India, then a novice in limited-over cricket, started off the tournament - then called the Prudential Cup after its sponsors Prudential Assurance Company - pathetically.
In the inaugural match, England batsmen beat Indian bowlers to pulp to record the first 300-plus score (334/4) in an ODI.
Dennis Amiss (137) notched up the maiden hundred of the big tournament. Chris Old scored the fastest 50 which came off only 30 balls.
In reply, India made a leisurely 132 for three after batting the full quota of 60 overs at a dismal run rate of 2.2.
Legendary opener Sunil Gavaskar played one of the slowest ODI knocks, as he carried his bat through the innings to score an unbelievable 36 (174 balls, 1 four).
To this day, the great batsman has failed to give a proper explanation for his excruciatingly slow effort, except attributing it to inexperience.
But if the Indians were niggardly in scoring quick runs, they also showed how miserly they could be in conceding them.
In the match against East Africa -- India's only victory in the tournament -- left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi came up with the most economic spell of ODI cricket (12-8-6-1), even as the S. Venkatraghavan-led side made an exit from the group stage.
For long, India's 10-wicket win against East Africa remained the most emphatic World Cup victory.
