ICC tournaments are the primary cricket events that evaluate the skills of the top teams. Initially, the 50-over World Cups were the solitary multi-nation tournament organized by the ICC, but they have since introduced several other events.
Each cricket player dreams of performing under pressure and achieving remarkable feats for their nation. Playing in the final match of an ICC tournament is the most significant occasion one can experience.
1. Australia – 12
In ICC tournaments, Australia has been undoubtedly the most dominant team. They claimed their first ODI World Cup title in 1987 and then went on to win four more in 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2015. Australia also reached the final match twice as runners-up, in 1975 and 1996. The team won the Champions Trophy twice, in 2006 and 2009. Although Australia missed out on the T20 World Cup title in 2010, losing to England, they secured the championship in 2021 by defeating New Zealand.
2. India – 11
India has secured a spot in the World Test Championship, placing them at the 2nd place in the list with eleven appearances in ICC finals. The team has claimed two World Cups, two Champions Trophies, and one World T20 in limited-overs tournaments. However, their trophy cabinet has been empty in the recent years, and the team is eager to add a few more titles in the upcoming years.
3. England – 9
In 1979, England qualified for their first ICC tournament final, which was the 60-over World Cup at the time. Following that, they participated in the 1987 and 1992 World Cups before securing their first championship win in the 2019 edition. In addition, they claimed the title in the 2022 T20 World Cup.
4. West Indies – 8
West Indies has made it to the finals of ICC tournaments eight times to date. When the ICC tournaments began, the team from the Caribbean Islands was the dominant force. They claimed victory in the first two World Cups and finished as runners-up in the third, losing to Team India. In recent years, the nation has won two World T20 championships, thanks to their T20 stars. They also have a Champions Trophy title in their collection.
5. Sri Lanka – 7
Starting from 1996, when they won their first appearance in the World Cup Finals, the Sri Lankan cricket team experienced a lack of success. Although they reached the finals in 2007 and 2011, they were unable to claim the championship. However, the team had better luck in the shortest format of cricket. They won the T20 World Cup in 2012 after defeating Pakistan, having been defeated by them in 2009. They made only one appearance in the finals of the Champions Trophy in 2002.
6. New Zealand – 6
New Zealand has appeared in six ICC finals. In the ODI World Cup, they reached the final in 2015 and 2019, but lost to Australia in 2015 and to England in 2019. However, the team has never made it to the finals in T20I World Cup tournaments. In the Champions Trophy, New Zealand has made it to the final twice, winning against India in 2000 but losing to Australia in the 2009 edition.
7. Pakistan – 6
Pakistan has made it to the finals of ICC tournaments six times, with two appearances in the ODI World Cup finals. They emerged victorious in the 1992 ODI World Cup final against England but lost to Australia in the 1999 edition. In the T20I World Cup, Pakistan made it to the finals thrice, in 2007, 2009, and 2022. They suffered a defeat to India in the 2007 tournament but claimed the championship title in the 2009 competition. Recently, Pakistan lost to Australia in the 2022 T20 World Cup final. Additionally, in the 2017 edition of the Champions Trophy, Pakistan won the final against India.
8. South Africa – 1
South Africa has participated in just one ICC final to date, which is the lowest among all the teams in the list. They made it to the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in 1998 and emerged as the champions by beating West Indies in the final. However, they have never reached the final of either the ICC ODI World Cup or ICC T20I World Cup. Despite being a strong team in international cricket, their performance in ICC tournaments has not been particularly noteworthy.
