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Man of the Match from last five Cricket World Cup finals

To be part of the world cup winning team is very special for any player and to perform in the final of the World Cup in a big way is a memory of a lifetime for a player. In such an event where players represent their nation and the stakes are enormous, there is a lot of pressure on them to perform.

Australia v New Zealand - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup: Final
Australia v New Zealand - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup: Final

This pressure can surely affect the performance of even the greatest players of the game. There are many great players like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, and Brendon McCullum who were not able to perform in the World Cup final.

Today we will take a look at those five players who stood up to the occasion and delivered when it mattered the most for their team in a crunch situation and won the player of the match award in the last five World Cup finals.


#5 Shane Warne- 1999, Lord's

Shane Warne took four wickets in the finals of the 1999 World Cup.
Shane Warne took four wickets in the finals of the 1999 World Cup.

Australia was yet again playing a World Cup final. Last time in 1996, Australia was beaten by Sri Lanka in an amazing run chase. This time another Asian team in Pakistan was against them. The start of the match was delayed by 30 minutes due to rain.

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first. Pakistan did not have a good start as they lost both their openers by the end of the sixth over. Pakistan was struggling in their batting.

Shane Warne had already become a bowling sensation by then. Warne took his first wicket in his very second over and did not give the Pakistani batsman another chance to stabilize the innings. By the end of the innings, he had taken four crucial wickets for the Australians. He dismissed Ijaz Ahmed, Moin Khan, Sahid Afridi, and Wasim Akram. He finished with figures of 9-1-33-4 at an economy of 3.66.

His effort helped Australia to restrict Pakistan to a below-par total of 132 runs. In reply to the total, Australia easily chased the target in the 21st over and won the match by eight wickets. Warne was awarded the Man of the Match award for his excellent bowling display.

Also Read: Most World Cup Man of the Matches

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