Who Won the Last ODI Cricket World Cup?

Australia won the last ODI Cricket World Cup, beating India by six wickets in the final of the 2023 tournament at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on 19 November 2023. It was Australia’s record-extending sixth ODI World Cup title, confirming their status as the most successful team in the tournament’s history.

The victory was one of the great final performances. Chasing 241 against a previously unbeaten Indian side in front of more than 100,000 home fans, Australia were powered by Travis Head’s magnificent 137 off 120 balls, an innings that silenced the stadium and sealed the trophy.

The 2023 Final: How Australia Won

India, the tournament hosts, had been the dominant team of the 2023 World Cup, winning all ten of their matches leading into the final. When Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl first, a decision widely questioned at the time, few expected what followed.

India were restricted to 240 all out, with Australia’s bowlers executing their plans perfectly on a slow pitch. KL Rahul’s 66 was the top score for the hosts, but Australia never allowed India’s powerful batting line-up to accelerate. Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Cummins himself shared the key wickets, and India’s innings faded in the final overs.

The chase was defined by Head. After Australia slipped to 47 for 3, Head and Marnus Labuschagne rebuilt with a match-winning partnership, Head’s century coming off just 95 balls. Australia reached 241 for 4 with seven overs to spare, winning by six wickets and sparking wild celebrations among the small contingent of Australian supporters in the vast stadium.

Australia’s Road to the Title

What made Australia’s 2023 triumph remarkable was their start. They lost their first two matches of the tournament, to India and South Africa, and looked in danger of an early exit. What followed was one of the great winning streaks in World Cup history: nine consecutive victories, including the final.

The turnaround was built on Cummins’ calm leadership, Head’s explosive batting after returning from injury mid-tournament, and a bowling attack that peaked at the perfect time. Glenn Maxwell’s miraculous double hundred against Afghanistan, scored while battling severe cramp, was the individual performance of the tournament and kept Australia’s campaign alive.

India’s Heartbreak

For India, the 2023 final was a devastating end to a near-perfect campaign. Rohit Sharma’s team had dominated the tournament, with Virat Kohli scoring a record 765 runs and the bowling attack, led by Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, dismantling every opponent. India’s ten-match winning streak had raised expectations of a third title to fever pitch.

But finals are their own contest, and on the day, Australia were better. The image of a stunned, silent Ahmedabad stadium as Head raised his bat remains one of the defining pictures of modern cricket.

Australia’s Six Titles

The 2023 victory extended Australia’s record as the most successful team in ODI World Cup history. Their six titles span 36 years:

No other team has won more than two ODI World Cups. West Indies and India have two each, while Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England have one apiece.

The Records of 2023

The 2023 World Cup produced remarkable individual achievements. Virat Kohli’s 765 runs set a new record for the most runs in a single World Cup, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s 673 from 2003. Kohli also scored his 50th ODI hundred during the tournament, passing Tendulkar’s all-time record. Mohammed Shami took 24 wickets despite missing the first four matches, the most by any bowler in the tournament.

When Is the Next ODI World Cup?

The next ICC Men’s ODI World Cup is scheduled for 2027, to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. It will be the first ODI World Cup held in Africa since 2003 and the first to be staged in Namibia. Australia will arrive as defending champions, with India, England, New Zealand and hosts South Africa among the leading contenders.

Qualification for the 2027 tournament is already underway through the ICC’s league structures, with associate nations competing for the chance to join the world’s best on the biggest stage.

The Legacy of Ahmedabad 2023

The 2023 final reinforced several truths about World Cup cricket. Experience in finals matters: Australia’s core had been through these pressure moments before. Tactical flexibility matters: Cummins’ bold toss call and his handling of the bowling attack were decisive. And individual brilliance matters most of all: Travis Head’s hundred was an innings for the ages.

For Australia, it was a sixth star. For India, it was a reminder that dominance across a tournament guarantees nothing on final day. For cricket, it was another classic to add to the World Cup’s rich history.

Where Are the 2023 Heroes Now?

Travis Head’s final hundred cemented his reputation as a big-match player, and he has remained central to Australia’s plans across formats. Pat Cummins continues to lead Australia in Tests and ODIs, his calm authority now part of his legacy. For India, the hurt of 2023 has fuelled subsequent campaigns, with Rohit Sharma’s team winning the 2025 Champions Trophy and the core of the side targeting the 2027 World Cup as unfinished business.

Who won the last ODI Cricket World Cup?

Australia won the last ODI Cricket World Cup in 2023, beating India by six wickets in the final in Ahmedabad on 19 November 2023.

Who was the Player of the Match in the 2023 World Cup final?

Travis Head was the Player of the Match in the 2023 final for his 137 off 120 balls, which powered Australia’s successful chase of 241 against India.

How many ODI World Cups has Australia won?

Australia have won six ODI World Cups: in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015 and 2023, more than any other team in history.

When is the next ODI World Cup?

The next ODI Cricket World Cup is scheduled for 2027, hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Who scored the most runs in the 2023 World Cup?

Virat Kohli scored the most runs in the 2023 World Cup with 765, a new single-tournament record, including his 50th ODI hundred.

Who captained Australia in the 2023 World Cup?

Pat Cummins captained Australia to the 2023 World Cup title, earning widespread praise for his calm and tactical leadership throughout the tournament.