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World Cup flashbacks: Australia clinch first title in 1987 under Allan Border

After the first three editions of the cricket World Cup were held in England, the fourth one was held in India and Pakistan. This tournament was held in the months of October and November and the last one to be played in whites.

World Cup flashbacks: Australia clinch first title in 1987 under Allan Border

Bengaluru, May 24: After the first three editions of the cricket World Cup were held in England, the fourth one was held in India and Pakistan. This tournament was held in the months of October and November and the last one to be played in whites.

The over numbers were though brought down to 50 and the same number of teams - eight, took part in it. The general expectation was that co-hosts India (also the defenders) and Pakistan would meet each other in the final but it was not to be as Australia, who were clear underdogs in that tournament, clinched their first title.

Cricket World Cup 2019 Special Coverage | WC 2019 Schedule

Of the participating teams, seven were Test-playing ones while Zimbabwe made their second WC as the champions of the ICC Trophy 1986. While 14 venues in India hosted the games, seven were chosen in Pakistan.

India and Australia reach semi-finals

Group A of the World Cup saw holders India clubbed together with Australia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe. The first match saw Australia stunning India by one run while Zimbabwe coming too close to cause another upset like in 1983 by losing to the Kiwis by three runs.

Thereafter, it was a race between India and Australia for the first spot in the group particularly because Kapil Dev's men wanted to avoid Pakistan in the semi-final and that too in their own den. Australia seemed to be ahead but India's clinical play against New Zealand in which Chetan Sharma took a hat-trick and Sunil Gavaskar made his only hundred in the ODIs saw them pipping the Kangaroos to take the top slot.

In the other group, Pakistan were in prime form as they won five matches on the trot before losing the final game versus the West Indies. However, that win was not enough to secure a semi-final spot for Viv Richards's Caribbean side and they failed to make the semi-final for the first time in the quadrennial event. Pakistan and England advanced to the semi-finals in that order while Sri Lanka also crashed out without a point.

It was then heartbreak for both the co-hosts. While Graham Gooch swept India out of the game in Mumbai (then Bombay) as England won by 35 runs, Australia beat Imran Khan's Pakistan by 18 runs in Lahore. Both teams were in the final for the second time and they met in Kolkata (Calcutta) on November 4.

1987 Final WC Scorecard

Australia batted first to score 253 for 5 in 50 overs, thanks to opener David Boon's 75 and England were comfortably placed when their skipper Mike Gatting committed a fatal error by attempting a reverse sweep. England went on to lose their second WC final by seven runs as Allan Border made history.

Story first published: Friday, May 24, 2019, 15:45 [IST]
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