The countdown for the cricket tournament of the year has started and the fans just cannot keep calm. While the ICC World Cup brings a wave of excitement every time it enters our lives, it also brings its fair share of controversies. The history of this tournament is riddled with controversies. No matter which era you look at, you will probably find a controversy or rather controversies sitting at the centre of it.

Today, we take a look at some of the most talked-about issues that crept up in the midst of the tournament over the years.

Here are five of our top picks for most famous ICC World Cup controversies.

ICC Cricket World Cup 1992: South Africa gets eliminated due to the rain rule

In the 1992 World Cup semi-finals, South Africa, who were playing their first-ever World Cup tournament, needed 22 runs off 13 balls to beat the England team, which had put up 252 for six on the scoreboard. The game had to be stopped later because of rain. Once the players got back on the field, South Africa’s target on the scoreboard read 22 runs off seven balls. Given the rain rule at the time, South Africa’s target was revised to 21 off 1 ball, effectively handing the victory to England. Thai rule later faced heavy criticism and eventually led to changes in the rain rule system.

ICC World Cup 1996: Eden Gardens infamous moment

One of the most infamous moments in the ICC World Cup history is the Eden Gardens incident from 1996. During the semifinal match between India and Sri Lanka, the host team were chasing a target of 252 runs. However, the Indian side saw a quick collapse after Sachin Tenmdulkar got knocked out at 65. The team lost the next six wickets for just 22 runs. 

Following this, the crowd, with a defeat in sight, threw bottles onto the ground and set fire to the seats. The match was eventually awarded to Sri Lanka who ultimately won the title.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2003: Shane Warne’s ban

In the 2003 World Cup, Australian spinner Shane Warne received a one-year ban on the eve of Australia’s tournament opener against Pakistan. Warne had tested positive for a diuretic known as Moduretic, which is known to mask the presence of other prohibited substances. The Australian board announced that Warne informed them he had failed a routine drug test carried out on January 22 and that he would be returning home immediately. The absence of one of Australia’s key players was a significant blow to the team.

ICC World Cup 2007: Death of Pakistan’s coach Bob Woolmer

Perhaps one of the most intriguing cases the cricketing world has ever seen is the death of Pakistan’s former coach Bob Woolmer during the ICC World Cup 2007. The 58-year-old coach was found unconscious in his hotel room in Jamaica right after his team had been defeated by Ireland. Woolmer was pronounced dead soon after arriving at Kingston hospital. A murder investigation was later launched after a pathologist’s report alleged death by asphyxiation. Three months after Woolmer’s death, police said that they believed the coach died of natural causes.

ICC World Cup 2007: Andrew Flintoff stripped of Vice-captaincy 

Back in 2007, England’s Andrew Flintoff was stripped of his vice-captaincy role midway through the tournament after his involvement in an unfortunate drunken mishap after he was seen falling off a boat in Saint Lucia. Flintoff later said he was “embarrassed and ashamed” by his behaviour.