What has been the best World Cup Final and Semi Final?

[Dulex9]

Maybe the 1987 world cup final? It went right down to the wire and Australia took wickets at crucial stages.

Or maybe the 92 world cup final. England dominated the first 20 overs then Imran and Maindad had that long partnership. Wasim and Inzy came and hammered England all over the place. The game was alive until those two strikes by Wasim.

The 2011 was good, however the game was up by the 40th over when India needed 50 odd to win.

The 96 world cup final, Australia had a good start both batting and bowling wise but could not finish it off.

1999, 2015 world cup final was quite boring. 2003 the game was over when Sehwag was run out, it was entertaining before that.

Regarding semi final, there's quite a few, but in my mind:

1) NZ vs SA 2015
2) Aus vs Sa 1999
3) Aus vs WI 96 (WI only needed 40 odd with 8 wickets in the last 10)
4) Pak vs NZ 92
5) Pak vs Aus 87-IK, Maindad got Pak back in the game and then Wasim was hitting it all over the place

What are your picks?

 

[the_outsider]

Can't be anything else but 1983 final.

Nobody thought 183 could be defended against that West Indies side.

That 2nd innings was nothing short of a cricketing miracle. I don't think any other final comes even close to the sheer entertainment and surprise factor of that match as that match built up in the 2nd innings.

 

[Dulex9]

Shoot. I forgot to add the 1983 world cup final!

Yes defending 183 against that West Indies side was a miracle.

 

[Sarwar89]

1975 world cup final was also close enough. West indies were struggling for 51/3.
Later on 3 run outs changed the course of the final or else Aussies would have won it.

in 1987 world cup final, 2 moments decided the match
Gatting's madness of reverse sweep and Alan Lamb's dismissal. When lamb was there, England needed 36 from 22 balls.

Ironically 5 years later Alan Lamb's dismissal again changed the course of the match.

 

[Last Monetarist]

I guess 1975 and 1987 should be ranked the best finals.

No question about the greatest semi-final: Edgbaston 1999. The best game of ODI cricket ever played.

 

[Canford Cliffs]

For me, the greatest and biggest cricket match ever played as per the hype and hysteria was the Mohali Semi Final in 2011. Though the quality of the actual match was not that great due to low and slow wicket, but boy the hype for that game was something different. So I would put that as most anticipated semi finals ever.

Finals are different story and most WC finals are boring tbh. 99, 03, 07, 15 all had boring finals with Aussies ruling the roost. Personally, and for obvious reasons 2011 was my fav final, not only because India won but the game was amazing. Great opening spell by Zaheer and Sreesanth. Brilliant counter attacking century by Jayawardene. Epic opening spell by Malinga by removing Sachin/Sehwag quickly, fantastic recovery by Kohli/Gambhir, epic finish by MSD with that six, standing ovation for Murali as it was his last game, SRT being carried on shoulders all over Wankhede. Epic scenes and something I will never forget.

 

[Mohammad zuber]

Maybe the 1987 world cup final? It went right down to the wire and Australia took wickets at crucial stages.

Or maybe the 92 world cup final. England dominated the first 20 overs then Imran and Maindad had that long partnership. Wasim and Inzy came and hammered England all over the place. The game was alive until those two strikes by Wasim.

The 2011 was good, however the game was up by the 40th over when India needed 50 odd to win.

The 96 world cup final, Australia had a good start both batting and bowling wise but could not finish it off.

1999, 2015 world cup final was quite boring. 2003 the game was over when Sehwag was run out, it was entertaining before that.

Regarding semi final, there's quite a few, but in my mind:

1) NZ vs SA 2015
2) Aus vs Sa 1999
3) Aus vs WI 96 (WI only needed 40 odd with 8 wickets in the last 10)
4) Pak vs NZ 92
5) Pak vs Aus 87-IK, Maindad got Pak back in the game and then Wasim was hitting it all over the place

What are your picks?

How can you forget 2011 sf vs pak
One of the most fearsome match for indian fans especially after w.riaz s 5wkt haul
I will accept ct17 final loss but i will definitely going to smash my tv if 2011 sf not been won by india

 

[Mohammad zuber]

For me, the greatest and biggest cricket match ever played as per the hype and hysteria was the Mohali Semi Final in 2011. Though the quality of the actual match was not that great due to low and slow wicket, but boy the hype for that game was something different. So I would put that as most anticipated semi finals ever.

Finals are different story and most WC finals are boring tbh. 99, 03, 07, 15 all had boring finals with Aussies ruling the roost. Personally, and for obvious reasons 2011 was my fav final, not only because India won but the game was amazing. Great opening spell by Zaheer and Sreesanth. Brilliant counter attacking century by Jayawardene. Epic opening spell by Malinga by removing Sachin/Sehwag quickly, fantastic recovery by Kohli/Gambhir, epic finish by MSD with that six, standing ovation for Murali as it was his last game, SRT being carried on shoulders all over Wankhede. Epic scenes and something I will never forget.

No chance for me only sf important
Worldcup is very small compare to loss against arch-rivals pak in worldcup that too in semis
I don't know if ind can't win that match what happened to my heart

 

[BaankeJi]

1983 final. No other game can match the unpredictability of build up and the outcome.

1999 semi finals- it was an all time classic.

 

[Bhaijaan]

1983 final was the biggest upset in the history of world cups. In hindsight people don’t realise how big it was for that Indian team to beat that West Indian team with such a measly total on board.

 

[Plumb]

1983 final was the biggest upset in the history of world cups. In hindsight people don’t realise how big it was for that Indian team to beat that West Indian team with such a measly total on board.

That's true, after the final WI toured IND and ......rest is history

 

[silent ischemia]

Personally I like the 92 semifinal. Even more than the subsequent final. What an innings by Inzi

 

[AAli98]

99 semi Aus v Sa
Those boundrys by Klusener of Fleming of the final over was something else... the rest is history.

 

[CricVet]

Only SA can cough up a game like Pak as they did in 1999 - the most thrilling Finale of a Semi/Final ever in a WC!

 

[Bleedgreen4ever]

Maybe the 1987 world cup final? It went right down to the wire and Australia took wickets at crucial stages.

Or maybe the 92 world cup final. England dominated the first 20 overs then Imran and Maindad had that long partnership. Wasim and Inzy came and hammered England all over the place. The game was alive until those two strikes by Wasim.

The 2011 was good, however the game was up by the 40th over when India needed 50 odd to win.

The 96 world cup final, Australia had a good start both batting and bowling wise but could not finish it off.

1999, 2015 world cup final was quite boring. 2003 the game was over when Sehwag was run out, it was entertaining before that.

Regarding semi final, there's quite a few, but in my mind:

1) NZ vs SA 2015
2) Aus vs Sa 1999
3) Aus vs WI 96 (WI only needed 40 odd with 8 wickets in the last 10)
4) Pak vs NZ 92
5) Pak vs Aus 87-IK, Maindad got Pak back in the game and then Wasim was hitting it all over the place

What are your picks?

1987

Arch rivals
Down the wire

After that match the gap between ENG and AUS increased massively in odis for the next 25+ years

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Lots of memories attached with the 2003 World Cup final. Even though we lost it in the end but the whole world cup was enjoyable and the journey to the final was memorable. 1996 and 1999 world cups were good too bad had bad memories from them. And the less said about the 2007 world cup the better.

 

[Swashbuckler]

1983 Final: a modern day miracle, greatest upset in any sporting finale IMO. 1975, 1987, 1992 and 1996 were good while others were one sided for large parts.

1999 Aus vs SA SF: probably the greatest ODI match of all time, oh the drama. Special call out to 2011 Mohali SF, the most hyped match in the history of sports, I was so emotionally spent that day that I missed the Wankhede final. Actually there have been many epic SFs, these 2 are the first in my mind.

 

[Ab Fan]

Mohali SF 2011 is definitely right up there. The build-up,the hype and the drama was huge for the match. The game also swung here and there for both sides although India ended up becoming winners eventually.

A couple of semis involving SA had blockbuster games as well, i.e 1999 WC and 2015 WC. 07 WC semi vs Australia was disappointing for them.

I haven't seen any great WC final except the one which was pretty much the greatest and that is what alone makes up for all the other below par finals, and that obviously is the WC 2011 final.

 

[msb314]

I might be in the minority but I thought the 2015 SF of SAF vs NZ was a great game to watch

 

[Varun]

No chance for me only sf important
Worldcup is very small compare to loss against arch-rivals pak in worldcup that too in semis
I don't know if ind can't win that match what happened to my heart

The only time I was paranoid around that game was when it was raining heavily the previous evening. If the match was a washout, Pakistan would have automatically gotten through as they had topped their group.

Once we took the field and Sehwag was smashing them around I knew it was in the bag.

 

[light]

Fav semi was between SA/AUS and NZ/AUS.

Most finals I have witnessed in my life were pretty much one sided - since AUS was in a beast mode - aside from IND/SL - that was anyone's game to be honest

I know what my least fav final was. AUS/SL - rain hit match. Seriously a final like that was just sad.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Fav semi was between SA/AUS and NZ/AUS.

Most finals I have witnessed in my life were pretty much one sided - since AUS was in a beast mode - aside from IND/SL - that was anyone's game to be honest

I know what my least fav final was. AUS/SL - rain hit match. Seriously a final like that was just sad.

2007 World Cup was the most boring World Cup ever. Especially for Indian and Pakistani fans.

 

[Hasan123]

I might be in the minority but I thought the 2015 SF of SAF vs NZ was a great game to watch

You are right. One of the better WC semis in recent years. South Africa will regret that defeat for a long while.

 

[Stewie]

I dont know about the final but the semi has to be the 99 tied game between Aus and RSA.. it was a helluva game!!!

 

[Sidilicious]

1987 final, and then 1983 final and 2011/1975 finals.

SF - easy 1999 aus vs sa. Some other memorable ones are
SA vs NZ 2016
WI vs AUS - 1996

 

[IndianMafia]

The most boring WC was 2007 edition . One of the most entertaining was 2003 (atleast for Indians ). Best WC semifinal was Aus vs SA in 1999.
Best WC Final has to be 2011 !

 

[Ashraful_Rox]

Best WC Final 1999 Cricket world cup final
Best Semi Final - Aus vs Saf 1999

 

[Dulex9]

Regarding semi final, there's quite a few, but in my mind:

1) NZ vs SA 2015
2) Aus vs Sa 1999
3) Aus vs WI 96 (WI only needed 40 odd with 8 wickets in the last 10)
4) Pak vs NZ 92
5) Pak vs Aus 87-IK, Maindad got Pak back in the game and then Wasim was hitting it all over the place

2019 CWC best cricket match and world cup match out of all time, 1t 86/4 England were looking down and out, then the 110 run partnership revived their chances, the last 3 overs were pure drama and the super over.

Also the 2019 semi India vs NZ was entertaining with Dhoni-Jadeda almost pulling it off.

 

[andy0204]

I think OP must add knockout matches.

 

[Ab Fan]

WC Final- England Vs NZ( not just the best final but arguably the best ever)

WC semis-

1999- Aus Vs SA
2015- NZ Vs SA
2011- India Vs Pak
2019- NZ Vs India

 

[Forward Defensive Push]

Finals - Obvious answer. Nothing beats 2019.
Semis- Tough fight beween 1999 and 2015. I think 1999 just edges out 2015.

 

[last_knight]

96 Final is massively underrated.