Cricket World Cup awards: Virat Kohli shows genius as Rachin Ravindra enjoys breakout campaign

Glenn Maxwell hit arguably the greatest ODI innings of all time, while sorry England were stunned by Afghanistan in disastrous defence
Malik Ouzia @MalikOuzia_20 November 2023

Australia spoiled India's party with a stunning six-wicket victory over the hosts in Sunday's Cricket World Cup final in Ahmedabad.

With 10 wins on the bounce leading up to the showpiece, India had at times during the seven-week tournament looked near-certainties to claim the title but instead Travis Head's century gave Australia a sixth title.

Here we look back on the tournament's best performances and performers...

Player of the tournament - Virat Kohli (India)

More runs than any man has ever scored in a single World Cup, Kohli made three hundreds and passed fifty nine times in 11 innings. A genius. 

Breakout star - Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand)

Honourable mentions to South Africa seamer Gerald Coetzee and Afghanistan opener Azmatullah Omarzai, but Ravindra had looked a bits and pieces all-rounder in the series against England just before the tournament, only to turn up and hit three hundreds as a gun top-order bat. 

Best game - Australia vs Afghanistan

Not exactly a bundle to choose from. Pakistan vs South Africa had the closest finish, but context made Australia’s three-wicket win over Afghanistan the most gripping. 

Best innings - Glenn Maxwell (201* vs Afghanistan) 

Single-handedly dragged Australia to victory in the aforementioned contest with quite simply the greatest one-day innings of all-time. Oh, and did it while hardly able to walk. 

A hurt Glenn Maxwell's astonishing double century against Afghanistan was arguably the best ODI innings ever seen
Getty Images

Biggest shock 

Don’t let what came next for both teams pour retrospective cold water on Afghanistan’s upset win over England. The former had won one World Cup game, against Scotland, in their history; the latter were defending world champions who looked to have got back on track by beating Bangladesh.

Angelo Mathews being timed out was a bit of a curveball, too, mind. 

Best spell

Shared by India’s seamers for their brilliance in skittling Sri Lanka for 55. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were sensational with the new ball in reducing Sri Lanka to three for four, before Mohammed Shami picked up five. 

Virat Kohli shattered records at the Cricket World Cup but it was not enough for India to claim glory on home soil
Getty Images

Moment of the tournament 

Kohli’s 50th ODI hundred, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record with the great man watching on, put India on course for the final and what at that stage looked an inevitable triumph. 

Team of the tournament 

Rohit Sharma, Travis Head, Virat Kohli, Rachin Ravindra, KL Rahul, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, Gerald Coetzee, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah 

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