June 7, 1975: first Cricket World Cup begins

On this day in 1975, the inaugural Cricket World Cup opened in England. The team from the West Indies won over Australia in the finals on June 21.

This first World Cup featured teams from six countries and two regional teams:

Europe: England
Asia: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Asia-East Pacific: Australia, New Zealand

West Indies: about a dozen island countries in the Caribbean
East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia

In the semifinals, Australia beat England, and West Indies took out New Zealand. It was the only appearance for East Africa, and the only time a team from the Indian subcontinent failed to advance past the group stage.

The World Cup has been held around every four years since. The West Indies repeated in 1979; Australia won in 2015, notching its fifth title. India (twice), Pakistan, and Sri Lanka have also reigned supreme.

For more on the inaugural World Cup, check out this ESPN: The Magazine article.

Image: Sri Lankan national team, via Critiquing Cricket