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Top Controversies in World Cup History
Written By Jenny Doe
Reviewed By Jenny Doe

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Top Controversies in World Cup History

The ICC ODI World Cup is the most prestigious tournament that has been played every four years since 1975. It is based on the One-Day International (ODI) format organized by the ICC to bring together the top cricketing nations of the world. Apart from the significance of the tournament, its various editions have contributed to many historical scandals over the years. By the end of this blog, you will get to know about the top 10 controversies that took place in the history of the World Cup Tournament's several editions.

Top 10 Controversies in the History of the World Cup

1981 - South Africa's Exclusion

The World Cup tournaments edition of 1981 saw a major controversy when South Africa was excluded because of apartheid-related issues. Due to this decision, there were multiple debates and protests conducted that were meant to highlight the political dimensions of the tournament.

1992 - Match-Fixing Allegations 

One of the historical scandalsabout the ICC World Cup is the controversy that happened in the 1992 edition of the tournament. There was a rumor about the involvement of Pakistan's team in match-fixing. However, there was no such definite evidence found at that time. 

1992 - Rain Rule Controversy

During the semi-final of the 1992 ICC World Cup, the notorious rain rule came into play between England and South Africa. The rule proved to be controversial due to a lot of confusion that occurred and rectified the target for South Africa resulting in their elimination in the end. 

1996 - Sri Lanka vs. England Riot

In the ICC World Cup edition of 1996, there were a lot of fan riots involved due to a controversial decision that took place in the quarter-final match of England vs. Sri Lanka in Colombo. However, by default, the match was rewarded to the Sri Lankan team.

2007 - Death of Bob Woolmer

When the World Cup of 2007 was taking place, Bob Woolmer, a Pakistan coach found to be dead in his hotel room in Jamaica. This whole incident sparked many conspiracy theories and investigations at that time. 

2011 - Umpiring Errors

There were many umpiring-related conspiracies in the 2011 World Cup, especially the one in which the incorrect dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar was made during the India vs. Pakistan match.  

2011 - Ball-Tampering by Pakistan

Again, in the 2011 ICC World Cup, the allegations against Pakistan's player Shahid Afridi became a matter of conspiracy. He faced allegations of ball-tampering in a match against Australia. Thus, the whole controversy revolved around the debates on sportsmanship and fair gameplay. 

2015 - Kevin Pietersen's Exclusion

The unexpected decision made by the England team in the ICC World Cup of 2015 to exclude one of the star performers, Kevin Pietersen from the squad sparked controversial debates and criticism. One of the memorable issues in the history of the World Cup is the elimination of Pietersen from the England squad.

2013 - Umar Akmal and Kamran Akmal Controversy

A huge controversy was made during the 2013 World Cup where Pakistan's cricketers, Umar Akmal and Kamran Akmal became a matter of debate for their indiscipline and alleged mistreatment of the coaching staff.

2019 - Boundary Count in Final

The recently held ICC World Cup of 2019 became a controversial matter as the finale of England vs. New Zealand ended in a tie. However, the decision of the winner was determined by the count of boundaries scored in the match. So, the criticism was all about the tiebreaker being incidental.

2019 - Ambiguous Overthrows

The happening of successive overthrows that occurred in the last over resulted in six runs for England in the finale of the ICC World Cup 2019 and therefore, became a matter of debate for many. There were huge controversies made regarding the interpretation of rules for overthrows.

2019 - Stump Microphone Controversies

The 2019 World Cup has the most popular controversy made by on-field banter and stump microphones for generating several discussions on player conduct and privacy. 

Wrap Up!

Controversies may reveal that at times, there are certain matters which often overshadow the cricketing actions. Such issues serve as an indicator of the fact that the World Cup tournament is not simply about the sport but is also about the immense concerns and feelings it may arouse. Undoubtedly, these remarkable controversies about topics like sportsmanship, fair play, and the use of technology in the world of sports, have assisted the World Cup to have a successful past. If you are interested in knowing more about such insights, such as the Asia Cup controversies, then you might follow our dependable website, CBTF News. We offer you genuine highlights of current and prospective cricket matches along with other things. Come see us today!