How it unfolded
The first World Cup final, played over 60 overs a side. The West Indies wobbled to 50 for 3 before captain Clive Lloyd smashed 102 off 85 balls and Rohan Kanhai supported with 55, taking the total to 291 for 8. Australia's chase fell apart on running rather than wickets. Viv Richards, fielding at cover, ran out Alan Turner, Ian Chappell and Greg Chappell in succession, and the five run-outs of the day shaped the whole final. Ian Chappell held firm for 62, and Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson added 41 for the last wicket, dragging the match on amid crowd invasions of the field, before Thomson was run out to end Australia's innings at 274 in 58.4 overs. The match finished at 8:43 p.m., the longest day ever played at Lord's to that point, and the sellout crowd flooded the field the moment it ended. Lloyd was named Man of the Match.
Why it still matters
The match that proved limited-overs cricket could be a serious stage for deciding a world champion. A format that produced a result in a single day, filled stadiums and suited television became the center of cricket's economy from then on, and the West Indies' win was repeated four years later as the opening chapter of their era of Caribbean dominance. Every international tournament since, up to today's T20 World Cup, traces its blueprint back to this one day.