for 97.
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Match 2: India vs Zimbabwe, Leicester – May 19, 1999
RESULT: Zimbabwe won by three runs
TALKING POINT: India’s extras. India gave away 51 extras during Zimbabwe’s innings, including 21 wides and 16 no-balls. Those extra runs add to the burden of the chase of 250, and as compensation, India was given only 46 overs in which to reach its target. S. Ramesh, Jadeja and Nayan Mongia kept India in the chase, but it fell just short.
Andy Flower, the wicketkeeper, top-scored for Zimbabwe, with an unbeaten 68.
India vs Kenya, Bristol – May 23, 1999
RESULT: India won by 94 runs
TALKING POINT: Tendulkar’s century. In his first match since returning to England following a visit to India due to his father’s death, Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 140 that led the way for a big win.
Chasing 330 to win, Kenya managed 235 for 7 in its 50 overs.
India vs Sri Lanka, Taunton – May 26, 1999
RESULT: India won by 157 runs
TALKING POINT: Sourav Ganguly’s 183. Ganguly and Dravid put on a partnership of 318 for the second wicket, then a world record. The knock of 183 would remain the highest score of Ganguly’s career.
Dravid, on the other hand, would surpass his 145 scored in this match just a few months later.
Chasing 374 to win, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 216. Robin Singh took five wickets.
Match 5: England vs India, Birmingham – May 29-30, 1999
RESULT: India won by 63 runs
TALKING POINT: Sourav Ganguly’s all-round performance. The opener scored 40 and took three wickets to win the Man of the Match award. It was a rain-interrupted contest that spilled over to the reserve day.
Dravid top-scored for India with 53. England was bowled out for 169, chasing 233.
SUPER SIXES – Australia vs India, The Oval, 1999
RESULT: Australia won by 77 runs
TALKING POINT: The 135-run partnership between Jadeja and Robin Singh. With the contest seemingly done and dusted – India was five down for 17 chasing 283 – the two joined hands and made merry. Jadeja would remain unbeaten on 100; as it turned out, the resistance reduced the expected margin of defeat considerably. It was too little, too late, however, for any winning assault.
Mark Waugh led the way with the bat for Australia, scoring 83.
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SUPER SIX – India vs Pakistan, Manchester – June 8, 1999
RESULT: India won by 47 runs
TALKING POINT: Prasad’s five-wicket haul. It was a much-needed win for India after its thrashing against Australia, but more importantly, it was a win over its arch-rival. The victory kept India’s unbeaten record against Pakistan in World Cups intact.
Dravid and Azharuddin were the chief contributors with the bat.
SUPER SIX – India vs New Zealand, Nottingham – June 12, 1999
RESULT: New Zealand won by five wickets
TALKING POINT: With a single win in the Super Sixes, India was already out of the World Cup. This win helped New Zealand clinch the fourth semifinal spot. Roger Twose was once again the architect of the win with an unbeaten 60; Matt Horne top-scored with 74 at the top of the order. The target of 252 was chased down in the 49th over.
For India, Jadeja top-scored with 76.
2003 World Cup
India vs Netherlands, Paarl, February 12, 2003
RESULT: India won by 68 runs
TALKING POINT: Netherlands’s spirited performance against a one-time world champion. Tim de Leede took four wickets and helped his team get India bowled out for 204. Sachin Tendulkar was the top scorer for India, with 52.
Dan van Bunge scored 62 but Netherlands couldn’t match up to the might of India. Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble took four wickets each as Netherlands was bowled out for 36.
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Match 2: Australia vs India, Centurion, February 15, 2003
RESULT: Australia won by nine wickets
TALKING POINT: Australia's complete dominance. The side bowled India out for 125, and then reached the target in the 23rd over. It was a thorough drubbing. Tendulkar was the top-scorer for India, with 36. Fast bowlers Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie were the chief wicket takers – three each.
Adam Gilchrist’s was the only wicket to fall, when Australia had reached 100. He fell two short of a half-century.
India vs Zimbabwe, Harare, February 19, 2003
RESULT: India won by 83 runs
TALKING POINT: The Indian batting flowered for the first time in the tournament. Tendulkar scored 81, and there were good contributions from Dravid and Virender Sehwag. Zimbabwe, chasing 256, was bowled out for 172 as India put up a combined bowling effort. Part-timer Ganguly chipped in with three wickets.
India vs Namibia, Pietermaritzburg, February 23, 2003
RESULT: India won by 181 runs
TALKING POINT: A complete performance from India, its first of the World Cup. Tendulkar and Ganguly scored centuries as India put up a total of 311 for 2 in its 50 overs. Tendulkar’s 152 was the highest of the World Cup.
In reply, Namibia was undone by spinners Yuvraj Singh (four wickets), Dinesh Mongia (two wickets) and Harbhajan Singh (two wickets).
England vs India, Durban, February 26, 2003
RESULT: India won by 82 runs
TALKING POINT: Ashish Nehra’s six-wicket haul. The left-arm seamer broke the back of England’s batting, removing Michael Vaughan, Nasser Hussain and Alec Stewart in quick succession – between the 17th and 19th overs. He would go on to add three more as England was bowled out for 168, chasing 251. Andrew Flintoff put up some resistance in the lower half of the batting order, with 64.
Nehra ended with figures of 6 for 23. It remains India’s best bowling figures in World Cups.
Dravid, Tendulkar and Yuvraj were the chief contributors with the bat.
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Match 6: India vs Pakistan, Centurion, March 1, 2003
RESULT: India won by six wickets
TALKING POINT: Sachin Tendulkar’s assault on the bowling of Shoaib Akhtar in the second over of India’s chase. Off the last three deliveries of the over, Tendulkar hit Akhtar for a six over point, a four off a flick through fine-leg, and a four off a glorious straight-drive. It set the tone for the innings; Tendulkar scored a quickfire 98 before being undone by a lifting delivery from Akhtar.
Dravid, Mohammed Kaif and Yuvraj made useful contributions to steer India through to the target of 274.
For Pakistan, Saeed Anwar was the top scorer, with 101.
India vs Kenya, Cape Town, March 7, 2003
RESULT: India won by six wickets
TALKING POINT: Ganguly’s recovery act. The Indian captain rescued India in its chase of 226 after it was struggling with three early wickets. Yuvraj gave him good support; the two ensured a century stand and saw India home in the 48th over.
For Kenya, Kennedy Otieno, the opener, top-scored with 79. The two teams would meet again in the semifinals.
India vs Sri Lanka, Johannesburg, March 10, 2003
RESULT: India won by 183 runs
TALKING POINT: India’s comprehensive performance. By this time, India had found its groove and was dictating terms. Tendulkar continued his good form with the bat but fell three short of a century. Other top-order batsmen fired, too: Sehwag scored 66 and Ganguly scored 48.
Sri Lanka had a disastrous start to the chase; thanks to Javagal Srinath, it had been reduced to 15 for 4 in the fourth over. All four batsmen dismissed were out on ducks. A recovery never ensued, as wickets were found frequently. Kumar Sangakkara, batting in the middle-order, put up some resistance, scoring 30. The last-wicket partnership of 31 between Dilhara Fernando and Muttiah Muralitharan took the team past 100.
Srinath and Nehra took four wickets each.
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India vs New Zealand, Centurion, March 14, 2003
RESULT: India won by seven wickets
TALKING POINT: Yet another comprehensive performance by India. India’s bowling sizzled again, this time Zaheer Khan, the left-arm seamer, was in the limelight, taking four for 42 in his eight overs, including two in the first over of New Zealand’s innings. Wickets fell regularly as New Zealand was bowled out for 146.
India lost three early wickets in chase, but Dravid and Kaif steadied the ship – scoring half-centuries each – and saw India home in the 41st over.
SEMIFINAL – India vs Kenya, Durban, March 20, 2003
RESULT: India won by 91 runs
TALKING POINT: India qualified for its second final in World Cups, 20 years after the glorious title win. Less than two weeks ago, the two sides had met, and Ganguly had been the star. This time, too, the Indian captain scored a century, but his wasn’t the only significant batting effort – Tendulkar scored 83. India put up a solid total of 270 for 4.
Kenya was bowled out for 179 in reply. It could have been a more one-sided defeat, as it had been reduced to 63 for 5 at one point. But Steve Tikolo, with a half-century, and Collins Obuya (29), provided brief respite for the side. Zaheer was the wrecker-in-chief, with three wickets.
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FINAL – Australia vs India, Johannesburg, March 23, 2003
RESULT: Australia won by 125 runs
TALKING POINT: The annihilation of India by the rampant Australia. India was on the back-foot from the moment the Australian openers – Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden – began collaring Indian bowlers. Later, Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn took the baton and kept up the assault. By the end of 50 overs, Ponting had gathered 140, and Martyn 88 and India was staring at a target of 360.
India lost Tendulkar in the first over of the chase, Glenn McGrath having him caught and bowled with a short delivery that he looked to pull. Sehwag kept India’s hopes alive with a knock of 82, and Dravid gave him support with 47. Then, there was a brief interruption in play due to rain, but the contest soon resumed and Australia chipped away to complete the formalities by the 48th over and give itself its third World Cup crown.
2007 World Cup
Bangladesh vs India, Port-of-Spain, March 17, 2007
RESULT: Bangladesh won by five wickets
TALKING POINT: India’s lacklustre performance. India laboured with the bat; Ganguly, with a slow 66, and Yuvraj, with 47, were the only batsmen with meaningful contributions with the bat as India was bowled out for 191. Seamer Mashrafe Mortaza took four wickets, while spinners Abdur Razzaq and Mohammad Rafique took three each.
Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan scored half-centuries to steer Bangladesh to its target, in the 49th over, and thereby provide it a significant win. The side would go on to book its berth in the next round, at India’s expense.
Bermuda vs India, Port-of-Spain, March 19, 2007
RESULT: India won by 257 runs.
TALKING POINT: India’s biggest win in World Cups. Its total of 413 for 5 was the biggest total in World Cups until Australia eclipsed it in the 2015 edition. The batsmen made merry – Sehwag scored 114, Ganguly scored 89, Yuvraj scored 83, and Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 57. All of these batsmen, barring Ganguly, enjoyed a strike-rate of more than 100. Ganguly’s was 78.07.
Bermuda, in reply, was bowled out for 156. David Hemp scored 76. Only three batsmen registered scores in double digits. Ajit Agarkar and Kumble took three wickets each.
India vs Sri Lanka, Port-of-Spain, March 23, 2007
RESULT: Sri Lanka won by 69 runs
TALKING POINT: India crashed out of the World Cup, in the first round. It was a lacklustre performance once again, Sri Lanka outplaying India with both bat and ball. Sri Lanka put up a total of 254 for 6 in its 50 overs; opener Upul Tharanga and middle-order batsman Chamara Silva scored half-centuries.
India was bowled out for 185 in 43.3 overs. Sehwag, with 48, and captain Dravid, with 60, were the only batsmen to put up resistance. Seamer Chaminda Vaas and off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan took five wickets between them, and the rest took a wicket each.
2011 World Cup
Bangladesh vs India, Dhaka, February 19, 2011
RESULT: India won by 87 runs
TALKING POINT: Sehwag’s attacking 175. He struck 14 fours and five sixes in his 140-ball knock. Virat Kohli, the World Cup debutant, scored an unbeaten 100. India reached a huge total of 370 for 4.
Bangladesh provided a spirited reply but it wasn’t enough. Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan scored half-centuries. Fast bowler Munaf Patel was the chief wicket-taker for India, with four for 48 in his 10 overs.
India vs England, Bengaluru, February 27, 2011
RESULT: Match tied
TALKING POINT: A nip-and-tuck contest. Tendulkar scored 120 – his 98th international century – while Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj scored half-centuries. Seamer Tim Bresnan ran through the lower-half of the batting order as India was bowled out for 338 in 49.5 overs.
Andrew Strauss scored a strokeful 158 and he seemed to be steering England to victory before falling in the 43rd over. A few quick wickets later, India was back in the contest.
Both teams got one point each.
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India vs Ireland, Bengaluru, March 6, 2011
RESULT: India won by five wickets
TALKING POINT: Ireland’s spirited performance. India won the contest, but it wasn’t entirely one-sided. India bowled Ireland out – playing its first World Cup – for 207 and reached the target in the 46th over, for the loss of five wickets.
William Porterfield, the captain, top scored with 75, while Niall O’Brien scored 46. Left-arm spinner Yuvraj took five wickets. He chipped in with the bat, too, scoring an unbeaten 50.
India vs Netherlands, Delhi, March 9, 2011
RESULT: India won by five wickets
TALKING POINT: Yuvraj Singh’s all-round effort – his second in a row. Netherlands, after choosing to bat first, scored 189. Peter Borren, the captain, was the top scorer, with 38. Seamer Zaheer Khan, and spinners Piyush Chawla and Yuvraj shared seven wickets between them.
Yuvraj backed this up with an unbeaten half-century as India crossed the line in the 37th over.
India vs South Africa, Nagpur, March 12, 2011
RESULT: South Africa won by three wickets
TALKING POINT: India’s batting implosion in the last 10 overs. After a great start, a total of 350 seemed within reach of India, but the side lost nine wickets for 29 runs to be bowled out for 296. Fast bowler Dale Steyn was the wrecker-in-chief, with five wickets. Tendulkar scored 111 – his 99th international century. Sehwag and Gambhir scored half-centuries.
For South Africa, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers scored half-centuries. It reached its target in the final over.
India vs West Indies, Chennai, March 20, 2011
RESULT: India won by 80 runs
TALKING POINT: Another all-round performance from Yuvraj. Batting first, India was bowled out for 268, Yuvraj top scoring with 113, and Kohli scoring a half-century. Ravi Rampaul, the right-arm seamer, was the most effective West Indian bowler, taking five wickets.
Dwayne Smith (81, 97b) gave West Indies a positive start to the chase, but the batting started to crumble from the 30th over onwards.
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QUARTERFINAL – India vs Australia, Ahmedabad, March 24, 2011
RESULT: India won by five wickets
TALKING POINT: Another good performance from Yuvraj. He took two wickets and scored a half-century as Australia was knocked out of the World Cup. Australia had put up a challenging total on the board – 260 – thanks to Ponting’s century.
India’s top-order fired, with Tendulkar and Gambhir scoring half-centuries. When M. S. Dhoni, the captain, fell in the 38th over, a win was still some way away for the home side. But Yuvraj saw India home, alongside Suresh Raina.
SEMIFINAL – India vs Pakistan, Mohali, March 30, 2011
RESULT: India won by 29 runs
TALKING POINT: Tendulkar’s bizarre innings of 85. He had a reprieve five times in his innings, but the little master still fell short of what would have been his 100th international century. Cameos from other top and middle order batsmen took India to a reasonable total of 260. Fast bowler Wahab Riaz took five wickets.
Pakistan was well in the hunt until the middle overs, when wickets started falling one after the other. At 199 for 8 in the 45th over, the contest seemed well and truly India’s. But Misbah-ul-Haq (56) stuck around to tried to salvage an unlikely comeback for Pakistan. The climb proved too steep eventually, and India was in the final.
FINAL: India vs Sri Lanka, Mumbai, April 2, 2011
RESULT: India won by six wickets
TALKING POINT: Gambhir’s rescue act with the bat. The left-hander steadied India’s ship after it had been reduced to 31 for 2. Later, after Gambhir had departed for 97, Dhoni, the captain, took the baton and scored an unbeaten 91 — studded with eight fours and two sixes, the second of which was the stroke that sealed India’s second World Cup title win.
India had been chasing a target of 275.
Mahela Jayawardene had scored a century for Sri Lanka, after it chose to bat first. Sangakkara chipped in with 48. It was a memorable night for Indian cricket followers. The title win was Dhoni’s second world title; he had led India to the 2007 World Twenty20 title as well.
2015 World Cup
India vs Pakistan, Adelaide, February 15, 2015
RESULT: India won by 76 runs
TALKING POINT: A dominant performance from India. Kohli led the way with a century, while Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina scored half-centuries as India scored 300 for 7. For Pakistan, Sohail Khan, the seamer, took five wickets.
Pakistan’s batting ebbed and flowed. By the end, Misbah-ul-Haq was the only impediment between India and the win. Eventually, India bowled Pakistan out for 224.
India vs South Africa, Melbourne, February 22, 2015
RESULT: India won by 130 runs
TALKING POINT: It was an all-round performance from India. Opener Dhawan starred in the show, scoring 137 as India put up a total of 307 for 7 in its 50 overs. Ajinkya Rahane scored 79 and Kohli chipped in with 46.
South Africa’s batting imploded. Two run-outs – of AB de Villiers and David Miller – didn’t help. It was bowled out for 177. Seamers Mohammed Shami and Mohit Sharma took two wickets each, while off-spinner R. Ashwin took 3 for 41 in his 10 overs.
India vs United Arab Emirates, Perth, February 28, 2015
RESULT: India won by nine wickets
TALKING POINT: Another comprehensive performance from India. Ashwin, with four wickets, and Rohit Sharma, with a half-century, were the chief architects of the win. Ashwin’s spell of 4 for 25 in his 10 overs helped India bowl UAE out for 102.
Rohit scored an unbeaten half-century, and Kohli scored an unbeaten 33 as India romped home in the 19th over.
India vs West Indies, Perth, March 6, 2015
RESULT: India won by four wickets
TALKING POINT: A win crafted by India’s bowlers. Seamers Shami, Umesh Yadav and Mohit took six wickets between them, while spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin took three together. Jason Holder, then newly appointed West Indies captain, scored 57, but there was not much resistance from elsewhere.
India huffed and puffed when it batted, but Dhoni scored a crucial, unbeaten 45 to take India home in the 40th over.
India vs Ireland, March 10, 2015
RESULT: India won by eight wickets
TALKING POINT: The Indian bowling unit had ensured it had claimed all 10 opposition wickets for the fifth time in a row. It was a combined effort once again, Shami emerging as the chief wicket-taker with three wickets.
The Man of the Match, however, was Dhawan, who scored 100, off 85 deliveries. India reached its target of 260 in the 37th over.
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India vs Zimbabwe, Auckland, March 14, 2015
RESULT: India won by six wickets
TALKING POINT: A partnership of 196 runs between Dhoni and Suresh Raina. In the chase of 288, India was struggling at 92 for 4 when the two came together. They stayed till the end and saw India home, in the penultimate over of the contest.
Zimbabwe’s batting effort was led by captain Brendan Taylor, who scored 138. Sean Williams scored 50. India got its opposition bowled out once again. Seamers Shami, Umesh and Mohit took three wickets each.
Bangladesh vs India, Melbourne, March 19, 2015
RESULT: India won by 109 runs
TALKING POINT: An all-round performance from India, and the seventh time the team got the opposition bowled out. Rohit, with a knock of 137, and Raina, with 65, laid the foundation for India’s total of 302 for 6.
Wickets fell consistently for Bangladesh. Nasir Hossain top scored with 35. The team was bowled out for 193. Umesh took four wickets.
En route to his 137, Rohit had been caught off a declared no-ball, but replays suggested the ball was below the waist when the bat made contact. Then ICC president Mustafa Kamal criticised the on-field umpires for what he thought to be a wrong decision.
SEMIFINAL: Australia vs India, Sydney, March 26, 2015
RESULT: Australia won by 95 runs.
TALKING POINT: Australia’s all-round performance. It put up a huge total of 328 for 7 on the board, thanks to Steve Smith’s 105 and Aaron Finch’s 81. It was the first time in the tournament India hadn’t been able to bowl the opposition out.
Wickets fell consistently for India. Dhoni kept India in the hunt but when he was run out, in the 45th over, the contest had well and truly slipped away from India.
Australia went on to win the World Cup.
Part 1: India's performance from 1975 to 1996
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