Cricket has seen so many moments of drama and memories that will never be forgotten. From last-ball finishes to dramatic comebacks, some games are etched in memory as truly electric – and few will represent cricket at its most thrilling.
It is either the tension-filled 1999 World Cup semi-final or the breathtaking 2019 World Cup final – these games showcase cricket at its best. List of Top 10 Best Cricket Matches Ever Played- Pure Drama, Fantastic Individual Performances, and Resulting Endings that have left a mark on history forever.
1. Australia vs South Africa – World Cup Semi-final
Date: June 17, 1999
Venue: Edgbaston, Birmingham
This was one of the greatest One Day Internationals (ODIs) ever played. This match between Australia and South Africa was a testament to the resilience of both teams. Australia batted first and made a modest score of 213 under the onslaught by Shaun Pollock with 5/36 and Allan Donald at 4/32, which tested their batting skills to the limit.
South Africa sailed through with Lance Klusener bludgeoning his way to survive. But it was the last over that produced cricket’s most dramatic moment. With one run needed to win with four balls remaining, Klusener and Donald were involved in a calamitous mix-up that resulted in a runout.
The match was tied; however, Australia progressed to the final on a better run rate in the Super Six round. This match, with its drama and heartbreak for South Africa, holds a significant place in the history of cricket.
2. India vs Pakistan – 2007 ICC T20 World Cup Final
Date: September 24, 2007
Venue: Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
The final between India and Pakistan in the 2007 ICC T20 World Cup epitomizes how unpredictable cricket could be and how tough these two neighbors have it.
India could post a competitive total of 157 for the loss of 57 runs in just 20 overs, largely due to a knock of 75 off Gautam Gambhir. His performance was instrumental in shaping the match’s outcome.
The chase for Pakistan wasn’t that smooth; however, anchor Misbah-ul-Haq took it through. The last over required 13 runs to win with one wicket remaining. Misbah played a big six off Joginder Sharma, taking Pakistan right to the doorstep of victory.
Then, in the last delivery of the innings, he tried a scoop shot off the bowling of Sreesanth, coming to short fine leg, giving India a win by five runs and their first-ever T20 World Cup title. This match would be remembered in the cricket world for all the drama and tension attached to it.
3. England vs. New Zealand – 2019 ICC World Cup Final
Date: July 14, 2019
Venue: Lord’s, London
The final between England and New Zealand in the 2019 ICC World Cup is second to some of the greatest cricket matches witnessed. New Zealand batted first and had a target of 242 set before England. The game came down to the last over, and England needed 15 runs in the last over. Stokes played a heroic innings, and a fortuitous overthrow that went for four added to the tension.
The game went into a Super Over when both teams were tied at 15 runs each. However, England won the World Cup based on the rule of boundary count. The match again had some nail-biting moments and was unforgettable drama. This game enters cricket folklore as England won its first World Cup in extraordinary circumstances.
4. West Indies vs Australia – Final of the 1975 World Cup
Date: June 21 1975
Venue: Lord’s, London
The first-ever World Cup final was a historical affair that did not compromise in terms of drama and excitement. West Indies, under the charismatic captain Clive Lloyd, proved their mettle against Australia in the final. Lloyd played a great knock, scoring 102 off just 85 balls, which brought home a great total of 291 for West Indies.
The Australian chase was formed of twists and turns, punctuated by wickets at critical game moments. From one end, Viv Richards showed exemplary fielding skills by sending back three batters, which no team can sustain momentum at such a point.
West Indies won by 17 runs. That match will be etched in cricket history with a picture of Lloyd lifting the trophy.
5. India vs. Australia – 2001 Kolkata Test
Date: March 11-15, 2001
Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
This Test match is often cited as one of the greatest comebacks in cricket history. Australia, with a 16-match winning streak against them, enforced the follow-on after bowling India out for 171 in the first innings. Trailing by 274 runs, it seemed India was down and out; however, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid had other plans.
Laxman scored an incredible 281, and Dravid chipped in with 180 as India declared at 657/7, leaving Australia a target of 384. Harbhajan Singh’s master bowling spell (6/73) allowed India to bowl out Australia for 212, thereby giving India an improbable 171-run victory. In this match, memories are made of the exciting reversal and the unyielding guts displayed by the Indian team.
6. Pakistan vs. India – 1996 World Cup Quarter-final
Date: March 9, 1996
Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
It was one of the most expected matches in cricket—the quarter-final of the 1996 World Cup between India and Pakistan- and it did not fail to live up to its hype. India batted first and showed a tight batting display to amass 287/8. Navjot Singh Sidhu’s 93 runs proved crucial.
As Pakistan began to chase, it was usual until Aamer Sohail, after smashing a boundary, pointed his bat towards the bowling Venkatesh Prasad. Just the next ball, Prasad dismissed him, and India began gaining control of the game.
The match saw frenzy emotions, but India managed their nerves for the end to win the game by 39 runs, taking them into the semi-finals to finish off the game in one of the most iconic India-Pakistan encounters ever played.
7. West Indies vs England – 2004 Champions Trophy Final
Date: September 25, 2004
Venue: The Oval, London
The game between West Indies and England on the final day of the 2004 Champions Trophy was a real underdog story. England opted to bat first and then scored 217 runs, which seemed like a score that could be defended later. West Indies was reeling at 147/8 and seemed destined for defeat.
But, a divine lower-order partnership between Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw changed the game’s script here. The two took the match away from West Indies; however, with an unbeaten 71-run partnership, it took the West Indies to win by two wickets.
It would have been a dramatic turnaround in cricket, which, after all, is a game of unpredictable moves, as West Indies won in style.
8. South Africa vs. Australia – 2006 Johannesburg ODI
Date: March 12, 2006
Venue: Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
In one of the most extraordinary ODIs ever, Australia scored a world record total of 434/4 in 50 overs, with Ricky Ponting smashing 164 runs. Chasing such a mammoth target seemed impossible, but South Africa had all the resolutions to bat back.
Herschelle Gibbs’s innings proved one for a lifetime, 175 runs off 111 balls. South Africa chased down the target to win with one ball to spare on 438/9.
The match has gone in ODI cricket annals of history, and South Africa’s one-wicket win over Australia has been one of the most thrilling moments of cricket history.
9. Sri Lanka vs Australia – Final, World Cup 1996
Date: March 17, 1996
Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
It was a fairy tale journey for Sri Lanka until the final of the 1996 World Cup, and they put some icing on that with a great performance against Australia. That still meant that at this point in time, Australia had managed to score a very competitive 241/7.
But with this young challenger de Silva in the captaincy, Sri Lanka readily sets out to run down the target. De Silva scored an unbeaten 107; thus, Sri Lanka won their first-ever World Cup by seven wickets.
This victory positioned a new world landscape of cricket and branded Sri Lanka a powerful force in the game.
10. India vs. England – 2021 Chennai Test
Date: February 13-17, 2021
Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
This was the perfect match of the tour in which India made a superb statement in its conditions. The game became memorable for many reasons, particularly how well Ravichandran Ashwin all-rounded himself with a century and crucial wicket-taking, helping India dictate terms and stroll home by a comfortable margin of 317 runs against England.
What made this match special was the sheer resilience of the Indian team once they were down in the first Test. Ashwin scored a hundred before his home crowd, and Axar Patel did the spin magic, making this game standout in modern Test cricket.
5 FAQs About the Top 10 Best Cricket Matches Ever
What was the significance of the 2019 World Cup Final?
The 2019 World Cup final was significant because it was the first time a Super Over decided a World Cup final, and England won based on the boundary count rule, which was later changed.
Why is the 2006 South Africa vs Australia match called the ‘438 Game’?
It’s called the ‘438 Game’ because South Africa chased down Australia’s record total of 434, winning the match with one wicket left.
What made the 1999 Australia vs South Africa World Cup semi-final so memorable?
The match ended in a dramatic tie, with Allan Donald’s run-out in the final over being one of the most iconic moments in cricket history.
How did Carlos Brathwaite’s four sixes in the 2016 T20 World Cup Final impact T20 cricket?
Brathwaite’s four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes in the final over solidified the West Indies’ dominance in T20 cricket and highlighted the dramatic nature of the format.
Why was the 2001 Kolkata Test between India and Australia historic?
After being forced to follow on, India’s remarkable comeback, aided by VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid’s partnership and Harbhajan Singh’s hat-trick, made it one of the greatest Test matches ever.
Conclusion
Cricket captures its essence in these matches —the incredible performances, thrilling twists, and unforgettable moments. Here are World Cup finals and improbable comebacks from near-impossible situations, that usual blend of excitement and unpredictability that defines cricket worldwide in lovers’ eyes.
The spirit of competition, tension, and heroics in these matches has left a mark that generations of cricket fans will remember. If you’re curious about the countries where cricket enjoys immense popularity, check out this detailed list of the Top 10 Cricket-Watching Countries for a deeper understanding of the sport’s global reach.
