Australia claims fifth World Cup title

Cricket with Dalchand Bissoon

Michael Clarke – retires from one-day.
Michael Clarke – retires from one-day.

Australia comfortably defeated New Zealand by seven wickets in the final and claimed the 2015 ICC World Cup last Sunday at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia.

It was Australia’s fifth win since the tournament started in 1975. They won in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007.

Australia captain Michael Clarke, who announced his retirement from one-day cricket on Saturday, said his team played really well through the match.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to represent my country in both test and one-day cricket. The time is right for me to step down from one-day cricket.”

New Zealand elected to bat first and scored 183 all out in 45 overs with Grant Elliot topscoring with 83. Mitchell Johnson and James Faulkner took three wickets each. Australia in reply scored 186 for three wickets in 33.1 overs with skipper M. Clarke scoring 74 and Steven Smith was undefeated on 56. Matt Henry took two for 46.

Player of the match was awarded to James Faulkner and Player of the series to Mitchell Starc, both from Australia.

The highest run scorer in the tournament was Martin Guptill of New Zealand with 547 from nine matches with two centuries and one double, an average of 68.37. Kumar Sangakkara from Sri Lanka was second with 541 runs from seven matches with four centuries at an average 108.20.

The highest wicket-taker was Starc with 22 wickets from eight matches at an average of 10.18. Trent Boult of New Zealand also took 22 wickets from nine matches at an average of 16.86.

The West Indies won the tournament in 1975 and 1979. India won it in 1983 and 2011. Pakistan won in 1992 and Sri Lanka in 1996.