Men's Cricket World Cup 1999 – Overview

**Dates:**14 May to 20 June 1999

**Locations:**England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the Netherlands

**Number of teams:**12

**Overs per innings:**50

**Number of matches:**42

**Format:**Teams were divided into two groups of six each. Each team played the other five in their group once with the top three from both groups advancing to the Super Six stage, carrying their points against the other qualifiers from the same group. The top four from the Super Six played the semi-finals.

**Semi-finals:**Saeed Anwar's unbeaten 133 helped Pakistan make short work of New Zealand's 247 as the subcontinent giants cruised home with nine wickets in hand and 15 balls to spare. Shoaib Akhtar returned three wickets, and Wasim Akram and Abdul Razzaq got two each.

The second semi-final between Australia and South Africa was a classic. Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald shared nine wickets as South Africa bowled their opponents out for 213. In reply, they stumbled to 61/4 – Shane Warne (4/29) doing much of the damage – before Jacques Kallis' 53 and Jonty Rhodes' 43 rescued them.

From 183/7, Lance Klusener took responsibility and smashed 31 off 16 to take South Africa close. But with one run needed off the last three balls, both Klusener and the No.11 Donald found themselves at one end even as Adam Gilchrist whipped the bails off at the other, ending the game in a tie. Australia advanced to the final because they finished higher in the Super Six table.

**Final:**The final was one-sided, with Pakistan having few answers to Warne. He tore through the middle order and took 4/33 as Australia dismantled their opponents for 132. A 36-ball 54 by Adam Gilchrist ensured that Australia got home in just 20.1 overs with eight wickets in hand to lift their second World Cup.

**Top run-scorer:**Rahul Dravid – 461 runs

**Top wicket-taker:**Geoff Allott and Shane Warne – 20 wickets

**Player of the Series:**Lance Klusener

**Retirements:**Carl Hooper

**World Cup song:**Life is a Carnival