1992 Cricket World Cup – In Numbers

Wasim Akram smashed 33 off 18 balls before taking three crucial wickets as his brilliant all-round show helped Pakistan lift the World Cup for the first time.

The ICC Cricket World Cup 1992, the fifth edition of the tournament, was held between February 22 and March 25, and was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. It was the first World Cup to be played in coloured clothing. It also marked the use of white cricket balls, black sightscreens and matches being played under floodlights in a World Cup.

Apart from being the first World Cup to be held in the southern hemisphere, it also was the first World Cup in which South Africa participated. A round-robin stage replaced the use of two qualifying groups. The initial draw had eight countries and 28 round-robin matches, but following South Africa's inclusion, the revised draw consisted of nine teams with 36 round-robin matches with the two semi-finals and the final.

New Zealand, England, South Africa and Pakistan eventually qualified for the semi-finals. Pakistan beat New Zealand in the first semi-final to seal its maiden World Cup final berth, while England beat South Africa in a rain-affected game in the other-semi-final. In the final, Wasim Akram’s brilliant all-round show – smashing 33 off 18 balls and then taking three crucial wickets – was complemented by Imran Khan’s captain’s innings of 72 as Pakistan lifted the World Cup for the first time.

Matches: 39

Total Runs Scored: 15107

Total Wickets Taken: 514

Highest Run Scorers

Martin Crowe (New Zealand) – 456 runs in nine matches
Javed Miandad (Pakistan) – 437 runs in nine matches
Peter Kirsten (South Africa) – 410 in eight matches
David Boon (Australia) – 368 runs in eight matches
Rameez Raja (Pakistan) – 349 runs in eight matches


Highest Wicket Takers

Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 18 wickets in ten matches
Ian Botham (England) – 16 wickets in ten matches
Mushtaq Ahmed (Pakistan) – 16 wickets in nine matches
Chris Harris (New Zealand) – 16 wickets in nine matches
Eddo Brandes (Zimbabwe) – 14 wickets in eight matches

Highest Scores

Rameez Raja (Pakistan) – 119* off 155 balls against New Zealand at Christchurch
Andy Flower (Zimbabwe) – 115* off 152 balls against Sri Lanka at New Plymouth
Aamer Sohail (Pakistan) – 114 off 136 balls against Zimbabwe at Hobart
Phil Simmons (West Indies) – 110 off 125 balls against Sri Lanka at Berri
Rameez Raja (Pakistan) – 102* off 158 balls against West Indies at Melbourne

Best Bowling Figures

Meyrick Pringle (South Africa) – 4/11 against West Indies at Christchurch
Eddo Brandes (Zimbabwe) – 4/21 against England at Albury
Chris Lewis (England) – 4/30 against Sri Lanka at Ballarat
Ian Botham (England) – 4/31 against Australia at Sydney
Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 4/32 against New Zealand at Christchurch