As World Cup 2019 kicks off today, here are some interesting facts

The 12th edition of World Cup will kick start in England and Wales today. Ten teams will compete against each other in the biggest tournament of world cricket. The tournament will follow the round-robin format with every team playing nine matches each before the top four teams get selected for the playoffs.

England and South Africa will play the first game of the tournament with the host eying their first World Cup trophy. Team India is also one of the favorites to win the tournament as skipper Virat Kohli will be leading his team for the first time in 50-over World Cup.

Here are some interesting facts about the tournament since its inception in 1975:

1. England has hosted the most number of World Cups – 5 times (1975, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1999 and 2019), the next is India – 3 times.

2. The 1992 World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand was the first ever where white balls were used with day and night matches and coloured clothing.

3. Sachin Tendulkar of India has the most number of runs in the World Cup, he has scored 2,278 runs in six World Cups.

4. Glenn McGrath of Australia is the highest wicket-taker in the World Cup, he has scalped 72 wickets in four World Cups.

5. Clive Lloyd of West Indies and Ricky Ponting of Australia are the only captains who have won two World Cups and the only ones to do it consecutively. Lloyd did it in 1975, 1979, Ponting in 2003, 2007.

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