Ranking 5 worst Cricket World Cup anthems 

Every aspiring cricketer dreams of representing his nation at least once in the Cricket World Cup. After all, the ICC World Cup is the most prestigious stage and the biggest cricket competition.

Before the first game even starts, the world is always ready to unite for cricket's biggest tournament. World Cup songs have become an integral part of the build-up to the tournament as well.

In order to build up anticipation and enthusiasm for the sporting event, the ICC has endorsed and supported the creation and dissemination of World Cup songs.

We have heard a number of World Cup anthems over the years that have left a lasting impression on fans and captured a myriad of emotions that are associated with a Cricket World Cup.

Anthems, including 'De Ghuma Ke' (for the 2011 ODI World Cup) and 'It's time for us' (for the 2015 ODI World Cup), have stayed in people's memories and can still generate goosebumps in those who have grown up listening to those anthems.

Having said that, there have been some anthems that have been below par as well and have failed to create buzz among fans. On that note, we rank five of the worst cricket World Cup anthems.

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#5. "Stand By" - LORYN ft. Rudimental - ODI World Cup 2019

The ODI Cricket World Cup 2019 had undoubtedly the most dramatic endings as England lifted the trophy on a boundary count against New Zealand in the summit clash.

Before the tournament began, ICC launched the theme song - "Stand By" - sung by LORYN. The track also featured the British band Rudimental. The song celebrated the cultural diversity of the United Kingdom, and was well accepted by the fans.

Having said that, the track didn't garner as much traction as the theme songs of the 2011 and 2015 did.

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#4. "Welcome to our Home" - Busi Mhlongo, Nokwazi Dlamini and P.J. Powers - ODI World Cup 2003

The ODI World Cup 2003 anthem was named "Welcome to Our Home". It was composed by Sello Twhala and was sung by Busi Mhlongo, Nokwazi Dlamini, and P.J. Powers.

The track was first performed in the opening ceremony of the tournament, held in South Africa. The song was sung in multiple languages, including the traditional language of South Africa and English.

It would be fair to say that the track failed to create much hype among the fans and is still not considered one of the better cricket anthems.

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#3. "Char Chokka Hoi Hoi" - Dilshad Nahar Kona, Elita Karim and etc - T20 World Cup 2014

Char Chokka Hoi Hoi (Fours, Sixes, Fun and Games) was the official theme song of the 2014 ICC T20 World Cup, held in Bangladesh.

While most of the song is in Bengali, some phrases in the opening lines are in English as well.

The track is composed by famous Bangladeshi composer and artist Fuad al Muqtadir and has been sung by an ensemble of young vocalists, Dilshad Nahar Kona, Elita Karim, Pantha Kanai, Johan Alamgir and Sanvir Huda, to name a few.

The theme song received a mixed reactions from the fans. It received a lot of backlash as, in the opinion of many, the lyrics and the ensuing music video, in particular, failed to effectively convey Bangladeshi culture and tradition.

However, due to its catchy tune, it somewhat became popular in the country.

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#2. "Dil Jashn Bole" - Pritam - ODI World Cup 2023

The latest entrant on the list, the ICC, released the much-awaited theme song for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023.

The track, named "Dil Jashn Bole," featured the Bollywood pair of actor Ranveer Singh and composer Pritam. Moreover, the video also includes various social media stars.

The video attempted to capture the anticipation and hype generated by India's exclusive hosting of the tournament.

However, just as the ICC released the anthem on Wednesday (September 20), fans were quick to let their reactions know. Judging by the response, it won't be an overstatement to say that majority of fans didn’t like the anthem and were left disappointed.

While the makers tried their best to indulge fans with their tuneful music and catchy hook-step, viewers expected more ahead of the prestigious mega event.

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#1. "All over the World" - Dave Stewart - ODI World Cup 1999

The 1999 ODI World Cup was held in England. In what was an ignorant move by the ECB, they failed to release the song prior to the tournament.

Instead, the track was launched after the tournament’s group stages, even failing to secure a live performance of the song as part of the opening ceremony.

Moreover, Dave Stewart, the musician, did not have in mind the sport or the tournament when he wrote the song "All over the World". It was chosen since the organisers liked it and its reference to carnivals.

The song is infamous for selling dreadfully as it failed to soar up in the music charts. The track proved to be a letdown among cricketing fans all around the world.