The 2023 ODI World Cup won by Australia, the deserving champions and India who had won 10 Matches in a row failed to cross the final hurdle. This was the most successful World Cup in history as more than 300 Million people watched the Final on TV and more than 530 Million people watched the World Cup in total. There have been some truly great players who have never won the World Cup. There will be no player from Australia in this list because they have won it 6 times.

Let’s look at 10 legendary cricketers who never won the ODI World Cup

1) Brian Lara – West Indies

One of the greatest ever to have never won an ODI World Cup has to be Brian Lara. Brian Lara was someone who deserved to get his hands on the ICC Cricket World Cup. He played 299 ODIs for West Indies and he scored 10405 runs in his ODI career. The West Indies team was not competitive at his time. He did win the 2004 Champions Trophy with West Indies but the World Cup eluded him. A look at the Best Innings of Brian Lara

2) AB De Villiers – South Africa

There can be a long list of all the South African greats who never got to win the World Cup but the greatest of them all who absolutely deserved to win but was unable to was AB De Villiers. He has been one of the best players in the world for the last 20 years. He played 228 ODI Matches for South Africa and he made 9577 runs at an average of 53.50 and an amazing strike rate of 101. He is one of the rarest players to have an average of 53+ and a strike rate of 100+ in ODI Cricket and in the  2015 World Cup he also scored the fastest 150 in ODI cricket.

3) Graham Gooch – England

Perhaps one of the most unluckiest players ever to win a World Cup is Graham Gooch of England. He was one of the best players in ODI Cricket when he played and he played in the 1992 World Cup Final against Pakistan but lost. He played 124 ODIs for England and he scored 4292 runs at an average of 36.96. He was also someone that should have won the World Cup but failed at the Final hurdle.

4) Chris Gayle – West Indies

Yet another great left handed batter from West Indies makes this list and he is someone who is as Legendary as Brian Lara and he did not win the ODI World Cup. He has played in multiple editions and in 2015 he made a double hundred in the ODI World Cup. He has played 301 ODIs for West Indies and has made 10480 runs at an average of 37.83. He has also hit 25 hundreds for West Indies in ODI Cricket. He has won T20I World Cup titles in 2012 and 2016 with West Indies but the ODI one eluded him. Here are Best Performances of Chris Gayle

5) Sourav Ganguly – India

One of the greatest Indian players in ODI Cricket to have never won an ODI World Cup. He came so close in 2003 when he led the Indian team to the final of 2003 and they lost against Australia. Sourav Ganguly is widely respected across the world and he was the one who brought Indian cricket out from the match fixing scandal in 1999. He played 311 ODIs for India and he made 11363 runs at an average of 41.02. He scored 22 hundreds in his ODI career. Ganguly has a lot of records to his name as well.

6) Rahul Dravid – India

The other great Indian player who was unable to win the ODI World Cup Is Rahul Dravid. He has been unlucky twice, once as a player in 2003 and then as a coach in 2023. He lost in the Final both times and both times to Australia. He played 344 ODIs for India. He made 10889 runs in those Matches and he deserved to win at least one of the 2 Finals. The legacy of Rahul Dravid will always be at the top but a World Cup would have been cherry on top.

7) Jacques Kallis – South Africa

The greatest all rounder of all time not getting to win an ODI World Cup does not seem fair but it is the reality. Jacques Kallis who is one of the only ones to score more than 11000+ runs and take more than 250 wickets. He has played 328 ODIs for South Africa and he has made 11579 runs at a good average of 44.36. He has also taken 273 Wickets in ODIs. He served South African cricket with distinction and yet he was not able to win a World Cup.

8) Kumar Sangakkara – Sri Lanka

This list would not be complete without the name of Kumar Sangakkara. The second highest run getter in ODIs has come close 2 times to winning but both times Sri Lanka lost in the final. In 2007, they lost to the most dominant Australian team and then in 2011, they lost to India in the final. Kumar Sangakkara was the captain of Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup. He has played 404 ODI Matches for Sri Lanka and he has made 14324 Runs at an average of 42. He has made 25 centuries in ODI Cricket out of which he made 4 in 4 consecutive innings in the 2015 World Cup. Check here Best Kumar Sangakkara innings

9) Sir Ian Botham – England

Another England player in this list and he is perhaps the greatest all rounder in the history of English cricket. Ian Botham was someone who was the hero of so many young players. He played 116 ODIs for England In which he made 2113 runs and he also took 145 Wickets for England. Sir Ian Botham was also one of the great cricketers who unluckily was not able to win the ODI World Cup.

10) Waqar Younis – Pakistan

The only great cricketer from Pakistan in this list because they have already won in 1992 and a lot of the best players in Pakistan have won it. The only one who was unable to win was Waqar Younis. He was unfortunately injured before the 1992 World Cup and so was not able to join in the glory. He has played 262 ODIs for Pakistan and he has taken 416 Wickets in ODI Cricket which is the 3rd highest in history behind his teammate Wasim Akram.