How Many Cricket World Cups Has India Won?
India has won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup twice – in 1983 and 2011. Discover the story of these historic victories, runner-up finishes, women’s and U-19 team achievements, and India’s ongoing pursuit of more World Cup glory.
Cricket is often described as a religion in India and the ultimate glory for any cricketing
nation is winning the ICC Cricket World Cup. For Team India, this dream has been
realized twice. The Indian men’s national team has won the Cricket World Cup (ODI) two
times. First in 1983 and again in 2011.
has won, but also transformed the landscape of Indian cricket. Below, we delve into
India’s Cricket World Cup history – highlighting those two championship wins, reminiscing
on near-misses and touching on the performances of India’s women’s and under-19 teams
on the world stage.
India’s Cricket World Cup Victories
India has participated in every ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup since the tournament’s
inception in 1975. It took a few attempts for the team to find its footing, in fact, India
managed only a single win across the first two World Cups (1975 and 1979) and failed to
progress beyond the group stage in those early editions. But then came the 1983 World
Cup, where a rank underdog Indian side stunned the cricket world, followed by a second
moment of glory on home soil in 2011.
Let’s revisit these two chapters…
1983: The Underdogs Shock the World
In 1983, India was never expected to win – bookmakers had given Kapil Dev’s squad
66-to-1 odds before the final. Yet, the Indian team, dubbed “Kapil’s Devils,” defied all
odds. They defeated strong teams like the West Indies (two-time defending champions),
Australia and England on their path to the championship match. In the final at Lord’s on
June 25, 1983, India could only post 183 runs batting first. It seemed modest against the
mighty West Indies lineup, but the Indian bowlers delivered a spirited performance.
They bowled out West Indies for 140, securing an incredible 43-run victory to claim India’s
first-ever World Cup title. All-rounder Mohinder Amarnath took 3 wickets (and was
named Man of the Match), while captain Kapil Dev’s athletic backward-running catch to
dismiss Vivian Richards became an iconic moment of the final. This victory made India the
first team outside of the West Indies to lift the World Cup.
for Indian cricket, dramatically increasing the sport’s popularity in the country. Cricket
went from a niche pastime to a national obsession – sparking greater youth participation,
attracting sponsors and laying the foundation for India’s emergence as a cricket
powerhouse. The sight of Kapil Dev lifting the Prudential Cup at Lord’s became a symbol of
national pride and the underdog story of 1983 continues to inspire generations of Indian
cricket fans.
2011: Triumph on Home Soil – The Cup Comes Home
Fast forward 28 years from 1983 – India were co-hosting the 2011 Cricket World Cup
and the nation was hungry for another title. The tournament carried immense
expectations, not least because it was the last World Cup for the iconic Sachin Tendulkar,
who had been part of the team since 1989 and had never lifted the trophy. Under the
leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Team India rose to the occasion. They advanced
through the group stage and knockouts, knocking out defending champions Australia in the
quarter-final and arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-stakes semi-final.
On April 2, 2011, the final in Mumbai saw India face Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka set a challenging
target of 275 (Mahela Jayawardene scored a century for the Lankans). In reply, India
stumbled early, losing two wickets (including Tendulkar) with only 31 runs on the board.
But a steely Gautam Gambhir anchored the innings with 97 and captain MS
Dhoni promoted himself up the batting order to play a match-winning knock. Dhoni
sealed the victory in style – with an iconic six over long-on – to finish unbeaten on 91*.
India won by six wickets in the 49th over, triggering euphoric celebrations across the
country.
West Indies and Australia) to win the World Cup more than once. It was also the first time
a host nation won the Cricket World Cup. The image of Dhoni’s six soaring into the
Mumbai night and Ravi Shastri’s commentary – “Dhoni finishes off in style... and India lift
the World Cup!” – are etched in every fan’s memory. Fittingly, Yuvraj Singh (362 runs and
15 wickets in the tournament) was named Player of the Tournament for his all-round
heroics and the victory gave the legendary Sachin Tendulkar the crowning glory he had long dreamed of. The 2011 World Cup win not only cemented India’s status as a cricket
superpower but also united the country in celebration.
India’s World Cup Journey and Close Calls
Outside of the two championship years, India’s World Cup journey has seen
several close calls and consistent performances. After 1983, India continued to be
competitive, they reached the semi-finals as hosts in 1987 and again in 1996. In 2003, the
Indian team led by Sourav Ganguly made it all the way to the final but finished as runners-
up, losing to an all-conquering Australian side. That 2003 campaign (with stars like
Tendulkar, Dravid and Kumble) reignited India’s World Cup hopes after a relatively lean
patch in the 1990s.
was eliminated in the group stage after an upset loss to Bangladesh, one of the biggest
shocks in World Cup history. That early exit caused national outrage but also prompted
changes that would pay off in the 2011 win. Since 2011, India has remained a top contender
in every World Cup. In both 2015 and 2019, India topped the group stage and reached the
semi-finals, only to be knocked out by Australia (2015) and New Zealand (2019)
respectively.
Most recently, in the 2023 World Cup (hosted in India), the team captained by Rohit
Sharma went unbeaten all the way to the final. In the final, though, India fell to Australia and had to settle for runners-up once again. This was India’s fourth appearance in a World
Cup final (after 1983, 2003, 2011) and their second time as runners-up.
With two titles and two runner-up finishes, India’s World Cup history places them
among the elite. Only Australia (with five titles, now six after 2023) and the West Indies
(two titles) have won the men’s ODI World Cup more than once like India. Team India’s
consistent presence in the later stages of recent tournaments underscores the country’s
depth of talent and the high expectations from a billion fans each time. As the cricket
world looks ahead, India’s quest for that elusive third World Cup continues – a journey
every Indian fan follows with hope and passion.
India at the Women’s Cricket World Cup
India’s women’s national cricket team has been making strides on the world stage,
though a World Cup trophy has thus far proved elusive. The Indian women have never
won the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup (ODI), but they have come agonizingly
close. India’s women reached the World Cup final twice – in 2005 (in South Africa) and
in 2017 (in England) – finishing as runners-up on both occasions. In 2005, India (led by
Mithali Raj) lost the final to Australia and in 2017, they fell just 9 runs short against England
in a heart-breaking finish at Lord’s. Those performances, especially the 2017 campaign
featuring stars like Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur (who struck a famous 171* in the
semi-final), significantly boosted the profile of women’s cricket in India.
They reached the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final in 2020, but again Australia proved to be a hurdle, defeating India in the title match. Despite these setbacks, the women’s
team has shown tremendous growth. Their fighting performances on the biggest stages
have earned them admiration and sparked greater investment in women’s cricket
(including the launch of a Women’s Premier League in India). With a young crop of
talented players and improving infrastructure, it feels like only a matter of time before
India’s women break the glass ceiling and bring home a World Cup trophy.
Under-19 World Cup. Grooming Future Champions
While the senior World Cup tally for India stands at two, the India Under-19 team has
been remarkably successful on the world stage. India’s U-19 side is the most dominant in
Youth World Cup history, having won the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup a record five
times. These titles came in 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018 and 2022, showcasing India’s consistent production of young talent over the decades. No other country has as many U-
19 World Cup trophies – a testament to India’s strong junior cricket system.
for the senior team. The 2000 victory was led by captain Mohammad Kaif and featured
Yuvraj Singh (the future 2011 World Cup hero) who was Player of the Tournament in that
U-19 edition. The 2008 U-19 World Cup saw a young Virat Kohli captain India to the title,
foreshadowing his rise as an all-time great batsman. In 2012, Unmukt Chand led India to
victory and the 2018 triumph was under Prithvi Shaw with Shubman Gill starring – both of
whom have since played for India.
Most recently, the 2022 title (in the West Indies) further cemented India’s junior lead.
These youth championships have been crucial in feeding talent to the senior team, players
learn to handle pressure at world events, often in conditions abroad, which helps them
transition to international cricket. India’s investment in robust junior cricket academies and
coaching (even legends like Rahul Dravid have coached the U-19 team) has clearly paid
dividends in the form of World Cup silverware at the junior level.
An Indian Cricket Legacy
India has won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup twice – in 1983 and 2011 – etching
those years in golden letters in cricket history. Those two trophies galvanized a nation and
turned cricket into a way of life in India. The men’s team has also been runner-up twice
(2003 and 2023) and is perennially among the favorites in any World Cup it plays.
The Indian women’s team, while yet to win a World Cup, has proven its mettle by
reaching multiple finals and inspiring the next generation of female cricketers. Meanwhile,
the Under-19 team’s five World Cup titles have established India as a cradle of cricketing
talent, providing great hope for the future.
The triumphs of 1983 and 2011 remain eternal high points, celebrated by millions. As India
looks ahead to future World Cups, the nation’s cricket fans continue to dream of adding to
that tally of titles. With the depth of talent available and the passion for the game
undiminished, India’s pursuit of World Cup glory is sure to continue and the roar of a
billion fans will be behind them when that next opportunity comes.
Amit Khanna
