1975-1996 -- the roundup

What follows is a statistical summation of all the games played in World Cup competition till date.

A total of 158 matches have been played in the World Cup since 1975. This total excludes the following three matches:

1. West Indies v Sri Lanka at the Oval scheduled for 13-14-15 June 1979 (Match abandoned due to rain)

2. Sri Lanka v Australia at Colombo (Premadasa Stadium) scheduled for 17 February, 1996 (Australia forfeited the match citing security reasons)

3. Sri Lanka v West Indies at Colombo (Premadasa) scheduled for 26 February, 1996 (West Indies forfeited the match citing security reasons)

However, the following match has been included...

1. Zimbabwe v Kenya at Patna on 26 February, 1996 (with only 15.5 overs possible the match had to be abandoned as “no-result”. This match was re-played all over again the next day. In view of this, both Zimbabwe and Kenya have played against each other twice in the 1996 World Cup).

The other matches that have been declared as “no-result” but count as official matches are:

1. India v Sri Lanka at Mackay on 28 February, 1992 (Only two balls were bowled in the entire match that had to be abandoned due to rain).

2. England v Pakistan at Adelaide on 1 March, 1992 (rain interrupted proceedings in the second innings, with England needing just 75 runs to win).

Table A lists the World Cup results for all teams - on the basis of its overall performances and it also indicates as to how the teams have fared at home and away. England, who are yet to win the World Cup, has the distinction of appearing in most matches - 40 - and have also won most matches - 25 - jointly with West Indies. Zimbabwe on the other hand has lost 22 matches, despite winning its first ever World Cup match against Australia at Nottingham on 9 June, 1983. Zimbabwe’s other two victories came against England (in 1992) and Kenya (in 1996).

It is also interesting to note that out of the 158 matches, teams at home have played only 30 matches. This would indicate that teams have had the benefit of home conditions in only 19% of the total matches played. England has so far played in 16 matches at home and this tally would definitely increase after the forthcoming World Cup. West Indies on the other hand has appeared in all their matches’ (37) away from home.

Table B provides the progress of the various teams in the World Cup. Although England has never won the title, they have the best record among all teams. On three occasions they have finished runner-up - in 1979, 1987 and 1992 and on two other occasions (in 1975 and 1983) they reached upto the semi-final stage. Their "worst" performance came in the 1996 World Cup when they lost to Sri Lanka in the quarter-final. England will certainly be the favourites to win the 1999 edition by taking full advantage of fimiliar "home-conditions".

West Indies and Pakistan have the next best record having reached atleast the semi-final stage on four occasions, while India, Australia and New Zealand having done so on three occasions. Sri Lanka, the defending champions, has the unique distinction of winning the World Cup, without ever qualifying to the next round of any of the previous five editions of the World Cup. India, too had won the 1983 World Cup without a single win in the previous two tournaments.

TABLE A: SUMMARY OF RESULTS IN WORLD CUP MATCHES FOR ALL TEAMS (INCLUDING THEIR PERFORMANCES AT BOTH HOME AND AWAY)

Country	Over all					At Home					At Away
	Played	Won	Lost	No Results	Tie	Played	Won	Lost	No Results	Tie	Played	Won	Lost	No Results	Tie
Australia	37	22	15	-	-	7	4	3	-	-	30	18	12	-	-
Canada	3	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	3	-	-
East Africa	3	-	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	-	3	-	-
England	40	25	14	1	-	16	12	4	-	-	24	13	10	1	-
India	36	18	17	1	-	14	9	5	-	-	22	9	12	1	-
Kenya	6	1	4	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	1	4	1	-
Holland	5	-	5	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	-	5	-	-
New Zealand	35	19	16	-	-	9	7	2	-	-	26	12	14	-	-
Pakistan	37	21	15	1	-	12	9	3	-	-	25	12	12	1	-
South Africa	15	10	5	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	15	10	5	-	-
Sri Lanka	31	10	20	1	-	2	2	-	-	-	29	8	20	1	-
UAE	5	1	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5	1	4	-	-
West Indies	37	25	12	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	37	25	12	-	-
Zimbabwe	26	3	22	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	26	3	22	1	-
	158	155	155	3	-	60	43	17	-	-	256	112	138	6	-

Table B: PROGRESS OF THE TEAMS IN THE WORLD CUP

Country	1975	1979	1983	1987	1992	1996	Semifinal	Runner-up	Winner
West Indies	W	W	Ru	o	o	SF	1	1	2
India	o	o	W	SF	o	SF	2	-	1
Australia	Ru	o	o	W	o	Ru	-	2	1
Pakistan	o	SF	SF	SF	W	QF	3	-	1
Sri Lanka	o	o	o	o	o	W	-	-	1
England	SF	Ru	SF	Ru	Ru	QF	2	3	-
New Zealand	SF	SF	o	o	SF	QF	3	-	-
South Africa	x	x	x	x	SF	QF	1	-	-
Zimbabwe	x	x	o	o	o	o	-	-	-
East Africa	o	x	x	x	x	x	-	-	-
Canada	x	o	x	x	x	x	-	-	-
Kenya	x	x	x	x	x	o	-	-	-
UAE	x	x	x	x	x	o	-	-	-
Holland	x	x	x	x	x	o	-	-	-

Key to symbols:
W = Winner
Ru = Runner-up
SF = Semi-final
QF = Quarter-final (for 1996 only)
o = did not qualify to the knock-out stage
x = did not participate