ODI Cricket World Cup Trophies History
The Cricket World Cup trophy has changed over the years. The first three tournaments (1975, 1979, 1983) were sponsored by Prudential and the winners received the Prudential Cup. Since then, each edition has had its own trophy design, with the current ICC Cricket World Cup trophy introduced in 1999.
Trophy History
| Period | Trophy |
|---|---|
| 1975–1983 | Prudential Cup |
| 1987 | Reliance Cup |
| 1992 | Benson & Hedges Cup |
| 1996 | Wills Cup |
| 1999–present | ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy |
The Prudential Cup (1975–1983)
The first three World Cups were sponsored by the Prudential insurance company. West Indies won the first two Prudential Cups (1975, 1979) and India won the third in 1983. The trophy was a silver cup design typical of English domestic cricket silverware.
The Reliance Cup (1987)
When the World Cup moved out of England for the first time, India's Reliance Industries sponsored the 1987 edition. Australia won the Reliance Cup, beating England in the final at Kolkata's Eden Gardens.
The Modern ICC Trophy (1999–present)
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1999 |
| Design | Gold and silver trophy with a golden globe held aloft by three silver columns |
| Columns represent | Batting, bowling and fielding — the three facets of cricket |
| Height | Approximately 60 cm |
| Weight | Around 11 kg |
The current trophy was designed and made in England. The three silver columns represent the three fundamental aspects of the game, supporting a golden globe in the shape of a cricket ball.
Who Keeps the Trophy?
Like most major sporting trophies, the winners receive the trophy at the presentation and a replica for permanent display. The original is kept by the ICC. Winning captains lift the trophy on the podium — images of Kapil Dev (1983), Imran Khan (1992), MS Dhoni (2011) and Eoin Morgan (2019) lifting it are iconic.
Trophy Lifts Through the Years
| Year | Captain | Trophy |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Clive Lloyd | Prudential Cup |
| 1983 | Kapil Dev | Prudential Cup |
| 1987 | Allan Border | Reliance Cup |
| 1992 | Imran Khan | Benson & Hedges Cup |
| 1996 | Arjuna Ranatunga | Wills Cup |
| 2011 | MS Dhoni | ICC Trophy |
| 2019 | Eoin Morgan | ICC Trophy |
| 2023 | Pat Cummins | ICC Trophy |
What is the Cricket World Cup trophy called?
Since 1999 it has been called the ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy. Earlier editions had sponsor names like the Prudential Cup.
What do the three columns on the trophy represent?
Batting, bowling and fielding — the three fundamental aspects of cricket.
Rivcky John
A prominent figure in sports journalism for the last two decades. Cricket Analyst & Writing News, Features, Match Previews/Reviews/Reports, And Opinion Pieces on Cricket. You can connect with him on Facebook also.