1996 Cricket World Cup Final 1996 Cricket World Cup Final The 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup Final was the sixth instalment of the ICC Cricket World Cup since its inception in 1975 in England. The match was played on 17 March 1996 at Lahore's 62,645 capacity Gaddafi Stadium in Pakistan for the first time. The match was contested between former World Cup winners Australia and underdog Sri Lanka. It was Australia's 3rd World Cup final appearance after their win in the 1987 edition and the loss to West Indies in the 1975 ICC Cricket World Cup final. Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga won the toss
India at the Cricket World Cup then restricted to the urban areas. It also increased the popularity of one-day cricket in India as well as in general. India began to take ODI cricket seriously after the World Cup win and soon emerged as one of the best teams in ODI cricket. Indian corporates too started to take an interest in cricket and began to sponsor many international tournaments, marking the start of the rise of India as the leading financial power in cricket. The Indian Squad that won the 1983 World Cup comprised The World Cup moved out of England for the first time in 1987,