Cricket World Cup Legends & Records

Cricket originated in the 16th century in south-east England during the medieval period. While the question asks 'when it was invented', the 17th century marks when standardized rules began emerging (1597 court case references cricket being played). The 18th century saw formal laws established, and the 19th century brought international matches. By the 17th century, cricket was already established and spreading.

David Houghton of Zimbabwe was the first wicketkeeper to score a century in a World Cup match, scoring 115 runs against New Zealand in 1992. This was a landmark achievement as wicketkeepers were traditionally viewed as defensive players. Mohinder Amarnath and Sunil Gavaskar were batsmen, while Kapil Dev was an all-rounder and bowler.

According to Law 5 of cricket, the maximum length of a cricket bat is 38 inches (96.5 cm) from handle to toe. This standardization ensures fair play across all formats. Bats longer than 38 inches would provide an unfair advantage in reach. Options A (40), C (45), and D (35 inches) are incorrect.

The West Indies won the first Cricket World Cup in 1975, defeating Australia by 17 runs in the final at Lord's. Led by Clive Lloyd, the dominant West Indies team set the standard for World Cup cricket. India won in 1983, Pakistan in 1992, and Australia in 1987 and later tournaments.

The 1983 Cricket World Cup did not officially have a Man of the Series award - only Man of the Match awards were given for each game. This makes 'No one' the correct answer among the choices. Mohinder Amarnath was Man of the Match in both the semifinal and final, while Kapil Dev had iconic performances including his 175* against Zimbabwe. Bradman is likely a typo for Bradman (the Australian legend), but Donald Bradman had retired decades earlier and was not involved in 1983.

The first three Cricket World Cups (1975, 1979, 1983) were sponsored by Prudential Assurance Company, a British insurance firm, and were called the Prudential Cup. None of the Indian companies listed (Parle, National Insurance, Indian Oil) were sponsors. Prudential's sponsorship marked the beginning of corporate involvement in major cricket tournaments.

The 1975 Cricket World Cup featured 8 teams playing 15 matches total: each team played the other 7 teams once in round-robin format (28 matches / 2 = 14), plus 2 semifinals and 1 final makes 15 matches. This format ensured every team played multiple games. The tournament spanned June 7-21, 1975 in England.

The first ball of the inaugural Cricket World Cup in 1975 was bowled by India's Madan Lal to England's opening batsman Dennis Amiss. This historic moment marked the beginning of the first ODI World Cup tournament held in England.

Glenn McGrath holds the record for most wickets in a single World Cup tournament with 26 wickets in the 2007 World Cup, making him the leading wicket-taker in tournament history.

Chetan Sharma became the first bowler to take a World Cup hat-trick against New Zealand in the 1987 World Cup, claiming three wickets in consecutive balls.

Scotland conceded the most extras in a single World Cup innings when they gave away 40 extras against Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup.

Lasith Malinga took 4 wickets in 4 consecutive balls against South Africa in the 2007 World Cup, the most wickets in consecutive balls in WC history.

Glenn McGrath has the best bowling figures in a World Cup match with 7/15 against Namibia in the 2003 World Cup, which remains the most economical 7-wicket haul.

Glenn McGrath (Australia) holds the record for most wickets in ODI World Cup history with 71 wickets across 4 tournaments (1996-2007). While Imran Khan and Wasim Akram were legendary fast bowlers, and Chaminda Vaas had an excellent World Cup record (including a hat-trick), McGrath's consistency and wicket tally place him at the top.

Bishan Singh Bedi is famously known for conceding an ODI against Pakistan in 1978 to protest against questionable umpiring decisions. This is one of only two instances in cricket history where a captain has conceded a match. Ajit Wadekar, Venkataraghavan, and Ranatunga were not involved in such incidents.