New Delhi, June 7: June 7, 1975, marks a significant date in the history of One Day International (ODI) cricket. On this day, the first-ever men’s ODI World Cup match was played between India and England. In this match, Sunil Gavaskar set an unfortunate record by scoring the slowest innings in ODI history.
The 1975 ODI World Cup featured a total of eight teams. India was placed in the first group alongside England, New Zealand, and East Africa. During this era, ODI matches were played over 60 overs. In the inaugural match at Lord’s, England scored 334 runs, losing just four wickets.
Dennis Amiss starred for the English team with a remarkable century, scoring 137 runs off 147 balls, including 18 fours. This was also the first century in ODI World Cup history. Alongside Amiss, Keith Fletcher (68 runs) and Chris Old (not out 51 runs) contributed valuable half-centuries.
Chasing a daunting target of 335 runs, the Indian team needed a strong start. However, the beginning was rocky, with Eknath Solkar dismissed for just 8 runs. Anshuman Gaekwad managed 22 runs before falling, while Gundappa Viswanath scored 37 runs off 59 balls. Sunil Gavaskar, however, remained at the crease from start to finish, yet the Indian team could only muster 132 runs for the loss of three wickets in 60 overs.
Gavaskar’s innings was notably slow. Facing 174 balls, he managed only 36 runs, resulting in a strike rate of 20.68. He hit just one boundary throughout his innings. This performance led to significant criticism of Gavaskar and raised questions about his batting approach. Ultimately, India lost the match by 202 runs.
The Indian team was captained by Srinivasan Venkataraghavan during this encounter. Throughout the tournament, India managed to secure only one victory, defeating East Africa by 10 wickets. Interestingly, just two years prior to the men’s ODI World Cup, the women’s ODI World Cup was held, with England facing the International XI on June 20, 1973.
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