Cricket World Cup: 5 times when favourites won the title
The ultimate dream for any International cricketer is to win the World Cup. Since its inception in 1975, there have been as many as 11 editions of the tournament, the last being in 2015.
Prior to the tournament, some teams are labelled as favourites to win the title. It is based upon the team's recent form, playing conditions and the balance in the team.
It certainly never guarantees the team emerging victorious in the tournament but it always inspires some great confidence in the team ahead of the multinational tournament.
It is not always sure of favourites winning the title every given time. The history is filled with numerous cases of the favourites succumbing under the pressure of the tag and suffering agonising defeats.
However, there are few instances too when the pre-tournament favourites lived up to the expectations and lifted the trophy.
In this list, we will have a look at 5 such instances of the favourites winning the World Cup title.
#5 West Indies, 1975
Given the powerhouse West Indies was in the 1970s and 1980s, West Indies were the overwhelming favourites in the inaugural edition itself and also in the subsequent two World Cups.
Living up to the expectations, West Indies topped up their group in the group that comprised of teams like Australia, Pakistan and, then an associate nation, Sri Lanka.
In the semi-final, West Indies met New Zealand. Cruising at 98-1 at one point of stage, New Zealand lost their last 9 wickets for 60 runs. West Indies chased the target of 159 in 40.1 overs to set a title clash with Australia.
In the finals, captain Clive Lloyd set the tone for West Indies as he smashed an 85-ball 102 to set a daunting 292 target for the Aussies.
Australian innings, which was marked by run-outs of 5 batsmen, fell short of the target by 17 runs as West Indies remained unbeaten throughout the tournament to win the inaugural World Cup.