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39 unusual facts about Cricket World Cup


1975 English cricket season

The 1975 English cricket season was notable for hosting the first-ever Cricket World Cup which was won by West Indies, who defeated Australia in an exciting final.

1983 English cricket season

The 1983 English cricket season was the scene for the third Cricket World Cup which was won by India.

2013 Ashes series

With the intent of breaking the cycle of Ashes series being held directly before Cricket World Cups, the Ashes were brought forward in the schedule by one year, starting with the 2013–14 series in Australia.

2013–14 Ashes series

This rescheduling was to avoid clashes between Ashes series in Australia and the Cricket World Cup, both previously held very close together in their four-year cycles.

2015 Ashes series

The ECB have also commented that having three Ashes series in two years will also prevent any future Ashes series down-under from affecting World Cup preparations.

This rescheduling was to avoid a clash with the 2015 World Cup, to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand, and future World Cup preparations.

However, this rescheduling will cause England to host an Ashes series in 2019 immediately after the 2019 World Cup in England.

Ali Shah

Representing Zimbabwe at the 1983, 1987 and 1992 Cricket World Cup tournaments, Shah's 37 runs off 31 balls against India at Indore helped Zimbabwe to snatch a rare 'tie' in ODIs.

Colin Croft

During the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup Croft provided analysis for the BBC's Test Match Special radio coverage on all the Guyana based matches.

Colts Cricket Club

The ICC has so far hosted three of their tournaments in Sri Lanka with success the under-19 World Cup in 2000 and 2006 and the Champions Trophy in 2002.

Courtney Walsh

Walsh is also famous for his sportsmanlike gesture of not mankading last man Saleem Jaffar of Pakistan in a World Cup match in 1987, which cost the West Indies the match and a place in the semi-finals.

Damien Fleming

Fleming's ODI record is equally impressive, representing his country 88 times including two World Cup finals and taking 134 wickets at an average of 25.38.

Dayle Hadlee

At the 1975 World Cup he took seven economical wickets in the three qualifying matches but was severely punished by Alvin Kallicharran in the semi-final against West Indies.

Dermot Reeve

Reeve played only three Test matches for England, but his improvising style was better suited to One Day Internationals and he made twenty nine appearances in this form of the game, appearing in both the 1992 and 1996 World Cups.

Eddo Brandes

Eddo André Brandes (born 5 March 1963) is a former Zimbabwean cricketer who played in 10 Tests and 59 ODIs from 1987 to 1999, spanning four World Cups.

Fiji Television

It was founded on 15 June 1994 as the first permanent commercial television broadcasting network in the country, although television had previously been introduced temporarily in October 1991 to broadcast the Rugby World Cup as well as Cricket World Cup.

Hasantha Fernando

After just one first-class season, spent with Sebastianites Sports Club, he impressed the selectors after having made three centuries, and was an ideal player to be picked for the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

Ian Harvey

He appeared for Australia in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa as a replacement for the injured Watson.

Indian cricket team in Australia in 2011–12

Sachin Tendulkar was also in the squad, although he had not played an ODI since the final of the World Cup in April 2011.

Australia's recent record was not inspiring, meekly losing the Ashes series, not going to the semifinals of the Cricket World Cup for the first time since 1992, and drawing two prior Test series against South Africa away and against New Zealand at home.

Lameck Onyango

Though missing Kenya's World Cup campaign of 2003, he was recalled for 2004's Champions Trophy.

Mohammad Sheikh

Sheikh took part in the senior Cricket World Cup of 1999, while just eighteen and still at school, and, the following year, took part in the Under-19s Cricket World Cup.

Mushtaq Ahmed

In 1992, Mushtaq was part of the Pakistan team which won the Cricket World Cup.

Mushtaq was part of the Pakistan team which won the 1992 Cricket World Cup, and five years later, he was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year.

N. K. P. Salve

Former Union minister and president of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) (1982–1985), he was instrumental in bringing the Cricket World Cup outside England and to the Indian subcontinent in 1987.

Peter Rawson

An opening bowler and useful lower-order batsman, Rawson represented Zimbabwe at the Cricket World Cup in 1983 and 1987-88.

Punjab Cricket Association Stadium

One of the most famous one-day matches on this ground was a thrilling Cricket World Cup semi-final encounter between Australia and West Indies in 1996.

Richard Illingworth

Illingworth did not to play another Test until 1995, although he retained his one-day place for a couple of years, and did well in the 1992 World Cup.

He also appeared four times in the 1996 World Cup, but thereafter the selectors' preference turned decisively to Tufnell, and Illingworth never played international cricket again.

Rohan Kanhai

In the 1975 World Cup final, when he was grey-haired and 40, his steady half-century set the platform for an explosive innings by Clive Lloyd.

Scrumpy Jack

The brand was also publicised by Symonds official sponsorship of the England national rugby union team in the mid-1990s, the English cricket team, and the Cricket World Cup in 1999.

Shane Lee

Despite being included in the 1996 and 1999 World Cup squads, he only really established himself in the team in the 1999-2000 Carlton and United Series along with the emergence of his younger brother, fast bowler Brett Lee.

Simon O'Donnell

He played in Australia's 1987 World Cup Final victory, but soon after he suffered severe pain that was diagnosed as non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Sport in Northern Ireland

The 2007 World Cup which was held in the West Indies was a very successful tournament for the Irish Cricket team.

Cricket is now getting more and more popular thanks to Ireland's successful Cricket World Cup campaign in 2007 and 2011.

SWALEC Stadium

It is possible that the revamped stadium could host seven Test matches, nine One Day Internationals and two World Cup games up to 2028, injecting at least £50m into the local economy.

The Australian Bar and Restaurant

The Australian Bar and Restaurant is an Australian pub and restaurant in New York City that hosts live performances regularly and has Australian sports shown regularly like Australian Football League, National Rugby League, Super Rugby and Cricket World Cup.

Trevin Bastiampillai

He also played for the Canada Under 19 team in the 2004 World Cup, as did his brother Gavin.

Warren Stott

His one taste of international cricket came in the 1979 Cricket World Cup in England.


British Cricket Balls Ltd

In 1999, the company introduced the controversial white ball for that year's Cricket World Cup.

Outline of Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis is the smallest nation on Earth to ever host a World Cup event; it was one of the host venues of the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

Sri Lanka national cricket team

The Sri Lankan cricket team reached the finals of the 2007 and 2011 Cricket World Cups consecutively.