WORLD CUP FACTS 

Did you know..... ?

• The World Cup began in 1975, with eight (8) teams participating, and fifteen (15) matches played in fifteen (15) days
• In 2003, fourteen (14) teams played fifty-four (54) matches in forty-three (43) days
• Neutral umpires stood for the first time in 1987
• Coloured clothing with the player's name was introduced in 1992
• The 3rd umpire studied his first monitor in 1996
• The controversial Super Sixes was introduced in 1999
• In 1987, the matches were reduced from 60 overs to 50 overs when the World Cup was hosted in India/Pakistan because of the shortened daylight hours there
• A pinch-hitter refers to a batsman promoted up the order who goes for his shots from the start
• The first pinch-hitter was New Zealand’s bewhiskered Mark Greatbatch, who in 1992, playing in seven (7) matches made 313 runs off 356 balls, hitting thirty-two (32) fours and thirteen (13) sixes
• The first World Cup match to be abandoned was in 1996, because of unruly behaviour when a group of Indian fans in Calcutta began throwing bottles on the field as India was losing to Sri Lanka
• Sri Lanka became the first side batting second to win the World Cup in 1996
• In 2003, Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar, bowled cricket’s first recorded 100 mph delivery against England’s Nick Knight
•  Canada’s John Davison smashed a 67 ball century against the West Indies in 2003, the fastest century in World Cup history
• In the 1975 World Cup Tournament 15 matches were played
• In the 1979 World Cup Tournament 14 matches were played
• In the 1983 and 1987 World Cup Tournaments 27 matches were played
• In the 1992 World Cup Tournament 39 matches were played
• In the 1996 World Cup Tournament 36 matches were played
• In the 1999 World Cup Tournament 42 matches were played (2 forfeited)
• In the 2003 World Cup Tournament 52 matches were played
• India’s Sachin Tendulkar has won the Man of the Match award eight (8) times at the World Cup
• Vivian Richards has won the award five (5) times, the highest for a West Indian, with Brian Lara four (4) times and Gordon Greenidge three (3) times
• Talha Jubair of Bangladesh is the youngest player (17yrs. 07d) to play at the World Cup in 2002/2003
• N.E. Clarke of the Netherlands is the oldest player (47yrs. 257d) to play at the World Cup in 1995/1996
• Wasim Akram has played in thirty-eight (38) matches at the World Cup, the most for an individual

Download a copy of West Indies Cricket: A Select Bibliography of Resources.