World Cup Cricket History

The idea of organising a World Cup of cricket was mooted and agreed to in principle in 1971 when such a proposal was discussed at a meeting of the International Cricket Conference in London. However, due to various commitments the tournaments could not be staged until 1975 when the original plan of a South African team's visit to England fell through following opposition to the country's racial policy. England's Prudential Assurance Company came forward with sponsorship and for three consecutive years - 1975, 1979 and 1983, the one-day limited overs cricket tournament was held in England. It became famous as the Prudential Cup.

In the first two tournaments, apart from the six full members of the International Cricket Conference (England, Australia, West Indies, New Zealand, India and Pakistan), Sri Lanka, before being elevated to Test status in 1981, had joined East Africa in 1975 and Canada in 1979 (two top teams among the associate members) to complete the groups in the tournaments proper. The West Indies, under Clive Lloyd, not only won the first two tournaments in 1975 and 1979 but in true Calypso style they produced sparkling cricket and confirmed their unassailable supremacy in this game. India broke the West Indian stranglehold in 1983 to open a new chapter in the brief annals of this prestigious tournament.