Brief History of Cricket World Cup

World Cup every four years since 1975.The event follows the one-day International, or ODI, format of play, in which matches are limited to one day.
Earlier World Championships
The only attempt at an international championship event before the Cricket World Cup occurred in 1912, when the Imperial Cricket Conference held a triangular test tournament between Australia, England and South Africa.The tournament spanned four months, with individual test matches lasting as long as four days.
First Cricket World Cups
Inspired by the success of the one-day competition format, the International Cricket Conference organized the first Cricket World Cup in 1975.Eight teams participated in the first World Cup, including England, Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and East Africa.The Cup took place in England, and the West Indies beat Australia in the final.The next two World Cups, in 1979 and 1983, were also held in England.The West Indies won its second Cup in a row in 1979, and then lost to India in 1983.
Move Abroad
The ICC moved the tournament from England after 1983.Since then, the tournament has taken place in India and Pakistan in 1987; in Australia and New Zealand in 1992; in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 1996; in England again in 1999; in South Africa in 2003 and in the Caribbean in 2007.In 2011, the Cup will take place in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Winners
Australia has won the Cricket World Cup the most times, with four victories total, in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007.Australia also made it to the final in 1996.The West Indies have won twice, at the first two Cups in 1975 and 1979, and India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have all won once.