Going into the tournament, Australia were generally regarded as the warm-to-hot favourite to defend their title, with co-host South Africa and the enigmatic Pakistan team regarded as the major obstacles.
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2 Participating Nations 3 Preliminary Round Results 4 Super Six Results 5 Semifinals 6 Final 7 External links 8 Other Cricket World Cups |
There were a number of pre-tournament controversies, including the possible refusal of many Indian players to play due to their inability to promote their personal sponsors (many of whom provide most of the players' income, but whose products clash with those of the tournament sponsor). Also raised was the security and political situation in Zimbabwe, and the appropriateness of playing there given the alleged misdeeds of the regime of Robert Mugabe. Two Zimbabwean players, Andy Flower and Henry Olonga (the former white, the latter black) wore black armbands for their opening game, and issued a strong statement explaining that they were "mourning the death of democracy in Zimbabwe". Both men subsequently retired from Zimbabwean cricket, and began playing overseas, Olonga stating that to continue "would be condoning the grotesque human rights violations that have been perpetrated - and continue to be perpetrated - against my fellow countrymen."
Australian star player Shane Warne was sent home from the cup in disgrace after a positive drugs test in a lead-up competition in Australia.
England faced a great deal of domestic pressure to boycott their match in Zimbabwe on political grounds, and after some prevarication -- initially announcing that they would play -- did not play, citing fears for the players' safety. Similarly, New Zealand decided against playing in Kenya because of security fears.
Fourteen teams played in the 2003 Cricket World Cup. In the first round, they were divided into two groups of 7 teams. The best three of each group qualified for the "Super Six", carrying the results against other qualifiers to that round. The top four teams qualified for the semi-finals, and the winners of those matches played the final.
Australia, India, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Kenya and New Zealand advanced to the Super Six stage.
18 March 2003 Australia v Sri Lanka - Australia won by 48 runs.
On a difficult, slow pitch at Port Elizabeth, Australia struggled their way to 212 against tight Sri Lankan bowling, thanks mainly to 91 from Andrew Symonds, demonstrating again captain Ricky Ponting's faith in him. Chaminda Vaas, continuing his excellent tournament, took three wickets. Australia's pace attack then ripped through the Sri Lankan top order, with Brett Lee taking three early wickets and Glenn McGrath taking one. By the time rain arrived in the thirty-ninth over, continued tight bowling had squeezed Sri Lanka to 7/123, well behind the Duckworth-Lewis target.
20 March 2003 India vs Kenya - India won by 91 runs.
The fairytale finally ended for the Kenyan team, the only non test-playing nation to make a World Cup semifinal. Sachin Tendulkar, with 83 runs, and Sourav Ganguly with 111 off 114 balls, batted the Kenyans out of the game as India careered to a total of 4/270 off their 50 overs. Under the Durban lights, the newly potent Indian seam attack of Zaheer Khan, the experienced Javagal Srinath, and Ashish Nehra careered through the Kenyan top order, who were never in the hunt and were bowled out for 179.
24 March 2003 Australia v India.
India won the toss, and Ganguly -- slightly strangely -- asked Australia to bat, hoping to take advantage of a pitch left damp by dew and rain. On a lively Wanderers Stadium pitch, the Australian openers took advantage of very wayward Indian opening bowlers to get off to a flying start. Bringing up a century opening stand in the fourteeth over, Gilchrist, who had been swinging at everything, holed out off a sweep shot from the bowling of Harbhajan Singh leaving Australia at 1-105. Matthew Hayden, looking somewhat better than he had throughout the tournament, soon followed for 37. Captain Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn then completed a partnership of 234, an Australian record for one-day cricket. Ponting and Martyn started efficiently, putting away bad balls but mostly keeping the scoring going with good running, then letting loose in the last ten overs, taking 109 from them, Ponting in particular dispatching the bowling over the fence with monotonous regularity. The final Australian total of 2-359 looked impregnable, particularly after India's trump card Sachin Tendulkar was out in the first over after skying a pull shot, Glenn McGrath completing the caught and bowled. Nevertheless, Virender Sehwag's run-a-ball half century gave India respectability as they maintained a high scoring rate, but their only realistic hope—a washout—looked a possibility as the game was interrupted by rain in the eighteenth over. However, the rain proved fleeting, and India's hopes were dashed when Sehwag was run out by Darren Lehmann for 82. India's batsmen continued to throw wickets away in the chase and were finally bowled out for 234 giving Australia an emphatic victory underlining their dominance of the tournament. Ponting was named "Man Of The Match", and Tendulkar "Player Of The Tournament."
1975 - 1979 - 1983 - 1987 - 1992 - 1996 - 1999 - 2003 - 2007Controversies
Participating Nations
Preliminary Round Results
Super Six Results
Semifinals
Final
External links
Other Cricket World Cups