Meg Lanning led Australia to a fifth victory after defeating the hosts South Africa by 19 runs in the championship match of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 at Newlands in Cape Town. She eclipsed famous captains Ricky Ponting and MS Dhoni on the record of most ICC titles won as captain. Incidentally, Australia also won the T20 World Cup in 2018 and 2020, giving them a hat-trick of victories in the tournament. Lanning is currently the most successful skipper in cricket history after winning yet another trophy. She became the first skipper to win three straight T20 World Cups with a victory over South Africa.
With her victory in the 2022 50-over World Cup, Lanning ensured Australia’s domination in the ICC competitions. With this current triumph, she also won her fourth T20 World Cup. As Australia won its third T20 World Cup championship in 2014, Lanning was the captain who first raised the ICC trophy. As a captain in both ODI and T20I matches, Lanning has incredible statistics. The strong Australian side has so far triumphed in 69 ODIs and 76 T20Is under her leadership. With five ICC titles, she has now surpassed the great Ponting and is undoubtedly the best captain in cricket history.
As Australia defeated India in the World Cup final in 2003, Ponting won his first ICC trophy as captain. Moreover, Ponting led Australia to two Champions Trophy victories and the 2007 ODI World Cup championship (2006 and 2009). The former Indian captain MS Dhoni sits in third place for having won three ICC trophies, behind Lanning’s five and Ponting’s four. He led India to victories in the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2007 T20 World Cup.
