2019 Cricket World Cup

2019 Cricket World Cup
Name	2019 Cricket World Cup
Cricket format	One Day International
Tournament format	Round-robin and knockout
Host	England and Wales
Administrator	International Cricket Council
Participants	10
Matches	48
Champions	England (1st title)
Most runs	Rohit Sharma (648)
Most wickets	Mitchell Starc (27)
Player of the series	Kane Williamson

2019 Cricket World Cup was the 12th edition of the international ICC Cricket World Cup tournament, contested in England and Wales between May and July 2019. The competition featured the top ten One Day International teams competing in a single round-robin tournament followed by knockout matches, culminating in a final at Lord's. The tournament produced notable performances from players associated with India national cricket team, Australia national cricket team, New Zealand national cricket team, and England national cricket team.

Background and qualification

The tournament was organised by the International Cricket Council and awarded to England and Wales Cricket Board following a bidding process that included proposals from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ireland national cricket team, and Pakistan Cricket Board. Qualification was based on the ICC ODI Championship rankings and a global qualifying tournament, the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier held in Bermuda and later in Zimbabwe and Oman during the cycle, with teams such as West Indies national cricket team, Sri Lanka national cricket team, Bangladesh national cricket team, Afghanistan national cricket team, Scotland national cricket team, and Netherlands national cricket team involved in the pathways. The decision to limit participants to ten teams was debated by stakeholders including the Marylebone Cricket Club and former players from India and Australia.

Teams and squads

Ten teams qualified: England national cricket team, New Zealand national cricket team, India national cricket team, Australia national cricket team, Pakistan national cricket team, South Africa national cricket team, Sri Lanka national cricket team, Bangladesh national cricket team, Afghanistan national cricket team, and West Indies national cricket team. Each squad selection involved national selectors and captains such as Eoin Morgan for England, Kane Williamson for New Zealand, Virat Kohli for India, Aaron Finch for Australia, and Babar Azam for Pakistan. Injuries and form issues affected squads, prompting replacements like Jason Roy for England and Shakib Al Hasan for Bangladesh to be managed alongside coaching staff from organisations such as England and Wales Cricket Board coaching teams, National Cricket Academy alumni, and private consultants.

Venues and match officials

Matches were played across venues including Lord's, The Oval, Old Trafford, Edgbaston, Headingley, Trent Bridge, Rose Bowl, Sophia Gardens, Riverside Ground, and Southampton. Umpires and match officials were appointed from the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires and ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, featuring officials like Aleem Dar, Richard Kettleborough, Kumar Dharmasena, and Ranjan Madugalle. Ground and pitch preparation involved county clubs such as Middlesex County Cricket Club, Surrey County Cricket Club, Lancashire County Cricket Club, and Yorkshire County Cricket Club, with broadcast arrangements negotiated by Sky Sports, BBC Sport, and regional rights holders including Star India and Willow TV.

Tournament format and schedule

The tournament used a single round-robin format where each team played nine matches, with the top four teams progressing to semi-finals followed by a final; the schedule was released by the International Cricket Council and coordinated with domestic calendars of England County Championship and Vitality Blast. Points were awarded for wins, ties, and no-results, with net run rate used as a tiebreaker, monitored using systems developed by Hawk-Eye Innovations and statistical teams from ESPNcricinfo and Opta Sports. Key dates included the opening match at The Oval and the final held at Lord's on 14 July 2019.

Group stage

The group stage saw intense competition among India, Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and West Indies. High-scoring performances by Rohit Sharma for India and fast bowling by Mitchell Starc for Australia shaped group outcomes, while contenders like Kane Williamson guided New Zealand through consistent results. Upsets involved Sri Lanka and Bangladesh against higher-ranked sides, and controversial moments were reviewed by the Decision Review System and match referees from the International Cricket Council panels. The final group standings featured England, India, New Zealand, and Australia advancing to the knockout stage.

Knockout stage

Semi-finals were contested at Old Trafford and Edgbaston, pitting England against Australia and India against New Zealand in fixtures that produced tactical battles involving captains such as Aaron Finch, Eoin Morgan, Virat Kohli, and Kane Williamson. The matches involved critical decisions by umpires including Aleem Dar and Kumar Dharmasena, and used the Hawk-Eye and Hot Spot technological aids overseen by the ICC technical committee. The final at Lord's between England and New Zealand ended in a tie and was followed by a tied Super Over resolved on boundary count, a conclusion that involved players like Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Martin Guptill, and match referees from the ICC Match Referees list.

Statistics and awards

Leading run-scorers and wicket-takers included Rohit Sharma (most runs), Kane Williamson (Player of the Tournament), and Mitchell Starc (most wickets). Other statistical leaders featured Joe Root, Shakib Al Hasan, Jonny Bairstow, Trent Boult, and Jofra Archer. Awards were presented at ceremonies attended by representatives from Marylebone Cricket Club, International Cricket Council, and national boards such as Board of Control for Cricket in India and Cricket Australia. The tournament's legacy influenced debates in forums including Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, ESPNcricinfo editorials, and policy discussions at subsequent ICC meetings.

Category:Cricket World Cup tournaments