Which edition of the World Cup had the most sides with an even chance of winning?

[Harsh Thakor]

The Cricket world cup is one of sports spectacles and given more enthralling moments or twists and turns than a Hollywood epic .It had some of the most inconceivable upsets or equivalents of a total change of plot.Some editions hardly had clear favourites and had several teams with equal chances.Here I am listing in order of merit the world cups which were most evenly contested .


1.1987

Hardly anything separating England,India,Pakistan and West Indies with Australia only marginally behind.England had the best recent record winning 3 ODI tourneys in Australia and Sharjah and beating Pak in an ODI series.Thus beaten Australia,West Indies,India and Pakistan in the previous 9 months.India and Pakistan were simply powerhouses of batting talent with abundance of all-rounders.Although marginally depleted West Indies still had their lethal pace attack and abundance of batting talent.Australia although inexperienced posessed budding talent which would flower.
Thus on world cup record West Indies,recent form England and cricketing talent India and Pakistan with Australia more than just dark horses.
The tournament itself showed how close the sides were with favourites India and Pakistan being upset by England and Australia and West Indies going down by just a whisker against Pakistan and England in the 1st stage of the league.In the final England were upset by Australia which speaks for itself.Ironic that the Kiwis gave Australia a strong run for their money in a league match.

2.1975

At 2nd place to me would be the 1975 world cup.Here West Indies,England,Australia and Pakistan virtually had an even chance .The margin of the final,semi-final between England and Australia and league match between Pakistan and West Indies prove this.With a bit more luck England or Pakistan or even Australia could have won it.


3.1992

At 3rd place would be 1992 with South Africa,England,Pakistan,India and Australia close.However on form Australia had a distinct edge while India hardly played to its true potential.Pakistan pulled of a Houdini act from the depths of despair and ressurected themselves from the grave to beat the Kiwis and then England in the final.England was the most organized or balanced while the Proteas were the most talented but sadly unlucky .In the tournament Australia totally disappointed but any of the the last 4 teams qualifying for the semis could have won the final.


4.1979

At 4th place I would put 1979.Although West Indies showed overwhelming superiority they were given a strong run for the money by Pakistan in the semi-final who looked favourites tow in at one stage.The semi-final between England and New Zealand was a cliff -hanger while in the league stage England beat Pakistan by a mere 14 runs.

 

[Bigbb]

I'd say 2011.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand all had equal chance. Though India were very slightly ahead due to the home advantage.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

I'd say 2011.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand all had equal chance. Though India were very slightly ahead due to the home advantage.

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[Chokli]

2011 and 2003 for sure

England
Australia
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
New Zealand
South Africa
West Indies
India

All these teams were strong

 

[MMHS]

I'll put 1975 first. This was first time men's ODI game had a competition (trust me Ladies one started earlier) and teams we unknown. In fact WIN wasn't the most favorite - it was their pre-fast bowler's era, and they had very little experience in 60 overs game - they were on the edge of elimination in group stages, but saved by last pair against PAK who put 62 at run a ball (last 2 wickets put almost 100 in 20 overs with the cost of 1 wicket). I think, ENG with their Gillette cup experience was top favorite, followed by AUS, then may be PAK & WAIN at per and NZ not far behind. PAK actually had a much better ODI team who beat ENG 2-0 in 1974 summer - last time a PAK side winning ODI series in UK. And remember, the best possible ODI team of that time didn't participate - Richards, B Pollock, Barlow, Lindsey, Procter, Le Roux, Var Der Bijl, Rice, Tony Greig (he left for ENG in 1970 knowing his fate as SAF cricketer), Ken Mcwean, Chris Smith, Lamb, Fotheringham, Robin Jackman .... that was a team to beat!!!

Next is 1987 - one reason is 5th favorite AUS winning it and top favorite WIN missing out the SF cut (still they were).

After that, probably too close to call, but I'll keep 1996, 1992, 1999 in a bunch. AUS was clear favorite in 1992 - didn't make SF, same goes for PAK in 1996 (but not clear favorite); it wasn't clear who will win the WC, but it was clear who won't - that took out 5-6 teams. Cricket in 1990s was clearly most contested because of 5-6 teams competing each others neck a neck and at highest level.

Then 2011 - IND was favorite at home, but it was predictable - 3 of the 4 S. Finalists are from South Asia, and the best team that had any chance to win over Asian sides ailed to chase 200 odd on a 300+ wicket against Kiwis!!!!

Most predictable 5 were 1979, 1983, 2003, 2007 & 2015 in that order.

Though they lost in 1983, but WIN were brutal favorite for the first 2 - their only realistic rival could have been AUS, but in both WCs AUS had to send compromised squads - for Packer issues in 1979 (Chappel bros, DK, Thompson, Pascoe, Maxwalker didn't come) and for rebel SAF tour in 1983. They had probably one bad day in those 7-8 years and it happens to be 25th June 1983.

That AUS side was exceptional from 1999 to 2007, but at least they had a rival for 2003 & 2007 - SAF choked on crunch moments, but on player to player they could match those frightening Aussies. Also, remember, Aussies won those 2 WCs without Warne (both times), Lee (2007), Gillespee (2003).

Aussies were damn favorite in 2015, but I guess the order was predictable - at least I made 1-4 correct: AUS, NZ, IND, SAF.

I don't think, 2019 is going to be that open - there is a clear gap between top 5 and bottom 5 (after this ODI series PAK might be 7 points behind AUS, when Aussies are at their lowest ebb in probably 40 years - and that too playing with half squad most times - they are that good for WC). My hunch is whoever has to with in 2019, will need to beat Aussies in one of the KOs - as of now, my clear favorite 2 S.Finalists are ENG & AUS, while next 2 should come from IND, SAF & NZ. I think, the 4th place will be decided by the width of a thread while rest 5 will be out of contention with games in hand. It's not an open WC like 1975 or 1987.

 

[a_tahir]

i'd say 2011.
India, pakistan, sri lanka, south africa, australia and new zealand all had equal chance. Though india were very slightly ahead due to the home advantage.

rip

 

[Markhor]

2011 and 2003 for sure

England
Australia
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
New Zealand
South Africa
West Indies
India

All these teams were strong

In 2003, Australia were the distant favourites. England did not have a great ODI side then or in 2011, whilst Pakistan's side in 2003 were full of past it seniors on their last legs.

West Indies had faded away by this point too despite having great individual talent (Lara - 2003 Gayle - 2011).

 

[The_Odd_One]

1996 was a very open world cup.

Pakistan had peak Wasim, Waqar, and Anwar
India had Tendulkar in red hot form
Sri Lanka had reinvented ODI batting
Australia had a very strong team with Waugh brothers, Bevan, Warne, etc.
South Africa had peak Kristen, Cronje, Donald, and Pollock
WI had #1 ODI batsman Lara, Richie, Chanderpaul, Ambrose, Bishop, and Walsh
NZ was the weakest but still a very competitive team with Fleming, Astle, Twose, Haris, and Cairns

Any of these teams were good enough to win the world cup.

 

[Markhor]

My picks would be:

75
87
92
96
99

 

[nextover666666]

1996 was a very open world cup.

Pakistan had peak Wasim, Waqar, and Anwar
India had Tendulkar in red hot form
Sri Lanka had reinvented ODI batting
Australia had a very strong team with Waugh brothers, Bevan, Warne, etc.
South Africa had peak Kristen, Cronje, Donald, and Pollock
WI had #1 ODI batsman Lara, Richie, Chanderpaul, Ambrose, Bishop, and Walsh
NZ was the weakest but still a very competitive team with Fleming, Astle, Twose, Haris, and Cairns

Any of these teams were good enough to win the world cup.

I agree with this one 100 percent . It's a shame Pakistan couldn't reach the finals they really should have but India played well and won the game. But it really was anyone's tournament but I felt Pakistan should have made the finals atleast

 

[moghul]

I thinks its 2019, every team with the exception of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and probably SL has a realistic chance of winning the cup.

 

[giri26]

1996 was a very open world cup.

Pakistan had peak Wasim, Waqar, and Anwar
India had Tendulkar in red hot form
Sri Lanka had reinvented ODI batting
Australia had a very strong team with Waugh brothers, Bevan, Warne, etc.
South Africa had peak Kristen, Cronje, Donald, and Pollock
WI had #1 ODI batsman Lara, Richie, Chanderpaul, Ambrose, Bishop, and Walsh
NZ was the weakest but still a very competitive team with Fleming, Astle, Twose, Haris, and Cairns

Any of these teams were good enough to win the world cup.

I agree with this one. This not only had a surprise winner, the competition was very close as well. Any team could have won the WC and it also had a reasonably strong WI team who made the semis (They lost to Kenya in the league stage though).

 

[msb314]

the cricket world cup is one of sports spectacles and given more enthralling moments or twists and turns than a hollywood epic .it had some of the most inconceivable upsets or equivalents of a total change of plot.some editions hardly had clear favourites and had several teams with equal chances.here i am listing in order of merit the world cups which were most evenly contested .


1.1987

hardly anything separating england,india,pakistan and west indies with australia only marginally behind.england had the best recent record winning 3 odi tourneys in australia and sharjah and beating pak in an odi series.thus beaten australia,west indies,india and pakistan in the previous 9 months.india and pakistan were simply powerhouses of batting talent with abundance of all-rounders.although marginally depleted west indies still had their lethal pace attack and abundance of batting talent.australia although inexperienced posessed budding talent which would flower.
Thus on world cup record west indies,recent form england and cricketing talent india and pakistan with australia more than just dark horses.
The tournament itself showed how close the sides were with favourites india and pakistan being upset by england and australia and west indies going down by just a whisker against pakistan and england in the 1st stage of the league.in the final england were upset by australia which speaks for itself.ironic that the kiwis gave australia a strong run for their money in a league match.

2.1975

at 2nd place to me would be the 1975 world cup.here west indies,england,australia and pakistan virtually had an even chance .the margin of the final,semi-final between england and australia and league match between pakistan and west indies prove this.with a bit more luck england or pakistan or even australia could have won it.


3.1992

at 3rd place would be 1992 with south africa,england,pakistan,india and australia close.however on form australia had a distinct edge while india hardly played to its true potential.pakistan pulled of a houdini act from the depths of despair and ressurected themselves from the grave to beat the kiwis and then england in the final.england was the most organized or balanced while the proteas were the most talented but sadly unlucky .in the tournament australia totally disappointed but any of the the last 4 teams qualifying for the semis could have won the final.


4.1979

at 4th place i would put 1979.although west indies showed overwhelming superiority they were given a strong run for the money by pakistan in the semi-final who looked favourites tow in at one stage.the semi-final between england and new zealand was a cliff -hanger while in the league stage england beat pakistan by a mere 14 runs.

2011 wc