Cricket World Cup: Look back at 1975 to 2015

From the first World Cup in 1975 to the latest one in 2015, the tournament has seen a lot of changes. The number of overs has been reduced from 60 to 50, colored clothing has been introduced, and white balls and day-night matches appeared.

A total of 20 countries have played in the World Cup, but out of those only seven have played in all the 11 editions of the tournament – Australia, India, West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England and New Zealand. The highest number of 16 countries played in a single edition of the World Cup in 2007, reports BSS.

The 2019 World Cup will be the first tournament in a long time when there will be no Associate Teams. The World Cup to be held in England will only involve the 10 Test playing nations. Apart from the teams mentioned above, South Africa, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will also be part of the tournament.

When it comes to the best team to play in the World Cup, that title has to go to Australia. The Aussies have managed to win five World Cups, and they are the only team to win the trophy on three consecutive occasions.

Apart from Australia, India and West Indies are the only other teams to win the World Cup on more than one occasion.

Let us take a look at some of the key statistics from the quadrennial tournament: Champions

1975 – West Indies

1979 – West Indies

1983 – India

1987 – Australia

1992 – Pakistan

1996 – Sri Lanka

1999 – Australia

2003 – Australia

2007 – Australia

2011 – India

2015 – Australia

Batting performances

417/6 by Australia against Afganistan in 2015 is the highest team total in the World Cup.

36 by Canada against Sri Lanka in 2003 is the lowest team total in the World Cup.

2278 runs scored by Sachin Tendulkar of India is the highest number of runs scored by a player in the World Cup.

237*scored by Martin Guptill against West Indies is the highest individual score by a player in the World Cup.

165 centuries have been scored in the World Cup.

26 centuries scored by Australia is the highest number centuries scored by any team in the World Cup.

6 centuries scored by Sachin Tendulkar is the highest number of centuries scored by a player in the World Cup.

15 half-centuries scored by Sachin Tendulkar is the highest number of half-centuries scored by a player in the World Cup.

673 runs scored by Sachin Tendulkar in the 2003 World Cup is the highest number of runs scored by a player in a single edition of the tournament.

Bowling performances

71 wickets taken by Glenn McGrath of Australia is the highest number of wickets taken by a player in the World Cup.

7/15 by Glenn McGrath against Namibia in 2003 is the best bowling performance by a player in the World Cup.

54 five-wicket hauls have been taken in the World Cup.

13 five-wicket hauls by Australia is the highest number of five-wicket hauls by any team in the World Cup.

2 five-wicket hauls by Gary Gilmour of Australia, Vasbert Drakes of West Indies, Ashantha de Mel of Sri Lanka, Shahid Afridi of Pakistan and Glenn McGrath of Australia each is the highest number of five-wicket hauls taken by a player in the World Cup.

26 wickets taken by Glenn McGrath in the 2007 World Cup is the highest number of wickets taken by a player in a single edition of the tournament.

Wicketkeeping performances

54 dismissals by Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka is the highest number of dismissals by a wicket-keeper in the World Cup.

6 dismissals by Adam Gilchrist of Australia against Namibia in 2003 and by Sarfraz Ahmed of Pakistan against South Africa in 2015 is the highest number of dismissals by a wicket-keeper in an innings in the World Cup.

21 dismissals by Adam Gilchrist in the 2003 World Cup is the highest number of dismissals by a wicket-keeper in a single edition of the tournament.

Fielding performances

28 catches taken by Ricky Ponting of Australia is the highest number of catches taken by a player in the World Cup.

4 catches taken by Mohammad Kaif of India against Sri Lanka in 2003, by Soumya Sarkar of Bangladesh against Scotland in 2015 and by Umar Akmal of

Pakistan against Ireland in 2015 is the highest number of catches taken by a player in a single match at the World Cup.

11 catches by Ricky Ponting in the 2003 World Cup is the highest number of catches taken by a player in a single edition of the World Cup.