The one-day international format is a 50-over format played with a white ball. The captains have always played a huge role in winning the matches since the game was first played. The skipper in a team is looked upon as someone with power and trust. The way of leading the side makes a huge impact on the team’s performance. In marquee tournaments like the World Cup, the skipper’s role becomes even more important because of the pressure. In this article, we have written about the top 10 captains with the most wins in ODI World Cups.
1. Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting was the most successful skipper in the history of ODI World Cups. Not just a great captain, but also one of the best batters in the history of cricket. He was a former top-order right-handed batter and the captain in both formats. He is one of the only two skippers in the world to lead his side to victory in consecutive ODI WCs in 2003 and 2007. The player is regarded among the best ever to grace the game of cricket. His heroics with the bat in hand were just unbelievable. The batter retired with 71 international centuries. In the 2003, 2007, and 2011 World Cups, Ponting led Australia in 29 matches. He won 26 matches as captain in the ODI World Cups with a win percentage of 89.66.
2. Stephen Fleming
Stephen Fleming was a former Kiwi skipper who led his nation in three World Cup editions from 1999 to 2007. The left-handed batter did not win any cup for his nation but is widely regarded as one of the best skippers for New Zealand in the history of the game. He is also a prominent part of the famous Indian Premier League. The former New Zealand player is the head coach of the Chennai Super Kings. He played 27 matches as the skipper of the team in the ODI World Cups. Out of those 27 matches, NZ won 16 matches. Fleming retired from ODI cricket in 2008.
3. Clive Llyod
Clive Llyod was a former West Indian skipper and left-handed batter. Widely regarded among the best West Indian skippers of all time, the southpaw was a genius of the game who understood and dominated each aspect of it. The great Clive Llyod was born in Queenstown in 1944 and made his ODI debut against England in 1973. He was the first-ever captain to win an ODI World Cup in 1975. This was not enough for him as he led his team to another WC glory four years later in 1979. Under his captaincy, the West Indies even made it to the finals of the 1983 WC only to finish as the second-best. He won 15 out of the 17 games he played as captain in the ODI WC.
4. MS Dhoni
Mahendra Singh Dhoni was not just a former wicket-keeper batter and the captain of India, he was the messiah of Indian cricket. Dhoni made his debut as a wicketkeeper and a middle-order batter against Bangladesh in 2004 and retired in 2019 as an emotion. The fans would connect with him emotionally. Such was his presence in the field. His heroics with the bat in hand during the dying moments of the game were just unimaginable. The player who defined Indian cricket to the best of its ability, MS Dhoni led India to three ICC trophies within six years. As far as ODI WC is concerned, he won 14 out of the 17 matches he played as captain.
5. Imran Khan
Imran Khan was a former bowling all-rounder for Pakistan and undoubtedly, among the best in the world. The right-arm fast bowler and a middle-order right-handed batter who could strike the ball with ease made his ODI debut against England in 1974. He was the best-ever skipper for Pakistan and led the team to World Cup glory in 1992. In 22 matches as captain in the ODI WCs from 1983 to 1992, Imran won 14 matches with a win percentage of 63.64.
6. Graeme Smith
Graeme Smith was a former left-handed opening batter and the captain for South Africa. Born in 1981, the player made his ODI debut against Australia in 2002. He was one of the best left-handed batters of his time. Although he could not win a trophy for South Africa, he is regarded among the best skippers in the nation. He won 6 out of 11 games as captain in ODI WC from 2007 to 2011.
7. Allan Border
Allan Border was one of the finest Australian skippers. He was one of the few who led his team from the front. After his debut against England in 1979, the left-handed batter became a regular inclusion in the team. From 1987 to 1992, the player led his nation in 16 WC games and emerged victorious in 11 of them with a win percentage of 68.75.
8. Hansie Cronje
One of the best players in South Africa, Hansie Cronje was a former batting all-rounder who made his ODI debut against Australia in 1992. He was widely regarded as someone who could win an ICC trophy for his nation. As captain from 1996 to 1999 in ODI WCs, he won 11 out of 15 games with a win percentage of 73.33. The player succumbed to a match-fixing scandal in 2000 and was banned by the ICC.
9. Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev will always be remembered in Indian cricket among the best skippers of the nation. The mastermind behind the WC glory in 1983 against the mighty West Indies, the bowling all-rounder made his ODI debut against Pakistan in 1978. In 15 matches as captain in the ODI WCs, he won 11 with a win percentage of 73.33.
10. Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram was a former left-arm fast bowler and the skipper for Pakistan. He was the best fast bowler of his time and was unplayable with his deadly reverse swingers. After his ODI debut against New Zealand in 1984, the bowler led his team in two WCs from 1996 to 1999. He won 10 out of the 15 WC matches as captain.
