Cricket Celebrates 50 Years of the Inaugural 1975 ICC Men’s World Cup
CWI/WIPA Gala celebrates 50 years of West Indies’ 1975 World Cup win, honouring legends like Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, and more
In the Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) held CWI/WIPA Awards Gala held recently at the Trident Ballroom, Wyndham Grand Barbados, the star attraction of the televised event was, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1975 ICC Men’s World Cup victory by the West Indies team.
Under the leadership of Clive Lloyd, the West Indies team dominated the first-ever Prudential Cricket World Cup, defeating Australia, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the group stage, New Zealand in the semi-final, and Ian Chappell’s Australia in the final. Notably, captain Clive Lloyd scored a match-winning 102 in the final, propelling his team to a total of 291/8 in 60 overs. In response, Australia slumped to 233/9 before a last-wicket stand of 41 between Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson offered a valiant effort, but ultimately fell short, handing West Indies a 17-run victory and the inaugural World Cup title.
CWI President Dr. Kishore Shallow stated:
“Tonight, we honour our giants. Those present — including Sir Viv Richards, Lance Gibbs, Collis King, Deryck Murray, Sir Andy Roberts, Alvin Kallicharran — those who were unable to attend, and the incomparable Sir Clive Lloyd — and we also salute those who have passed, such as Roy Fredericks, Keith Boyce, and team manager Clyde Walcott. You were not just cricketers. You were revolutionaries.”
All the cricketers received thunderous standing ovations. Surviving team members, or their families, were honoured with commemorative medallions and exquisitely crafted mahogany sculptures designed by award-winning artist Reginald Medford. Each piece, carved from 25-year-old Barbadian mahogany, symbolized the recipient’s unique contribution to the sport. In addition, a financial reward of US$10,000, contributed by the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), was presented to each honouree.
In return, on behalf of the 1975 team, Clive Lloyd presented a special gift to Dr. Shallow — a portrait of the World Cup-winning squad, a unique piece of art created by renowned Barbadian artist Shane Eastmond.
1975 World Cup Winning Squad:
Sir Clive Lloyd (captain), Keith Boyce, Roy Fredericks, Maurice Foster, Lance Gibbs, Sir Gordon Greenidge, Vanburn Holder, Bernard Julien, Alvin Kallicharran, Rohan Kanhai, Collis King, Deryck Murray, Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Viv Richards; Sir Clyde Walcott (manager).
Trivia Of The Inaugural Men’s Cricket World Cup (1975)
One Day International cricket began in 1971, but the Men’s World Cup was held for the first time in 1975, two years after the Women's World Cup.
Tournament dates: 7–21 June 1975
Participants (8 teams): Australia, West Indies, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and East Africa. Besides the six Test-playing nations, Sri Lanka was invited, and East Africa—a combined team from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia—also participated.
First match: Four games were played simultaneously on the opening day, but the honour of hosting the first match went to England vs India at Lord’s.
First ball of the Cricket World Cup: Bowled by Madan Lal (India)
First run and century: Scored by Dennis Amiss (England), who made 137 off 147 balls.
Most runs: Glenn Turner (New Zealand) – 333 runs, including two centuries. His 171* against East Africa remained the highest score of the tournament.
Most wickets: Gary Gilmour (Australia) – 11 wickets in just two matches. He took 6/14 in the semi-final against England and 5/48 in the final.
Highest team total: England – 334/4 vs India (opening day), a record that stood for eight years.
Prize Money:
Champions (West Indies): £4,000
Runners-up (Australia): £2,000
Losing semi-finalists (England, New Zealand): £1,000 each
Also Read: LIVE Cricket Score
No one could have foreseen the profound impact the 1975 tournament would have on the future of cricket. The World Cup has since grown into the sport’s biggest global stage.
