Barbados: Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) have announced that the 8th CWI/WIPA Awards Gala will take place on June 22, at the historic Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle.
The televised event will celebrate the greatest achievements of West Indies players and also commemorate in the honour of the 50th anniversary of the West Indies’ iconic 1975 ICC Men’s World Cup victory.
Details on broadcast partners, the event schedule and award nominees will be revealed in the coming days.
Speaking on the announcement, President of CWI Dr. Kishore Shallow said: “The CWI/WIPA Awards Gala is a significant event that highlights the accomplishments of our players, who continue to inspire fans throughout our region and beyond."
“This celebration reflects our shared commitment to elevate the game and recognises the contributions of our cricketers. It is vital that we create platforms to honor their dedication and
hard work, while also paying tribute to the rich legacy of our cricketing heroes from the past,” he added.
The West Indies team, led by Clive Lloyd, went through the 1975 Men’s Cricket World Cup unbeaten, defeating Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the group stages and New Zealand in the semi-final, an ICC report said.
West Indies faced Australia once again in the final, where captain Clive Lloyd led from the front with a brilliant 102, guiding his team to 291/8 in 60 overs.
In reply, Ian Chappell’s half-century gave Australia a solid start, but three sharp run-outs by Viv Richards turned the tide. Australia slumped to 233 for nine before a valiant last-wicket stand of 41 between Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson brought them close.
However, a fifth run-out ended their innings at 274, handing the West Indies a 17-run win and the inaugural Men’s Cricket World Cup title.
