ICC Cricket World Cup, 2015 Countdown #44 - WC Cricket's first major upset

Grouped alongside West Indies, Australia and Pakistan in the 1975 World Cup, Sri Lanka had a disastrous campaign as they failed to register a single win in the maiden edition of the multi-team tournament. In the second edition too, it looked like the team from the Island Nation would return home empty handed when they were humbled by New Zealand in their opening game. Their match against West Indies was washed out without a single ball being bowled and they were already out of the competition before their final group match against India. As a further setback for the team, which was considered a minnow then, skipper, Anura Tennekoon, who scored a battling half-century against the Black Caps, was ruled out of the match with a hamstring injury.

Put in to bat, Sri Lanka managed to get off to a good start as Sunil Wettimuny and Roy Dias, with fine fifties, provided the ideal platform. Duleep Mendis, with a quick-fire half-century, provided a blitzy finish to help his side to 238/5. While it was a good total, it was not one that completely gave them the advantage as they bowlers had a job to do, considering the power-packed Indian batting order.

Due to a late start to the game on Saturday, India had to wait until Monday to go about their chase. Sunil Gavaskar and Anshuman Gaekwad got their side off to a good start and although both fell in quick succession after a half-century stand, India were still in the hunt as Dilip Vengsarkar and GR Vishwanath combined well to take the score to 117/2 at lunch, with 122 more to get off 25 overs.

After the break though, Sri Lanka managed to gain the upper hand. It all started with the wicket of Gundappa Viswanath, who was run-out on 22 before Sri Lanka had the match completely in their grasp, all thanks to the guile of leg-spinner, Somchandra de Silva. The 36-year-old's experience came in handy as he came up with a lot of variations, bamboozling the likes of Vengsarkar, Brijesh Patel and Mohindrer Amarnath, to pick up three wickets in quick succession.

There were two main contributors to Sri Lanka's maiden World Cup win. First it was Mendis, whose quick-fire 64 helped Sri Lanka finish with a strong total. Then, it was the leggie, de Silva, who picked up a career-best 3/29 to bowl India out for 191 and help his side pull off a major upset to register their maiden World Cup win. Mendis, for his fine efforts with the bat, went on to become the first Sri Lankan to win the Player of the Match award in the World Cup.