The ODI World Cup is the most prestigious tournament in the 50-over format of cricket. Contested every four years, it crowns the best one-day international team in the world. The ODI World Cup has seen tremendous growth since its inception in 1975 to become cricket’s most popular global event.
The inaugural ODI World Cup was hosted by England with eight teams participating including the powerful West Indies team led by Clive Lloyd. Played at a time when one-day cricket was still finding its feet, the West Indies went on to lift the trophy after beating Australia in the finals at Lord’s.
The next ODI World Cup in 1979 witnessed the expansion to include two more teams. West Indies emerged victorious again demonstrating their dominance in both forms of cricket. India pulled off a remarkable upset by winning the 1983 ODI World Cup led by Kapil Dev’s legendary 175 against Zimbabwe.
By the 1992 ODI World Cup, day-night matches under lights had become the norm to cater to larger television audiences. Pakistan emerged winners in this edition thanks to outstanding performances from Imran Khan and Wasim Akram. 1996 saw Sri Lanka win their maiden ODI World Cup in an emotional final against Australia.
The tournament expanded to 14 teams by the 2011 ODI World Cup co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. MS Dhoni’s India thrillingly defeated Sri Lanka in the final at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. Australia bagged their record 5th ODI World Cup title in 2015 aided by player-of-the-tournament Mitchell Starc.
After the success of the T20 format, pundits questioned the future of the ODI World Cup. But it continues to captivate imaginations and remains a pinnacle event for cricketers. The upcoming 2023 edition promises more memorable moments as teams battle again for the coveted trophy.
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