2007
Final: Australia def. Sri Lanka by 53 runs
Australia clinched an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup title after a rain-reduced final that ended in farcical circumstances in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Adam Gilchrist smashed 149 -- posting the fastest century and highest score in a World Cup final -- as Australia scored 281-4 from 38 overs against Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka was 206-7 with three overs to go when its two batsmen left the field amid dark and overcast conditions, prompting celebrations among the Australians and the crowd, who thought the game was over.
After some confusion on the field, the batsmen returned and the game resumed in near darkness.
Lasith Malinga was subsequently run out and the final few balls were played out in surreal circumstances as Sri Lanka had no hope of victory.
"It's a bit dark, but I'm loving every minute of it," said veteran Australian paceman Glenn McGrath, who along with Gilchrist collected his third consecutive World Cup winners' medal. Gilchrist and McGrath then retired from international cricket.
Brian Lara also retired from international cricket after being unable to guide the hosts and two-time champion West Indies to the title in the first World Cup ever staged in the Caribbean.
The tournament was overshadowed by the death of Pakistan's England-born coach Bob Woolmer. He was found unconscious in his hotel room the day after Pakistan's shocking loss to Ireland in the group stage, sparking a homicide investigation in Jamaica.
The local authorities initially said Woolmer had been strangled. In an embarrassing reversal, police later said experts had concluded he died of natural causes, most likely heart disease.
The group-stage exits of Pakistan and India also detracted from the tournament, while some individual performances left marks that will take a long time to beat.
Herschelle Gibbs became the first batsman to hit six sixes in one over in an international match when he belted consecutive sixes off Dutch legspinner Daan van Bunge in the 30th over of a group match at St. Kitts.
South Africa was on the receiving end of a record when Sri Lanka's Malinga took four wickets with four consecutive balls -- also a first in international cricket.
When Malinga ran in for the fifth ball of the 45th over of the match at Guyana, South Africa needed four runs to win and had five wickets in hand.
The paceman took four wickets to turn what should have been a comfortable victory into a tense, last-over, one-wicket win.
