The ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has not seen any close matches so far. The closest matches in terms of runs have been the Netherlands beating South Africa by 38 runs. In terms of balls remaining the closest match was Pakistan beating Sri Lanka with six wickets and 10 balls remaining. The closest match in terms of wickets remaining has been Australia beating Sri Lanka with five wickets remaining. There have been many close matches in World Cup’s history with matches going down the wire. But has any team won a match on the final ball of the game?
Has any team won an ODI World Cup match on the final ball?
There has been only one instance of a team winning a match in the ODI World Cup on the final ball. The solitary instance came in 1987 in Lahore during a match between Pakistan and West Indies.
Pakistan vs West Indies, 1987 World Cup
West Indies’ skipper, Viv Richards won the toss and decided to bat first. Opening the innings for West Indies, Desmond Haynes and Phil Simmons shared a 91-run stand. Saleem Jaffar broke the partnership as the left-arm pacer bowled Haynes. Tuassef Ahmed dismissed half-centurion Simmons. Both openers were dismissed in quick succession which led to a collapse as West Indies lost four wickets in a matter of 30 runs. Skipper, Richards provided some support by scoring a half-century. There weren’t any other significant knocks as Imran Khan dismissed Richards and the lower order to bowl out West Indies for 216.
Pakistan while chasing never got off to a great start. The hosts regularly lost wickets despite opener Ramiz Raja scoring 42 runs in 87 balls. Patrick Patterson and Courtney Walsh took the first two wickets dismissing Mansoor Akhtar and Saleem Malik. Ramiz and Javed Miandad shared an important 64-run stand but once Ramiz was dismissed by Roger Harper, Pakistan lost wickets regularly. Pakistan went from 92-2 to 110-5. Imran Khan and Saleem Yousuf made significant contributions. Saleem made a half-century and was dismissed after scoring 56 runs in just 49 balls hitting seven fours. Walsh came back to turn the match in his side’s favour. Walsh dismissed Imran and triggered yet another collapse. Pakistan went from 183-6 to 203-9. Abdul Qadir hit the winning runs on the final ball to seal the victory for the hosts.
Conclusion
In the rich history of ODI World Cup matches, the thrill of a game coming down to the very last ball is a rare spectacle. The ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has witnessed some close encounters, but none have reached the dramatic crescendo of a final-ball finish. This begs the question: Has any team ever clinched victory on the last ball in an ODI World Cup match? Remarkably, there is only one such instance on record, dating back to the 1987 World Cup in Lahore, where Pakistan, in a nerve-wracking battle against West Indies, managed to secure a historic win with Abdul Qadir delivering the dramatic final blow. This singular event serves as a testament to the extraordinary excitement and unpredictability that the ODI World Cup continues to offer cricket fans worldwide. While close matches remain a rarity, the quest for last-ball heroics adds an extra layer of anticipation to this prestigious tournament’s storied legacy.
