5 players who have won the ODI World Cup the most number of times ft. Ricky Ponting
The 2023 ODI World Cup final is right around the corner. While India look to win their third title, Australia are one step away from winning an unprecedented sixth World Cup in this format. The final will be held in Ahmedabad on Sunday, November 19.
As mentioned earlier, Australia have won the ODI World Cup a record five times. The West Indies and India have won it two times each. Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and England have each won it on one occasion.
There are many players who have won multiple ODI World Cups. Here are five such players who have won the trophy the most number of times.
#5 Clive Lloyd and Co. - 2
A host of players have won the ODI World Cup twice, primarily from the West Indian team of the 1970s. Clive Lloyd led the Windies to both their triumphs in 1975 and 1979. In fact, he was also captain of the side that lost the 1983 edition to India.
Viv Richards and Gordon Greenidge were two of the prominent batters of the great West Indian side that won two ODI World Cups in the 1970s. Alvin Kallicharran, Deryck Murray, and Andy Roberts were also part of those World Cup-winning squads.
#4 Multiple Australian players - 2
Australia dominated the ODI circuit from 1999 to 2015, winning four out of five World Cups. Multiple players from the island nation won two of those World Cups.
Steve Waugh won the 1987 World Cup as a player and the 1999 World Cup as a captain. Darren Lehmann and Michael Bevan won the 1999 and 2003 editions.
Matthew Hayden, Andrew Symonds, and Brad Hogg were part of the 2003 and 2007 World Cup-winning squads. Shane Watson and Michael Clarke won the 2007 and 2015 World Cups for Australia, with Clarke captaining the side in the latter.
#3 Adam Gilchrist - 3
Adam Gilchrist has won the joint-most ODI World Cups, three. Three players have achieved this feat, and the record is unlikely to be broken anytime soon. This trio of players was all part of the 1999, 2003, and 2007 World Cup-winning sides. The wicketkeeper is the only one to have won three out of three World Cups.
Gilchrist played a crucial role in the victories, especially during the latter stages of the tournament. He smashed half-centuries in the 1999 and 2003 World Cup finals and scored a superb ton in the final of the 2007 edition. His knock of 149 in the 2007 final earned him the Player of the Match award.
#2 Glenn McGrath - 3
Glenn McGrath has also won three ODI World Cups in a row for Australia. One of the best fast bowlers of all time, McGrath's track record in World Cups is impeccable. The right-arm fast-medium bowler is the leading wicket-taker in ODI World Cup history (71 wickets). He was the Player of the Series in the 2007 World Cup.
McGrath held the record for the most wickets in a single World Cup (26 wickets in 2007) until Mitchell Starc broke it in 2019 with 27 wickets. The pacer also holds the record for most maiden overs in World Cup history (42) and the best bowling figures in World Cup history (7/17).
#1 Ricky Ponting - 3
Ricky Ponting is the third Australian to have won three ODI World Cups. Like McGrath, he was also part of the 1996 squad that lost the final to Sri Lanka. One of the greatest captains of all time, Ponting was the skipper of Australia in the 2003 and 2007 editions.
Overall, he has scored 1743 runs in World Cup history, which makes him the second-highest run-getter at the time of writing. He was adjudged Player of the Match in the 2003 World Cup final as he smashed an unbeaten 140 against India.