Cricket World Cup: Ranking the best teams by win percentage

India. (Photo Source: Twitter/BCCI)

The World Cup 2023 is delivering power-packed action to cricket supporters with its intriguing matches. After nine games in the competition, some teams succeeded in bringing cheers to their fans but a few are yet to showcase their best. In the next few days, all teams will look to play quality cricket and lift the coveted trophy on November 19 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Amidst the blockbuster cricketing extravaganza, it is essential to know the records of the most successful teams in the World Cup. Australia are the greatest side in terms of title with five trophies and following them India and the West Indies are in the second spot with two titles respectively. However, things are a bit different when it comes to rating teams on the basis of victory percentage.

Here are the most successful ODI World Cup teams by win percentage:

10. Ireland- 33.33%

Ireland made their World Cup debut in the 2007 edition held in the West Indies and they qualified for the Super Eight round after clinching a three-wicket victory against Pakistan in the group round.

In 2011, the Irish side again marked their presence under William Porterfield. This time, they concluded their campaign in the group round but succeeded in upsetting England in Bengaluru, riding on Kevin O’Brien’s brilliant 113-run knock off 63. The Irish side registered a three-wicket win in the last over of the game against the Andrew Strauss-led England. 

Similarly in the 2015 World Cup, the William Porterfield-led side chased 305 against the West Indies at Saxton Oval and bagged a four-wicket win. Ireland failed to qualify for the 2023 World Cup but they are the 10th most successful side in the World Cup with seven wins and 13 losses in 21 matches, with a victory percentage of 33.33%.

9. Bangladesh- 35.71%

Bangladesh debuted in the World Cup in 1999 under Aminul Islam’s captaincy. Since then, they have appeared in seven editions of the tournament, in which they won 15 off 42 games with a win percentage of 35.71%. In their first World Cup edition, the Bangla side hammered the heavyweights Pakistan by 62 runs in Northampton.

After eight years, they shook India’s campaign in the 2007 World Cup. Under Habibul Bashar, Bangladesh beat a star-studded Indian side by five wickets in Port of Spain. The Bangla Tigers’ turnaround against the Men in Blue helped them advance to the Super Eight where they also pocketed a 67-run win against South Africa.

In the 2015 World Cup, they beat England to knock them out from the competition with a 15-run win at the iconic Adelaide Oval. The triumph against England helped Bangladesh qualify for the knockouts for the first time in the history of the illustrious One-Day International (ODI) tournament. 

8. Sri Lanka- 46.34

Sri Lanka’s performance plummeted in the World Cup after 2011 but there was a time when the 1996 Champions used to give tough time to their opponents. After failing to do anything special in the first five editions of the World Cup, they tasted success in the sixth installment of the World Cup, under Arjuna Ranatunga.

The island nation beat India, Australia, West Indies, and England to lift the trophy. From 2003-11, Sri Lanka qualified for the knockouts consistently. In the 2007 World Cup played in the West Indies, Mahela Jayawardene led Sri Lanka to the final but could not win the trophy as Ricky Ponting’s Australia got the better of the 1996 champions on the D-Day.

In the 2011 World Cup, Sri Lanka were one of the co-hosts, and taking advantage of familiar conditions, they appeared in the final again. This time, India stood tall against them at the Wankhede Stadium, clinching a six-wicket triumph. Sri Lanka holds a victory percentage of 46.33 in the World Cup with 38 wins in 82 games.

7. West Indies- 53.75%

West Indies failed to qualify for the World Cup 2023 after their dismal performance in the Qualifier of the World Cup 2023 played in June-July. The Windies’ side were formidable in the initial installments of the World Cup. In the first three editions of the World Cup held in England, the Caribbean team played a fierce brand of cricket under Clive Lloyd.

In the maiden edition of the World Cup, they pocketed a 17-run win against Australia in the final at the iconic Lord’s Stadium and became the first World Cup champions. In 1979, the Windies team successfully defended the title under Lloyd, vanquishing the hosts England by 92 runs.

After back-to-back two World Cup titles, the Windies team were the favourites to bag the trophy in the 1983 edition of the tournament again. However, India shattered their dream of lifting the trophy for the third time, beating them in the final by 43 runs. The two-time World Cup champions played in 12 editions of the World Cup, in which they won 43 out of 80 games and their win percentage is 53.75.

6. England- 57.64%

England are defending the title in the 2023 World Cup. Like the 2019 World Cup, the English team are one of the favourites to win the title in 2023. After failing to do wonders in 11 editions of the World Cup, England won their first World Cup trophy under Eoin Morgan in 2019 at home.

In the first five editions of the World Cup, they were the only side to qualify for the semi-final stage. Hosting the World Cup in 1979, they came close to keeping the trophy at home but got a 92-run defeat from the West Indies in the final. After failing to win the title in 1979, the English team ended their journey as the runners-up under Graham Gooch in the 1992 World Cup again.

This time, they faced the Imran Khan-led Pakistan in the final at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The Men in Green held their nerves in the huge game and registered a 22-run win against Gooch and his men. In their 48 years of World Cup journey, England have won 49 out of 85 matches. With these numbers, their win percentage is 57.64%.

5. Pakistan- 58.02%

Pakistan are playing in this World Cup under Babar Azam and their endeavours will be to be effective in the competition and take the trophy to Pakistan. Pakistan have established themselves as a quality side in the World Cup since the 1975 edition of the tournament. 

In the 1979 World Cup, the Men in Green beat the 1975 World Cup runners-up Australia and advanced to the knockouts for the first time. However, the mighty West Indies finished their campaign with a 43-run win in the semi-final at the Oval. After 1979, they qualified for the semi-finals in 1983 and 1987 again but choked on both occasions.

In 1992, Imran Khan ended Pakistan’s title drought, winning the coveted trophy as a captain in Australia. Imran and his men beat England in the final and became the champions. After 1992, Pakistan again appeared in the final in the 1999. This time, Wasim Akram was leading Pakistan but failed to repeat the 1992 performance as the Steve Waugh-led Australia outplayed the side in the final by eight wickets. In the following editions too, Pakistan have shone in patches but never crossed the finish line. Currently, their win percentage is 58.02 in the World Cup, with 47 wins in 81 matches. 

4. South Africa- 60.00%

South Africa are yet to win their a World Cup title but their performance is better than many champion sides. In 65 World Cup contests, the Proteas have racked up 39 wins and 23 losses. Their victory percentage is 60, one of the best in the illustrious ODI tournament.

In 1992, they made their World Cup debut in Australia and qualified for knockouts. However, their journey ended on a disappointing note in that competition after losing to England in the semi-final due to the controversial Most-Productive-Over method. In 1999, they qualified for the semi-final again but unfortunately, the tied result against Australia knocked them out.

From 2007 to 2015, the Proteas went to the ODI tournament as the favourites but choked in the knockouts. This time, they will look to change things under Temba Bavuma in the ODI event getting played in Indian conditions.

3. New Zealand- 61.53%

Along with South Africa, the New Zealand team is one of the quality sides that has failed to add the World Cup trophy to its cabinet. The Kiwi side’s endeavours will be to play a fierce brand of cricket in this World Cup and end up as the winner of the trophy on November 19. New Zealand’s record is amazing in the one-day tournament as they have a healthy win percentage of 61.53.

Since 1975, the Black Caps have put up impressive shows in the ODI tournament played every four years. In the first two editions, they ended up their campaigns as one of the semi-finalists. They failed to do big in the 2003 World Cup, concluding their campaign in the Super Six under Stephen Fleming.

In 2015, Brendon McCullum became the first skipper to take New Zealand to the World Cup final but failed to win the title for the team like his predecessors. Kane Williamson also strived to win the trophy for the side as a skipper in the 2019 edition but it was England that emerged victorious in the tied final game in terms of boundaries.

2. India- 62.79%

India are the second-most successful team in the World Cup with the West Indies, with two titles (1983 and 2011). Following the debacles in the 1975 and 1979 World Cup editions, they became successful in clinching the coveted trophy in 1983, under Kapil Dev’s sensational captaincy. In 1987, they couldn’t retain the trophy, registering a 20-run defeat against England in the semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium.

In 1996, India co-hosted the tournament for the second time but failed to take advantage of familiar conditions, losing to other co-hosts Sri Lanka in the semi-final at Eden Gardens. After seven years of the infamous semi-final defeat at the hands of the neighbours, the Men in Blue reached the final of the World Cup in the 2003 edition.

Under Sourav Ganguly, India looked spectacular in the competition but got a crushing 125-run defeat from Australia in the final at the New Wanderers Stadium. In 2011, India became the first side to win the World Cup as hosts under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. Team India has a success rate of 62.79 in the World Cup, with 54 wins in 86 matches.

1. Australia- 72.63%

Australia enjoys an unprecedented record in the World Cup with a victory percentage of 72.63. The Aussies are the most successful in the tournament, with five trophies in their cabinet. In the maiden edition of the World Cup, they concluded their journey as the runners-up losing to the West Indies.

In the 1987 World Cup, they beat England in the final at iconic Eden Gardens and became the champions under Allan Border. The Aussies grabbed a lot of eyeballs during the 2000s when they won the 2003 and 2007 World Cup editions under Ricky Ponting and surpassed the West Indies to become the greatest team in the ODI tournament.

Michael Clarke, who handed Australia their fifth title in the 2015 World Cup, continued Ricky Ponting’s legacy with the team’s fifth title triumph. Under Clarke, the Aussies also became the second side to win the World Cup trophy as hosts, registering an emphatic seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the final.