The 1987 Cricket World Cup: The Reliance Cup and Asia's First World Cup
The 1987 Cricket World Cup was the first held outside England, co-hosted by India and Pakistan. It introduced the 50-over format and was won by Australia, who beat England in the final.
The 1987 Cricket World Cup — known as the Reliance Cup after its Indian corporate sponsor — was the fourth World Cup and the first to be held outside England. It was co-hosted by India and Pakistan, marking the beginning of the subcontinent's dominance in World Cup hosting and signalling cricket's commercial shift toward Asia. The tournament also introduced the 50-over format that has been used in every World Cup since, replacing the previous 60-over structure used in 1975, 1979 and 1983. Australia won the Reliance Cup, defeating England by seven runs in the final at Eden Gardens, Kolkata — the largest cricket stadium in the world at the time.
Australia's Victory
Australia's 1987 World Cup victory under Allan Border ended a decade of West Indian dominance in limited-overs cricket. Australia scored 253/5 in the final, with David Boon scoring 75 and Mike Veletta's late hitting (45 from 31 balls) proving crucial. England, chasing 254, fell seven runs short — 246/8. England's Graham Gooch topscored with 35. Bill Athey and Mike Gatting made contributions but the target proved just beyond reach. England's defeat — by just seven runs — was one of the narrowest margins in World Cup final history and set up a rivalry between the two countries in World Cups that would continue through subsequent editions.
The 50-Over Change
The shift from 60 to 50 overs for the 1987 World Cup was driven by practical necessity: matches in India and Pakistan, played under floodlights at larger venues, could not reliably finish before midnight using the 60-over format. The ICC agreed to shorten matches to 50 overs, and the result was immediately positive — matches were more competitive, the format suited Asian conditions better, and the tournament was a commercial success. The 50-over format has been the standard for all World Cups since, and it also influenced the standardisation of 50 overs as the default for all one-day international matches.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 1987 Cricket World Cup?
Australia won the 1987 Cricket World Cup (Reliance Cup), defeating England by seven runs in the final at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Australia scored 253/5 and bowled England out for 246/8.
Why was the 1987 World Cup significant?
The 1987 World Cup was the first World Cup held outside England (co-hosted by India and Pakistan), introduced the 50-over format that is still used today, and ended West Indian dominance in limited-overs cricket.
What was the Reliance Cup?
The Reliance Cup was the official name of the 1987 Cricket World Cup, after Reliance Industries — one of India's largest corporations — sponsored the tournament. It was the first time an Indian corporate sponsor had backed a global cricket tournament, previewing the commercial relationships that would define cricket economics in subsequent decades.