The ICC ODI World Cup has witnessed numerous surprising outcomes throughout its history, and the most recent one in Match 13 featuring England and Afghanistan was a noteworthy example.
In any sporting event, one of the most effective ways to capture attention is to anticipate an unexpected victory. England, despite its dominance in the quadrennial tournament, has experienced its fair share of letdowns in World Cup history.
3 major ODI World Cup upsets for England
#3 Afghanistan in the 2023 World Cup on October 15 in Delhi
On October 15, 2023, Afghanistan made history with a significant 69-run win over the defending World Cup champions, England, in Delhi. The Afghanistan spin bowlers proved crucial in stifling England’s strong batting lineup.
England, facing a target of 285, required a strong start from their top-order batsmen. However, Afghanistan managed to dismiss Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root during the initial overs, leaving England struggling at 138 for 6 at a point in the match.
Senior all-rounder Mohammad Nabi contributed with two dismissals, and Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq each secured one wicket and Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan, who together took six wickets, as England’s innings concluded with a total of 215 runs.
In the earlier part of the match, Afghanistan’s opening pair, led by Rahmanullah Gurbaz with 80 runs, and Ibrahim Zadran, who contributed 28 runs, established a strong start for their team. The wicketkeeper, Ikram Alikhil, also played a crucial role by scoring a significant fifty during the middle phase of the innings.
#2 Bangladesh in the 2015 World Cup on March 9 in Adelaide
In the 2015 World Cup, England needed a win to make it to the semis, while Bangladesh could secure their spot with a victory. England, winning the toss, chose to field at Adelaide Oval.
Mahmudullah’s century (103 off 138 balls) and Mushfiqur Rahim’s 89 led Bangladesh to a total of 275/7. This score proved enough as England was dismissed for 260 in 48.3 overs, ending their tournament run. Rubel Hossain delivered an impressive performance, taking 4 wickets for 53 runs.
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Taskin Ahmed, both pace bowlers, also contributed with 2 wickets each to dismantle the English batting lineup. This match is regarded as one of the most significant upsets in cricket history.
#1 Ireland, 2011 Cricket World Cup, March 2, in Bengaluru
In the initial stage of the 2011 World Cup, both neighboring nations found themselves in Group B. England posted a competitive total of 327 for 8, thanks to impressive performances by Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, and Kevin Pietersen.
England seemed on track for a convincing victory, especially with their strong pace trio of James Anderson, Stuart Broad, and Tim Bresnan. However, Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien led a thrilling comeback after his team was struggling at 111 for 5 at the halfway point.
In the 2011 World Cup, Ireland’s middle-order batsman played a remarkable inning by scoring a century in just 50 balls, making it the fastest century by an individual batsman in the tournament at that time.
His impressive knock of 113 runs came from 63 balls, featuring 13 fours and six sixes, before he was run out in the second-to-last over.
Despite his dismissal, Ireland managed to successfully chase the target with five balls to spare, creating a record for the highest successful chase in World Cup history up to that point.
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