Cricket World Cup -2003

Cricket World Cup - 2003
Mascot: Dazzle, the Zibra

The eighth Cricket World Cup 2003 was held in South Africa between 9^th February, 2003 and 23^rd March 2003. The official mascot of the tournament was Dazzle, the Zibra.

Foueteen(14) nations participated in the event with their teams to prove their mettle in the 54 matches held during the event.The teams were divided into two groups: Pool A and Pool B, the pools being compiled according to a seeding system devised by the Executive Board of the International Cricket Council. The seedings are based on an international rankings list calculated according to the results of all limited overs internationals between the end of the last Cricket World Cup in June 1999 until the cutoff date of September 30, 2001.

The Australian cricket team has been winning almost every match over the last four years and came to the 8th World Cup in southern Africa as pre-tournament favourites. At the end of it they went home with the trophy, retaining it without losing a single match to became the first in history to win the World Cup for the third time.

They outplayed every opposition they came up against and in every department of the game too, certainly the deserved winners. No matter the toss was won or lost, no matter batted first or bowled first - whatever they did was to perfection and not left to chance.

Shane Warne was sent back home after failing a drug test. Cricket minnos Kenya enter into Semis

In the final against India, they lost both openers after a good start and could have lost more wickets but skipper Ponting and batsman Damien Martyn first made sure there were no further losses. After playing themselves in, both went on a rampage and belted the Indian bowling to every nook and cranny of the Wanderers to pile up a monstrous 359-2, Ponting ending with 140 and Martyn on 88. Despite a fighting 82 from Virender Sehwag , India could only make 234.

The winning team Australia received $2 000 000 cash prize along with the World cup trophy.

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