ICC Cricket World Cup 1987: Australia's First Title — The Reliance Cup in India and Pakistan
The 1987 ICC Cricket World Cup (Reliance Cup) was held in India and Pakistan from 8 October to 8 November 1987. It was the first World Cup held outside England. Australia, captained by Allan Border, won their first title by defeating England by 7 runs in the final at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on 8 November 1987. England, chasing 254, finished 246/8 — needing 17 off the last 2 overs but falling short. Mike Gatting was dismissed by Allan Border's off-break for 41 in a pivotal moment. David Boon scored 75 for Australia.
The 1987 ICC Cricket World Cup — sponsored by Reliance Industries, hence the Reliance Cup — was held in India and Pakistan from 8 October to 8 November 1987. It was the first WC held outside England (the 1975, 1979, and 1983 editions were all in England) and the first played at 50 overs per side rather than 60. Eight teams competed.
The Final: England Needed 17 Off 2 Overs
The final at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on 8 November 1987 saw Australia bat first and score 253/5 (50 overs), with David Boon scoring 75 and Dean Jones 33. England chased 254; with 2 overs left they needed 17. Then Mike Gatting (41) played an unorthodox reverse sweep off Allan Border's off-break and top-edged behind: dismissed by the captain's occasional spin, a significant dismissal at a crucial moment. England finished 246/8 — falling 7 runs short. Craig McDermott took 2/25; Steve Waugh 1/37.
The Semi-Final: Australia vs Pakistan Tie
The semi-final at Lahore between Australia and Pakistan produced one of the WC's closest matches — Pakistan were bowled out for 267, needing Australia 268 to win; Australia reached 267 — a tie — and advanced on run rate from the group stage. Craig McDermott took 5/44. Australia reached the final against England; India were defeated by England by 35 runs in the other semi-final. The 1987 WC was Australia's first title and began the era of Australian WC dominance (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, 2023).
Frequently asked questions
Why did Mike Gatting play the reverse sweep off Allan Border at that moment in the 1987 WC final, and what does the strategic logic (and failure) of the reverse sweep reveal about ODI batting in the 1980s?
Gatting's reverse sweep analysis: with England needing 17 off 2 overs — a target that required approximately one boundary per over plus singles — Gatting attempted a reverse sweep off Allan Border's off-break. The reverse sweep turns the batter into a left-hander (reversing stance), directing the ball to what was the off side but is now the leg side. The strategic logic: an off-break bowler sets a standard off-side field for a right-hander (slip, gully). Reversing the sweep targets an unguarded region behind point/third man, which was typically not covered. In 1987, the reverse sweep was extremely rare — only a handful of batters had ever attempted it in high-stakes ODIs. The execution failure: the ball was quicker than a standard off-break because Border was part-time — right-arm off-break from a pace background. Gatting top-edged to wicketkeeper Steve Rhodes. The ODI context: 1987 ODI batting was still largely conservative — the 'slogger' mentality was not yet prevalent, and batters attempted unorthodox shots rarely and with more risk than in modern T20-influenced cricket. The analytical conclusion: the reverse sweep was the correct strategic choice for that match situation (it targets an exposed field position), but Gatting's execution failed because of the pace variation. The incident made the reverse sweep notorious in England — Brian Johnston's commentary called it 'the most stupid shot in cricket history', though cricket analysts have since recalibrated the decision as correct in concept.