1999
Final: Australia def. Pakistan by 8 wickets
Shane Warne was the star with four wickets in the final as Australia bowled out Pakistan for 132 at Lord's and eased to 133-2 from 20 overs thanks to Adam Gilchrist's 54 from 36 balls.
Australia's first World Cup since 1987 confirmed its status as cricket's premier limited-overs lineup but it was two matches against South Africa that went down in cricketing folklore.
Australia won the teams' first meeting in the inaugural Super Sixes stage by five wickets, with Steve Waugh scoring a match-winning 120. The Australia captain was dropped by a prematurely celebrating Herschelle Gibbs when he was on 56 and was said to have told the South African, "You've just dropped the World Cup."
Waugh denied saying it, but the comment rang true after the teams met in the semifinal.
With victory in sight, South Africa's Allan Donald was run out with two balls left following a shocking miscommunication with allrounder Lance Klusener. The match ended in a tie, with both teams on 213 all out, allowing Australia to advance by virtue of its win in the earlier head-to-head match.
After two losses in its first three matches, Australia simply hit form at the right time and rode its luck.
Host England and the fading West Indies were knocked out in the first round of the 12-team tournament.
