ICC Cricket World Cup 1975: West Indies Won the Inaugural World Cup — Clive Lloyd's 102 at Lord's
The ICC Cricket World Cup 1975 was the inaugural Cricket World Cup, held in England in June 1975. West Indies won the first World Cup, defeating Australia by 17 runs in the final at Lord's Cricket Ground on 21 June 1975. Clive Lloyd scored a magnificent 102 off 85 balls to anchor the West Indies innings as they posted 291 for 8. Australia needed 292 to win but were bowled out for 274. The final was noted for three run-outs in the Australian innings — Viv Richards took two brilliant run-outs from the covers. The tournament established international limited-overs cricket as a major global competition.
The inaugural Cricket World Cup — the Prudential World Cup 1975 — was held in England from 7 to 21 June 1975. Eight teams competed: England, Australia, West Indies, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, East Africa, and Sri Lanka. Matches were played over 60 overs per side, in white clothing, with a red ball, often under sunny English conditions. The format was a round-robin group stage followed by semifinals and a final at Lord's. The tournament attracted global attention and established limited-overs internationals as a permanent and celebrated form of cricket.
The Final: Clive Lloyd's 102 Inspires West Indies
In the final at Lord's on 21 June 1975, West Indies batted first and posted 291 for 8 in 60 overs. Clive Lloyd, the West Indies captain, scored 102 off 85 balls — a dazzling innings of controlled aggression. Rohan Kanhai added 55. Australia began their chase well — Keith Stackpole, Alan Turner, and Greg Chappell gave them a solid platform — and at 233 for 3 they were favourites. But a collapse of remarkable swiftness followed. Viv Richards ran out three Australian batsmen with direct hits from the covers, and Andy Roberts and Deryck Murray combined for a run-out of the last pair. Australia were bowled out for 274 in the 59th over. West Indies won by 17 runs.
Legacy: The Tournament That Made One-Day Cricket
The 1975 World Cup cemented limited-overs cricket as a global spectacle. The final attracted a crowd of over 26,000 to Lord's. The image of Clive Lloyd — tall, bespectacled, in his floppy hat — driving effortlessly through the off side became one of cricket's most recognisable. West Indies went on to win the second World Cup in 1979 (also at Lord's, beating England), before losing the final to India in 1983. The 1975 tournament was the first of the five current major formats — it was played on one day, without floodlights, with a red ball — yet it established the template that would evolve through to T20 cricket.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the first Cricket World Cup in 1975 and how?
West Indies won the inaugural Cricket World Cup (the Prudential World Cup 1975), defeating Australia by 17 runs in the final at Lord's on 21 June 1975. Clive Lloyd scored 102 off 85 balls as West Indies posted 291 for 8. Australia reached 233 for 3 before collapsing — Viv Richards ran out three batsmen with direct hits from the covers — and were bowled out for 274. The tournament was held in England with 60 overs per side. West Indies were captained by Clive Lloyd.
What was the format of the 1975 Cricket World Cup?
The 1975 Cricket World Cup (Prudential World Cup) featured eight teams — England, Australia, West Indies, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, East Africa, and Sri Lanka — playing a round-robin group stage in two groups of four, followed by semifinals and a final at Lord's. Matches were played over 60 overs per side (not 50), in white clothing with a red ball, under natural daylight. It was the first of the now-quadrennial Cricket World Cups and established the format that limited-overs international cricket has followed ever since.