The biggest upsets in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup history

With the Netherlands defeating South Africa and Afghanistan getting the better of England, we have seen some remarkable upsets in this year’s ICC Cricket World Cup.

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 has finally roared into life after a series of upsets. First, it was England who fell to Afghanistan, suffering a monumental 69-run defeat in Delhi on Sunday. Then, it was Netherlands’ time to shine after a 38-run win over South Africa in the picturesque stadium of Dharamsala.

Here, we’ll take a look at some of the most incredible upsets in the history of this prestigious competition:

Kenya vs West Indies, 1996

In 1996, West Indies were still powerhouses of the game and possessed legends like Brian Lara, Richie Richardson, Curtly Ambrose, and Courtney Walsh. It seemed like everything was going according to script when Kenya were bowled out for just 166 with Walsh and Roger Harper sharing six wickets between them.

However, the Kenyan bowlers had other ideas. Led by Rajab Ali and Maurice Odimbe, who both claimed three scalps each, they bowled out the Caribbean side for just 93 runs and claimed a famous 73-run victory!

Ireland vs England, 2011

For most of their history in world cricket, Ireland have been looked at as England’s neighbours with the ability to surprise. However, when David met Goliath at the 2011 Cricket World Cup in India, Ireland pulled off the unthinkable.

Led by Kevin O’Brien’s sensational knock of 113 off just 63 deliveries, they chased down a mammoth target of 328! Earlier, John Mooney had picked up four wickets for his side but could do little to prevent Jonathan Trott and co to slam a wonderful total.

However, what seemed like a formality of a run-chase quickly became precarious with O’Brien making a mockery of the bowling unit with 13 boundaries and six maximums and helping his side secure a three-wicket win!

Zimbabwe vs India, 1999

This particular match will always be remembered for the heroics of the Flower brothers - Andy and Grant. The duo led the way with the bat as Zimbabwe reached a strong total of 252/9 where India’s bowlers were often wayward - they bowled 16 no balls and sent down 21 wides!

The run-chase became complicated when Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid fell early and despite the best efforts from Sadagoppan Ramesh and Ajay Jadeja, India kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Heath Streak and Henry Olonga took three wickets each to bowl out India for 249 and help Zimbabwe to a narrow win.

Netherlands vs South Africa, 2023

The latest entry in this list, Netherlands stunned South Africa at the Cricket World Cup in 2023 to cause one of the most memorable upsets in recent World Cup history. Led by inspirational performances from captain Scott Edwards as well as veteran all-rounder Roelof van der Merwe, they  pulled off an incredible heist against one of the top ranked ODI nations in the world.

Edwards remained unbeaten on 78 as the Dutch posted a strong total of 245/8 on a tricky Dharamsala wicket. Interruption from the rain forced the match to be reduced to only 43 overs per side and the bowling unit did a fantastic job to restrict the likes of Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, and David Miller. The Proteas got bowled out for just 207.

Kenya vs Sri Lanka, 2003

Despite their relative lack of success in cricket recently, Kenya have been a part of some of the most dramatic moments in World Cup history. The African side stole the limelight yet again by securing a comprehensive win over the 1996 World Champions at the 2003 World Cup match held in Nairobi.

Kennedy Otieno’s 60 led Kenya to a total of 210/9. Although the target appeared thin on paper, Collins Obuya was able to rally his troops with a legendary bowling performance. He picked up a five-wicket haul and got rid of the likes of Aravinda de Silva and Kumar Sangakkara to put the hosts in driving position. Sri Lanka were bundled out for 157 with Kenya securing yet another famous World Cup victory at the expense of another sporting powerhouse.