The document summarizes the results of the 2015 Cricket World Cup semi-finals. It states that South Africa defeated Sri Lanka and India defeated Bangladesh to advance to the semi-finals. Australia then defeated Pakistan to set up a match against India. In the final quarterfinal, New Zealand defeated West Indies by 143 runs with a record-setting 237 runs scored by Martin Guptill to claim the last semi-final spot. The semi-final schedule is then provided, with South Africa facing New Zealand on March 24th and India facing Australia on March 26th.

1. History Cricket World Cup 2015: 6 batsmen have scored hundreds in
WC finals
Melbourne, March 29: Australia and New Zealand played in the final of the eleventh World Cup cwc2019
final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground here on Sunday.
Here is a list of those batsmen who have scored a century in World Cup finals:
Clive Lloyd (West Indies) scored 102 off 85 balls against Australia in 1975 [WI won]
Vivian Richards (West Indies) scored 138 not out off 157 balls against England in 1979 [WI won]
Aravinda de Silva (Sri Lanka) scored 107 not out off 124 balls against Australia in 1996 [SL won]
Ricky Ponting (Australia) scored 140 not out off 121 balls against India in 2003 [Aus won]
Adam Gilchrist (Australia) scored 149 off 104 balls against Sri Lanka in 2007 [Aus won]
Mahela Jayawardena (Sri Lanka) scored 103 not out off 88 balls against India in 2011 [India won]
Category: Afghanistan, Cricket World Cup News, ICC Cricket World Cup Results, Tables and RankingsWC
Results 2015: A look at past World Cup finals
Melbourne, March 29: Hosts Australia and New Zealand were playing the final of the 2015 cricket World
Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground here on Sunday.
It was the seventh World Cup final for Australia while the first for New Zealand. Here is a list of brief
results of World Cup finals played so far:
Cricket World Cup 2015
West Indies beat Australia by 17 runs at Lord’s in London in 1975 [West Indies 291/8 in 60 overs, Aus
274 in 58.4 overs]
Toss: Australia
Man of the Match: Clive Lloyd (WI)
West Indies beat England by 92 runs at Lord’s in London in 1979 [WI 286/9 in 60 overs, Eng 194 in 51
overs] Toss: England

2. MoM: Vivian Richards (WI)
India beat West Indies by 43 runs at Lord’s in London in 1983 [India 183 in 54.4 overs, WI 140 in 52
overs] Toss: WI
MoM: Mohinder Amarnath (India)
Australia beat England by 7 runs at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 1987 [Aus 253/5 in 50 overs, Eng 246/8 in
50 overs]
Toss: Aus
MoM: David Boon (Aus)
Pakistan beat England by 22 runs at MCG in Melbourne in 1992 [Pak 249/6 in 50 overs, Eng 227 in 49.2
overs]
Toss: Pak
MoM: Wasim Akram (Pak)
Sri Lanka beat Australia by 7 wickets at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore in 1996 [Aus 241/7 in 50 overs, SL
245/3 in 46.4 overs]
Toss: SL
MoM: Aravinda de Silva (SL)
Australia beat Pakistan by 8 wickets at Lord’s in England in 1999 [Pak 132 in 39 overs, Aus 133/2 in 20.1
overs]
Toss: Pak
MoM: Shane Warne (Aus)
Australia beat India by 125 runs at Wanderers in Johannesburg in 2003 [Aus 359/2 in 50 overs, India 234
in 39.1 overs]
Toss: India
MoM: Ricky Ponting (Aus)
Australia beat Sri Lanka by runs (D/L) at Kensington Oval in Barbados in 2007 [Aus 281/4 in 38 overs, SL
215/8 in 36 overs]
Toss: Aus
MoM: Adam Gilchrist (Aus)

3. India beat Sri Lanka by 6 wickets at Wankhede in Mumbai in 2011 [SL 274/6 in 50 overs, India 277/4 in
48.2 overs]
Toss: SL
MoM: MS Dhoni
Category: Cricket World Cup News, ICC Cricket World Cup Highlights, ICC Cricket World Cup
ResultsMatch Report: Australia crowned World Champions
Melbourne, Mar 29: Australia today clinched the coveted ICC Cricket World Cup for the fifth time,
thrashing New Zealand by seven wickets to provide a perfect farewell gift to skipper Michael Clarke,
who played a key role with a 74-run knock in his final ODI appearance.
After the bowlers produced a clinical performance skittling out New Zealand for 183, the stage was set
for the Australian captain, who used the platform to the fullest with a stylish 72-ball innings as the hosts
regained the trophy winning the match in 33.1 overs, ending an eight-year wait.
The champions celebrate
The moment Steve Smith (56) hit the winning runs, the entire Australian team was out in the ground
delirious in joy celebrating the very special achievement.
All performers yearn for a stage as grand as the World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and
Clarke got his walking out as a hero with the entire MCG giving him a standing ovation once he was
dismissed after getting his team to the doorstep of victory.
It was a touching sight to find all his teammates standing at the boundary line to greet him. Clarke
added 112 runs in the company of his deputy Smith (56) and it looked as if the skipper was passing on
the team’s baton to his heir apparent.
Having announced his retirement from ODIs a day before the finals, it was a free-spirited Clarke in
action. The drives flowed from his bat, the footwork was as immaculate as ever and so was the manner
in which he charged out to the spinners.

4. Each and every shot was greeted with thunderous applause by the capacity crowd. There were 10 fours
and two sixes in his final ODI innings. Clarke had the Herculean job of checking his emotions and carrying
on with the business of guiding his team to victory after losing openers Aaron Finch (0) and David
Warner (45).
And the skipper was up for it with. Earlier, a collective display of disciplined bowling from the Australian
bowlers helped them restrict a nervous New Zealand to a paltry 183 in 45 overs after Brendon
McCullum opted to bat.
A mid-innings collapse which saw New Zealand lose their last seven wickets for only 33 runs in 10 overs
effectively ended their hopes of putting up a respectable total despite semi-final hero Grant Elliott’s
gutsy innings of 83 off 82 balls.
Ironically, this is the second time that a team in a World Cup final was bowled out for 183 after India in
the 1983 final against West Indies, which they won by 43 runs.
Seamer James Faulkner’s brilliant change-ups during the middle overs saw him end with impressive
figures of 3/36 in 9 overs as the Black Caps collapsed from decent 150/3 after 35 overs to 183 all-out in
45 overs in about an hour.
This was after Elliott along with Ross Taylor (40) had added 111 runs for the fourth wicket after the
visitors were tottering at 39 for three. Faulkner was well complimented by the two Mitchells — Starc
(2/20 in 8 overs) and Johnson (3/30 in 9 overs), who had the opposition batsmen in trouble with pace
and movement on a lively MCG track.
Starc bowled a brilliant delivery first up, to get rid of Brendon McCullum, who was out without scoring.
McCullum charged and missed out on a couple of balls dug short and the result was full delivery at the
base of off-stump which the batsman had no answer.
Guptill, at the other end, got a freak six when his intended pull off a Josh Hazlewood short delivery flew
behind the wicketkeeper for a six. Before that, he had hit a copybook square drive.

5. Both Guptill and Williamson were cautious during the first 10 overs in which New Zealand scored 31
runs as they got rid of the impetuosity that brought about McCullum’s downfall.
The best shot during that particular phase was a straight drive from Williamson off Hazlewood’s
bowling. Clarke introduced Glenn Maxwell in the 12th over and it brought dividends immediately.
Guptill (15) was bowled trying to cut a rather innocuous Maxwell delivery that was tossed up on the off-
stump with not a hint of turn.
There were a couple of flowing cover drives off James Faulkner
Williamson’s rather uncomfortable stay at the wicket Williamson’s rather uncomfortable stay at the
wicket ended when Johnson bowled a well disguised slower as the right-hander failed to check his shot.
The result was a simple return catch which Johnson gleefully accepted. Williamson scored 12 off 33
balls. Elliott and Taylor then started the repair job.
While Elliott was the aggressor, the normally attacking Taylor was ready to hold one end up while
nudging and pushing for singles and twos. Elliott started with a cut off Maxwell and a mistimed hook
shot fetched him a six.
There were a couple of flowing cover drives off James Faulkner as he reached his 50 off 51 balls. With
Taylor for support, the fourth wicket partnership crossed the 100-run mark in 126 balls.
However, the New Zealand innings lost direction from that point. Taylor tried to steer a wide delivery
from Faulkner as Brad Haddin took a fantastic one-handed catch stretching to his right. Corey Anderson
(0) was fooled by a yorker as Faulkner suddenly cranked up the pace and the left-hander couldn’t get his
bat down.
From 150/3 New Zealand slumped to 150/5 and it soon became 151 for six as Mitchell Starc got Luke
Ronchi (0) to flash hard as Michael Clarke took a nice catch at first slip.

6. Daniel Vettori (9) was yorked by Johnson and Elliott, who looked good for a century was then taken by
Faulkner as it became 171 for eight.
PTI
Category: Australia, ICC Cricket World Cup Results, New ZealandMS Dhoni’s World Cup-winning bat on
display
New Delhi, March 22: Days before India play Australia in a World Cup semi-final at Sydney, the iconic bat
of Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni with which he hit the winning six in the 2011 World Cup final
has been put on display at Bengali Market here.
World Cup Special; Semi-final schedule
The bat entered the Guinness World Records and the Limca Book of Records after it was sold for
100,000 pounds on July 18, 2011. The current market value of the willow is estimated at Rs.1 crore.
File picture of MS Dhoni with 2011 World Cup trophy
The bat was bought by Amit Bhagchandka, chief executive officer (CEO) of R.K. Global, a financial
broking firm. Dhoni then autographed the bat.
A Dhoni fan, Bhagchandka told IANS: “The bat may be in possession of R.K. Global but it will forever
remain Dhoni’s property. We consider ourselves the custodian of his legacy.”
“Winning the 2011 World Cup was very overwhelming. From childhood we had only seen pictures of
Kapil Dev lifting the (1983) trophy. Dhoni gave us a chance to witness history in the making.”

7. Asked whether he would buy the captain’s bat again if India wins the 2015 edition, Bhagchandka said:
“Yes, I would buy it without any doubt. Let’s hope we return as winners. This time we have 11 Super
Heroes representing India.”
The Delhi-based entrepreneur plans to go to Australia to support the team in the World Cup semi-final
and, if India progress, in the final too.
Bhagchandka is all praise for the wicket keeper-batsman. “Dhoni is a very humble person and his down-
to-earth persona makes everyone love him.” The man should know. Since he bought the Dhoni bat, the
Indian skipper has become a friend.
Bhagchandka is confident that India will beat Australia in the semis and take on South Africa in the final.
South Africa will battle New Zealand in the first semi-final at Auckland on Tuesday. Defending champions
India play Australia two days later.
In the 2011 Cup final, Dhoni smashed the ball for a six over long on off Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan
Kulasekara to win the mega event for India after 28 long years. Kapil Dev had raised India’s maiden Cup
aloft at Lord’s Cricket Ground in 1983.
Since he joined Team India in 2004, the Ranchi-based Dhoni has emerged one of the world’s most
successful cricket captains. He is the only captain who has won all the three major ICC events: World
Cup, Champions Trophy and World T20. Dhoni is also the only player to be awarded the ICC ODI Player
of the Year — in 2008 and 2009.
Honoured with Padma Shri, Dhoni has thus far played 261 ODI matches, scoring 8,434 runs with nine
centuries and 57 half-centuries. He has caught behind the wicket 244 catches and has stumped 85
batsmen.
© IANS
Category: Cricket World Cup News, IndiaICC World Cup 2015 Semi-final Teams, Schedule

8. The semi-final line-up for the ICC World Cup 2015 is complete. The last and final team to make the cut
was New Zealand, on Saturday (March 21). (Martin Guptill smashes a record 237*)
South Africa were the first to reach the last-four after beating Sri Lanka by 9 wickets on March 18. On
Thursday (March 19), India also achieved an easy victory – by 109 runs over Bangladesh to make their
second semi-final in a row. (Special 100 for Dhoni)
On Friday (March 20), Australia defeated Pakistan by 6 wickets to set up a last-four meeting with India.
They will face off in the second semi-final on March 26. (Rain rules for semis)
In the fourth and last quarter-final on Saturday (March 21) New Zealand thrashed West Indies by 143
runs after Martin Guptill’s World Cup record 237 not out in Wellington.
All four quarter-finals turned out to be one-sided encounters. Heading into the semi-finals, India and
New Zealand are the only teams to have been unbeaten in the tournament. Both have won 7 matches in
a row.
Here is the semi-final schedule
Semi-final 1 (March 24, Tuesday) in Auckland – 6.30 AM IST
South Africa Vs New Zealand at Eden Park
Semi-final 2 (March 26, Thursday) in Sydney – 9.00 AM IST
India Vs Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)
Final (March 29, Sunday) in Melbourne – 9.00 AM IST
World Cup Quarter-final Results

9. QF 1 – South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 9 wickets
QF 2 – India beat Bangladesh by 109 runs
QF 3 – Australia beat Pakistan by 6 wickets
QF 4 – New Zealand beat West Indies by 143 runs