World Cup highs and lows

Highs and lows of the cricket World Cup ahead of the 2015 edition which takes place in Australia and New Zealand from February 14-March 29:
1996: Hosts: Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, Champions: Sri Lanka
- Arjuna Ranatunga's Sri Lankans celebrated when Aravinda de Silva cracked a classy hundred to steer his team to a seven-wicket victory over Australia in the day-night final at Lahore.
Sri Lanka were assured of winning two matches even before the first ball had been bowled as both Australia and the West Indies refused to play their opening games in the island nation due to security reasons. Riots took place at Kolkata's Eden Gardens during the semi-final between India and Sri Lanka.
India, who had beaten Pakistan in the quarter-finals, were facing defeat against Sri Lanka at 120-8 chasing 252 when disturbances began. The spectators threw missiles on to the field and lit fires in the stands, forcing match referee Clive Lloyd to award the game to Sri Lanka. The tournament saw a shock when little Kenya pulled off a 73-run win over West Indies - Brian Lara included - in Pune.
1999 Hosts: England, Champions: Australia
- South Africa failed to qualify for the final despite not losing their semi-final against Australia which ended in a tie. They bowed out as a result of their inferior net run-rate to Australia in the Super Six stage.
In that game, Australia were chasing a stiff 272-run target at Headingley when Steve Waugh, on 56, offered a simple catch to South African century-maker Herschelle Gibbs, who held the ball before dropping it in premature celebrations.
The Australian captain needed just that slice of fortune to steer his team to a crucial win with an unbeaten century.
The final was an anti-climax, with Australia thrashing Pakistan by eight wickets. Leg-spin magician Shane Warne grabbed four wickets in what turned out to be his last World Cup match as Pakistan were bowled out for just 132.
2003 Hosts: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya, Champions: Australia - The 2003 World Cup was not only about Australia's triumph over adversity, but also about protests, boycotts and a drug-ban.
Australia suffered a blow even before the show had begun when Shane Warne was ruled out of the tournament after failing a drugs test. England boycotted their match in Zimbabwe and New Zealand refused to play in Kenya on safety and political grounds. The points earned by defaults helped Zimbabwe and Kenya make it to the Super Six stage.
Zimbabwean paceman Henry Olonga and batsman Andy Flower were soon to be pushed into exile for their black armband protest against the "death of democracy" in their country.
Shaun Pollock's South Africans bowed out after a miscalculation during their rain-hit match against Sri Lanka.
When South African wicket-keeper Mark Boucher hit the penultimate ball off what turned out to be the final over for a six to level the scores, he thought the job had been completed. But his team still needed one more run to win.
Kenya made a surprise semi-final appearance but did not have the resources to stretch India who qualified for the final.
Ricky Ponting (140 not out) dominated the Johannesburg final with a gem of a knock as Australia set a stiff 360-run target. Despite Virender Sehwag's 82, India were bowled out for 234.
2007 Hosts: West Indies, Champions: Australia
- The 47-day event was not even a one-week old when Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room in Jamaica. He was initially thought to have been murdered before it was announced he died of natural causes.
The former England batsman's death came hours after Pakistan's shock defeat against debutants Ireland, the loss eventually leading to the exit of the 1992 champions. Rahul Dravid's Indians made a horror start, losing to minnows Bangladesh in their opening match, eventually leading to India's first round ouster.
Disappointment was also in store for spectators in Bridgetown when the rain-hit final between Australia and Sri Lanka ended in semi-darkness. Adam Gilchrist dominated the final, hammering a 104-ball 149 with a squash ball in his left glove which seemed to help him hit straight.
Australia posted 281-4 off 38 overs. Sri Lankan veteran Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara made bold half-centuries but their team finished at 215-8 as their target was revised to 269 off 36 overs following a rain interruption. Sri Lanka off-spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan finished with 23 wickets and paceman Lasith Malinga became the first bowler to bag four wickets off as many balls, against South Africa. 2011
Hosts: India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Champions: India
- India became the first ever team to win on home soil with a comfortable six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final in Mumbai.
The occasion also saw Sachin Tendulkar finally win a world title at the sixth attempt and with his 38th birthday just around the corner. The tournament also became a springboard for cricket diplomacy after India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh invited his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani to watch the semi-final clash between the arch-rivals in Mohali.
England's high-scoring tie with India in Bangalore breathed life into the tournament, while the English were also defeated by Bangladesh. Pakistan reached the semi-finals despite having had three players banned for corruption and their rights as tournament co-hosts snatched away because of their domestic security nightmare. Ireland scored a sensational victory over England thanks to Kevin O'Brien's record-breaking century.