ICC World Cup Analysis

Overview

This project dives deep into the rich data of ICC World Cup matches, revealing insights hidden in every run, wicket, and over bowled. Using advanced EDA techniques and R programming, it combines two powerful analyses, performance trends and winning patterns, to guide strategic thinking for future ICC tournaments.

Tools and Technologies

1. Language: R Programming, Python

2. Environment: Google Colab

3. Data Source: Kaggle

4. Libraries: ggplot2, dplyr, readr, lubridate, etc.

Part 1: Player Performance Analysis 

Objective: Analyze individual player statistics to identify top performers and patterns across ICC World Cup editions.

• Batting Dominance

  • Virat Kohli had the highest runs overall.

  • Rohit Sharma smashed the most sixes.

• Bowling Impact

  • Mitchell Starc led both in wicket-taking and in conceding extras — a high-impact player.

• Consistency Watch

  • Shakib Al Hasan emerged as one of the most consistent performers across matches and editions.

Part 2: Strategic Insights from Match Outcomes 

Objective: Understand match-winning patterns based on toss decisions, innings scores, and venue effects.

• Toss Strategy:

  • Teams fielding first after winning the toss had a slightly better win rate (95.10%) than those batting first (92.44%).

• Total Run Distribution:

  • Inning 1 Dominance in Scoring: The Teams batting first (Inning 1 - blue) tend to score higher than those chasing. The peak scoring range for Inning 1 lies between 230 and 290 runs, while Inning 2 skews lower. 

  • Pressure in Chases: Inning 2 (yellow) shows a notable drop-off in scores beyond 250, suggesting chasing teams often struggle to match the totals set in the first innings — especially under pressure in knockouts or high-stakes games. 

• Total Wicket Distribution:

  • More Wickets Fall in the Second Innings: The second innings (red) shows significantly higher frequencies of full dismissals (10 wickets) compared to the first innings. This suggests that chasing teams are more likely to collapse, especially while attempting to accelerate under scoreboard pressure. 

  • Strategic Implication: Teams with strong bowling lineups may prefer defending a total rather than chasing, as batting second seems riskier in terms of collapse likelihood. 

• Venue Trends:

  • High-scoring venues included Sher-e-Bangla Stadium and Harare Sports Club, indicating batting-friendly conditions.