List of great players who never won the World cup in their careers

List of great players who never won the World cup in their careers: Winning a World Cup is a dream that every cricketer has. Some go on to fulfill it and add the best feather to their cap, while some try and try multiple times, but fail to add a World cup to their resume. Here we bring you 10 of the greatest players to not win the World Cup. (Note: The list is not in any order and does not have any current player. The list is author’s choice.) 15. Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan 2011-2015) Misbah-ul-Haq played his last World Cup game against Australia.(Photo Source:ICC) Pakistani captain Misbah-ul-Haq has played his final World Cup match against Australia in 2015 World Cup QF loss. He played his first World Cup in 2011 and reached the semi-finals in that tournament. He led Pakistan to the QFs this time with 2 huge losses to West Indies and India, and then 2 improbable wins against South Africa and Zimbabwe. But their batting and fielding let them down and Australia beat them in a well fought match. Misbah will continue to play ODIs but another World Cup appearance in 2019 looks far fetched as he his already 41 years old. 14. Younis Khan (Pakistan 2003-2015) Younis Khan debuted in 2003 World Cup (Photo Source: Getty Images) Younis Khan debuted in the World Cup in 2003 and ends his World Cup career in 2015, having sit out the QF against Australia. He had a lackluster World Cup and was made to sit-out after just 2 games in the start. He came back against South Africa, but was dropped from the playing XI in the QFs. 13. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan 1999-2015) Shahid Afridi retires from ODI cricket after Pakistan’s loss to Australia. (Photo Source : AFP) Shahid Afridi announced his retirement from ODI cricket after the World Cup and now after the loss to Australia in the QFs, he bids goodbye to a format that made him famous. He debuted in World Cup in 1999, but performed wonderfully in the 2011 edition picking 21 wickets. He was lackluster in his final World Cup and scored 21 runs in his final match. 12. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka 2003-2015) Kumar Sangakkara has scored 14234 runs in his ODI Career.(© Getty Images) Compatriot of Mahela Jayawardene and Captain of Sri Lankan team in the 2011 World Cup final loss, Sangakkara ended his ODI career along with Jayawardene after the QF loss to South Africa in the ongoing 2015 World Cup. He did hit 4 centuries in 4 matches on a trot, a record no other batsman holds. 11. Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka 1999-2015) Mahela Jayawardene has scored 12650 runs in his ODI Career. (Photo Source: BCCI) World Cup finalist in 2007 as Captain and scoring a century in 2011 World Cup final couldn’t win the World Cup for Mahela Jayawardene. One of the silkiest players of the cricket ball and the best ODI player for Sri Lanka for a long period of time, he retired from cricket after Sri Lanka’s loss to South Africa in the 2015 World Cup QF. He did win the World T20 in 2014. 10. Stephen Fleming (New Zealand 1996-2007) Fleming retired in 2008 from cricket. (Photo Source: Getty Images) The former Kiwi Captain made his World Cup debut in the 1996 edition. The team was captained by Lee Germon in that edition. Though New Zealand managed to reach the quarterfinals but that was it for them. The next edition in 1999 saw Fleming at the helm and New Zealand reaching the supr six stages. Same thing repeated in the 2003 edition in South Africa. But New Zealand managed to reach the semis in the 2007 World cup, but was defeated by Sri Lanka. Fleming retired in 2008 form cricket. He was a wonderful captain who aimed for the best for his team and the team responded to it. But the World Cup victory remained elusive for him. His best World cup performance came in 2007 when he scored 353 runs at an average of 39. Fleming also holds the record for most fours in an innings in a World cup match (21). 9. Gary Kirsten (South Africa 1996-2003) Gary Kirsten is considered as one of the greatest openers in World cricket. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Gary Kirsten is considered as one of the greatest openers in World cricket. South Africa made it into the semifinals of the World cups in 1999. He made a record 188 not out, a record for highest score in World cup in 1996 World cup. Though he did win the World cup in 2011 as the coach of Indian team, but he still laments never winning the World cup as a player. 8. Waqar Younis (Pakistan 1996-2003) He missed the chance to become the World cup champion and made his delayed debut in the 1996 World cup. (Photo Source: Vic Isaacs / © Victor Isaacs) One half of the dangerous Ws, Waqar Younis was supposed to make his World cup debut in 1992, but hurt his back during the trials for the World cup. He missed the chance to become the World cup champion and made his delayed debut in the 1996 World cup. Pakistan reached the quarterfinal only to get ousted by India. He again got a chance when Pakistan reached the finals in 1999. But Australia beat them for the title. Younis captained Pakistan in the 2003 edition but was once again unsuccessful and retired form cricket afterwards. 7. Anil Kumble (India 1996-2007) Kumble took 31 wickets in 18 World cup matches with a best of 4 for 32. (Photo Source: AFP) One of the greatest spinners of all time, Anil Kumble also features in the list of greatest players not to win a World Cup. He debuted in the 1996 World cup and topped the most wickets chart with 15 wickets in the tournament, but India was ousted by Sri Lanka in the semifinals. India didn’t fare well in the 1999 edition and despite reaching the 2003 World cup final, Kumble played just a single match against Pakistan. The 2007 World cup group stage exit proved to Kumble’s last ODI tournament as he retired from ODI after that. Kumble took 31 wickets in 18 World cup matches with a best of 4 for 32. 6. Curtly Ambrose (West Indies 1992-1999) The tall fast bowler picked up 24 wickets in 17 matches. (Photo Source: ESPNcricinfo Ltd ) The 6’8’’ inches fast bowler was a menacing site to look at, coming into bowl at top speed and ball coming down from 10 feet in air either at your toes or at your throat. Ambrose first took part in World cup in 1992 and did well. But the best performance came in 1996, when West Indies reached the semifinals, only to be defeated by Australia. The tall fast bowler picked up 24 wickets in 17 matches. 5. Allan Donald (South Africa 1992-2003) Donald retired after the 2003 edition in which he managed to take just 1 wicket. (Photo Source: ESPNcricinfo Ltd) The ‘White Lightening’ debuted in the 1992 World cup which celebrated the return of South Africa in the international fold. Donald helped South Africa reach the semifinals of the tournament. Donald played in the subsequent editions with success even reaching the semifinals in 1999 World cup. He was the last man run out in the famous tie- match which knocked out South Africa out of the tournament. Donald retired after the 2003 edition in which he managed to take just 1 wicket. Overall, he took 38 wickets in 25 matches. Donald is widely regarded as one of the best fast bowlers ever, was also one of the fastest during his time. 4. Jacques Kallis (South Africa 1996-2011) The greatest modern all-rounder Kallis also retired in 2014 despite being in the scheme of things for the upcoming 2015 World cup. (Photo Source: Zimbio) The greatest modern all-rounder Kallis also retired in 2014 despite being in the scheme of things for the upcoming 2015 World cup. Jacques Kallis first played in the 1996 World cup and scored 1148 runs in 36 matches until the 2011 World cup. He also took 21 wickets in World cup. Jacques Kallis had retired in 2014 from Tests after the India series in order to focus on the 2015 World Cup. But a poor ODI series against Sri Lanka forced him to reconsider his position in the team and he announced his retirement from ODIs in order to give a younger player a chance to win the World cup for South Africa. 3. Rahul Dravid (India 1999-2007) Dravid was the captain of India in the 2007 World cup debacle. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Known as ‘The Wall’, Rahul Dravid made his World cup debut in 1999 and made it a memorable one. He top scored for India with over 400 runs with 2 centuries. Dravid also kept wickets for team’s sake in 2003 edition so that India could play an extra batsman. Dravid was the captain of India in the 2007 World cup debacle. Dravid who was not considered an ODI batsman at the time of his debut, turned that reputation around in 1999 World cup. In all, Dravid scored 860 runs in 22 matches with the highest score of 145 runs against Sri Lanka in 1999 world cup. Despite scoring 10,000 runs in ODI format, Dravid could not win the elusive World cup trophy. 2. Brian Lara (West Indies 1992-2007) Lara announced his retirement from the game after an unsuccessful 2007 home World cup campaign. (Photo Source : Getty Images) Probably the greatest left handed batsman in the history of the game, Brian Charles Lara made his mark in the World Cup tournament also. Lara played his first World cup in 1992 and made an immediate impact with an attacking century against a 10 wicket win over Pakistan. He then lead West Indies to a semifinal berth in 1996 World cup, again scoring a scintillating century against South Africa in the quarterfinals of the tournament. Lara announced his retirement from the game after an unsuccessful 2007 home World cup campaign. Overall he scored 1225 runs in 34 matches with a highest 116. 1. Sourav Ganguly (India 1999-2007) Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly led India into the finals of the 2003 World cup in South Africa. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly led India into the finals of the 2003 World cup in South Africa. Ganguly made his World cup debut in 1999 along with Rahul Dravid and made an immediate impact with a brutal 183 against Sri Lanka, which is the second highest individual score in World Cup history. Ganguly scored 3 centuries in India’s almost successful 2003 campaign including a century against Kenya in semi-finals of the tournament. Sourav Ganguly scored 1006 runs in 21 matches at an average of 55 in World cups.

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List of great players who never won the World cup in their careers

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