A century in the final of One Day Cricket World Cup may be the ultimate dream of the greatest of the batsmen. Nine World Cup finals so far have produced five hundreds. Four of the five hundreds in the finals were scored in the first innings. Only one century is scored while chasing the target. These centuries were scored by some of the best batsmen to have ever played the game of cricket. The batsmen who have scored hundreds in the final of the World Cup are Clive LIoyed, Vivian Richards, Arvinda DeSilva, Ricky Ponting, and Adam Gilchrist.
1. Clive LIoyed 102 in 1975 World Cup Final
Clive LIoyed scored the first and one of the finest hundred of World Cup Final. The spectacular innings could not have come at better occasion than a World Cup Final. The Final was played between West Indies and Australia. Australia opted to field after winning the toss, which turned out to be a senseless decision in the end. LIoyed arrived at the crease with West Indies score reading 50/3 and the three best batsmen Fredricks, Greenidge, and Kallicharan back in the Pavilion. LIoyed found an able partner in Kanhai and unleashed an array strokes that comprised the hooks, the pulls, the cuts, the swishes to the midwicket, and the drives down the ground. It was one of the finest innings played in One Day Cricket and the bowling attack had a certain Lillee. When LIoyed departed at 199 he had scored 102 runs off 85 balls that contained 12 hits to the fence and two over the rope. LIoyed played a captain's knock under pressure. This must one of the foremost and best counterattacking innings played in one day cricket. West Indies won by 17 runs. LIoyed was duly awarded man of the match award.
2. Vivian Richards' 138 in 1979 World Cup Final
Final of the second edition of World Cup also featured a 100 and a scintillating one at that. England had not learned any lessons from the final of the previous edition and opted to field on winning the toss. West Indies lost their first wicket in form of Greenidge with team score reading 22 getting King Richards to the crease. The King decided to celebrate the occasion in his trademark style despite being out of form. He kept on losing partners before Collis King stood up at the other end with an equally impressive, but more aggressive innings of 86 runs off 66 balls that were dotted with 10 fours and 3 sixes. Richards innings was laced with 11 fours and 3 sixes. The third score in the innings was a 20 by Haynes. West Indies won the match and the Richards was awarded man of the match.
3. Arvinda De Silva's 107 in 1996 World Cup Final
Arvinda De Silva's 107 is the first and only hundred in a World Cup final that has come while chasing the target. What makes this knock special is the fact that it was the first time when a team chasing the target won the Final. Chasing a target of 241 set by Australia Sri Lanka lost two wickets early with team score just 23 forcing Arvinda early to the crease. He shared two crucial partnerships with Gurusinha and Ranatunga and saw Sri Lanka home and win their first World Cup title. Arvinda struck 13 boundaries during his knock. Arvinda was awarded man of the match for his effort of 107.
4. Ricky Ponting's 140 in 2003 World Cup Final
Indian captain Sourav Ganguly probably did not have any sense of history when he chose to field after winnings the toss. What followed was a batting spectacle. Ricky Ponting arrived to the crease when Gilchrist fell at the end of 14th over after scoring 57 off 48 balls. Ponting brought up his 50 in 74 balls with single hit to the boundary for four and then launched himself with two sixes in 39th over bowled by his good friend Harbhajan Singh and hit all the Indian strike bowlers at least for a six apiece. By the end of his innings he has hit eight sixes and four fours and scored 140 runs off 121 balls leading Australia to a monumental total of 359 and batting India out of the final. Ricky Ponting was the default man of the match.
5. Adam Gilchrist's 149 in 2007 World Cup Final
Adam Gilchrist played the most extravagant knock of the final of the most extravagant event in the game of cricket. Gilchrist's 149 is the highest score by any batsmen in any Final of this showpiece event. This glittering knock of Gilchrist sums up Gilchrist as a batsman. Gilchrist's 149 came off just 104 balls and was sprinkled with 13 fours and eight scintillating sixes. It was the most entertaining and eye-catching innings played in the mega event. Adam Gilchrist played good knocks in the finals of previous two editions and saved the best for his last in 2007. Australia won all the three editions of the World Cups that Adam Gilchrist played for Australia.
1. Clive LIoyed 102 in 1975 World Cup Final
Clive LIoyed scored the first and one of the finest hundred of World Cup Final. The spectacular innings could not have come at better occasion than a World Cup Final. The Final was played between West Indies and Australia. Australia opted to field after winning the toss, which turned out to be a senseless decision in the end. LIoyed arrived at the crease with West Indies score reading 50/3 and the three best batsmen Fredricks, Greenidge, and Kallicharan back in the Pavilion. LIoyed found an able partner in Kanhai and unleashed an array strokes that comprised the hooks, the pulls, the cuts, the swishes to the midwicket, and the drives down the ground. It was one of the finest innings played in One Day Cricket and the bowling attack had a certain Lillee. When LIoyed departed at 199 he had scored 102 runs off 85 balls that contained 12 hits to the fence and two over the rope. LIoyed played a captain's knock under pressure. This must one of the foremost and best counterattacking innings played in one day cricket. West Indies won by 17 runs. LIoyed was duly awarded man of the match award.
2. Vivian Richards' 138 in 1979 World Cup Final
Final of the second edition of World Cup also featured a 100 and a scintillating one at that. England had not learned any lessons from the final of the previous edition and opted to field on winning the toss. West Indies lost their first wicket in form of Greenidge with team score reading 22 getting King Richards to the crease. The King decided to celebrate the occasion in his trademark style despite being out of form. He kept on losing partners before Collis King stood up at the other end with an equally impressive, but more aggressive innings of 86 runs off 66 balls that were dotted with 10 fours and 3 sixes. Richards innings was laced with 11 fours and 3 sixes. The third score in the innings was a 20 by Haynes. West Indies won the match and the Richards was awarded man of the match.
3. Arvinda De Silva's 107 in 1996 World Cup Final
Arvinda De Silva's 107 is the first and only hundred in a World Cup final that has come while chasing the target. What makes this knock special is the fact that it was the first time when a team chasing the target won the Final. Chasing a target of 241 set by Australia Sri Lanka lost two wickets early with team score just 23 forcing Arvinda early to the crease. He shared two crucial partnerships with Gurusinha and Ranatunga and saw Sri Lanka home and win their first World Cup title. Arvinda struck 13 boundaries during his knock. Arvinda was awarded man of the match for his effort of 107.
4. Ricky Ponting's 140 in 2003 World Cup Final
Indian captain Sourav Ganguly probably did not have any sense of history when he chose to field after winnings the toss. What followed was a batting spectacle. Ricky Ponting arrived to the crease when Gilchrist fell at the end of 14th over after scoring 57 off 48 balls. Ponting brought up his 50 in 74 balls with single hit to the boundary for four and then launched himself with two sixes in 39th over bowled by his good friend Harbhajan Singh and hit all the Indian strike bowlers at least for a six apiece. By the end of his innings he has hit eight sixes and four fours and scored 140 runs off 121 balls leading Australia to a monumental total of 359 and batting India out of the final. Ricky Ponting was the default man of the match.
5. Adam Gilchrist's 149 in 2007 World Cup Final
Adam Gilchrist played the most extravagant knock of the final of the most extravagant event in the game of cricket. Gilchrist's 149 is the highest score by any batsmen in any Final of this showpiece event. This glittering knock of Gilchrist sums up Gilchrist as a batsman. Gilchrist's 149 came off just 104 balls and was sprinkled with 13 fours and eight scintillating sixes. It was the most entertaining and eye-catching innings played in the mega event. Adam Gilchrist played good knocks in the finals of previous two editions and saved the best for his last in 2007. Australia won all the three editions of the World Cups that Adam Gilchrist played for Australia.
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