1975 CWC: From India to the world—how limited overs cricket bowled off


(Part three.) It started in India.

Given the duration of the traditional game—in most cases spanning between three and five days—it was inevitable that at some time, someone would formalise the idea of a game of cricket played on a limited-over basis, starting and finishing on the same day.

Australia captain Ian Chappell (left) is run out by a combination of West Indies captain Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards (not in photo) during the 1975 Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s.
(Copyright Associated Press.)

So, with 48 days to go to the 50th anniversary of the West Indies’ triumph in the inaugural Prudential World Cup final at Lord’s in 1975, the journey back to that first limited-over tournament takes us, not to England, the birthplace of the game, but to India.

For it was there in 1951 that the first limited-over event, The All India Pooja Knockout Cricket Tournament, was inaugurated.

Played during the Hindu observance of Navratri, the competition was the brainchild of KV Kelappan Thampuran, a former cricketer who was then the first secretary of the Kerala Cricket Association.

Competitive limited-over cricket was born in 1951 in the modest environment of the Tripunithura Cricket Club in the southern Indian city of Kerala.
As the world’s longest running annual cricket competition, it has its 75th edition later this year.

 

It remains the world’s oldest annual cricket tournament, hosted in Thrippunithura, the ancient and historical district of the city of Kochi. Despite the transition to white balls and coloured clothing in the late 1970’s almost everywhere else, this competition is still played in traditional whites with the red ball.

Later this year, the 75th edition of the tournament is scheduled to be played with Income Tax Department of Chennai the title-holders, having defeated GST and Central Excise of Chennai by six wickets in the final—played 45 overs-per-side, on 13 October last year.

Notwithstanding its low-key status, with none of the trimmings of a major sporting occasion, over the years it has attracted players who went on to international prominence.

Former India cricket star Mohammad Azharuddin was one of the notable players who appeared in the All India Pooja Knockout Cricket Tournament in his formative years before going on to represent his state, zone and national team.

They include the batsman and former captain Mohammad Azharuddin, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, a member of the great Indian spin quartet of the 1960’s and 1970’s, and fellow spinners Anil Kumble (fourth on the all-time list and the leading Indian wicket-taker in Tests with 619 victims), Sunil Joshi, Shivlal Yadav and pacer Venkatesh Prasad.

Another notable product is Kris Srikkanth, the dashing opening batsman whose 38 was the top score of a low-scoring 1983 World Cup final at Lord’s where India pulled off one of cricket’s greatest shock results in defeating the previously invincible West Indies.

That stunning upset by Kapil Dev’s team is seen as the spark which ignited Indian self-belief and passion for the limited-over game, extending to the present economic stranglehold of the sport.

India batsman Kris Srikkanth (kneeling) smashes the ball to the boundary while West Indies fielder Desmond Haynes (top) watches on during the 1983 Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s.
(Copyright Adrian Murrell/ Getty Images.)

However, it must be acknowledged that a gentle flame was lit 32 years earlier by the All India Pooja Knockout Cricket Tournament, with no such designs on global dominance. That modest, influential illumination remains alive.

Next: Limited-over cricket flourishes in the English countryside.

More from Wired868
1975 CWC: The numbers don’t lie—how inaugural tourney exceeded expectations

(Part 46.) Getting inside the numbers. At the last men’s 50-overs-per-side Cricket World Cup in 2023, Australia’s vanquishing of previously Read more

1975 CWC: Turner turns up to book ‘Kiwis’ semi-final clash with WI

(Part 45.) Turner turns up again. With only six days to go to the 50th anniversary of the West Indies victory Read more

1975 CWC: “Never before or since did I know fear on a cricket field”; Hurricane Thomson batters Sri Lanka

(Part 43.) ‘Thommo’ on the rampage. With eight days to the 50th anniversary of the West Indies’ defeat of Australia in Read more

1975 CWC: The day that Windies stopped being ‘Calypso Cricketers’

(Part 42.) “West Indies surely now cannot win!” Television commentator and former Australian captain and leg-spinner Richie Benaud’s crisp, precise Read more

1975 CWC: One for the ages—Murray and Roberts pull off sensational recovery against Pakistan

(Part 41.) Deryck Murray, Andy Roberts save the day. With 10 days to go to the 50th anniversary of the West Read more

1975 CWC: “Crap!” “A necessary evil!” “A vibrant carnival of cricket!”—the ODI tourney divides opinion

(Part 40.) Competing views “This one-day cricket is crap!” That was the view of Stephen Hearst. Who was (he passed Read more

Check Also

1975 CWC: The numbers don’t lie—how inaugural tourney exceeded expectations

(Part 46.) Getting inside the numbers. At the last men’s 50-overs-per-side Cricket World Cup in …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.