2) Sir Vivian Richards, is the only player to play in the football and cricket World Cups. The West Indian crickter represented Antigua in the qualifying rounds of the 1974 football World Cup
3) In November 1974, Richards made his Test debut against India in Bangalore, falling to Bhagwat Chandrasekhar for 4 and 3. Astonishingly, the selectors dropped Chandra for the next Test, and Viv slammed 192 not out. As a result, West India won the match by an innings and 17 runs. In all, he played 120 Tests more and scored over 8,500 runs at an average of just over 50
4) The 31st of May 1984 became a red letter day for Cricket and Vivian Richards in particular. Celebrating almost a year of losing the 1983 World Cup, Richards marked the occasion with a magnificent century. The spectators at Old Trafford didn’t know what hit them on the day. Eldine Baptiste and Michael Holding were the only other two batsmen to cross double figures on the day. Richards smashed, crashed, hooked, cut and pulled an England bowling attack comprising of Bob Willis, Ian Botham and Neil Foster on his way to 189. He smashed 21 fours and five sixes as the Windies went on to win by a mammoth 104 runs
5) In 2000, he was voted one of the five cricketers of the century by a 100-member panel of experts along with Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Jack Hobbs and Shane Warne
6) Vivian Richards did not do anything extraordinary with bat in World Cup 1975, but pulled off three spectacular run outs, sending back Alan Turner, Ian Chappell and Greg Chappell, thus helping his side win by a close margin of 17 runs
7) 1976 was Viv Richards’ finest year, when Vivian scored 1,710 runs in just 11 Tests at an average of 90. Viv notched up six tons in the process. This was a record for most Test runs in a calendar year that stood for 30 years until it was subsequently broken by Mohammad Yousuf who scored 1,788 runs in 2006
8) In the 1979 World Cup final against England, Richards launched into the England attack with a vengeance. Vivian slammed a 157-ball 138 with 11 fours and 6 sixes (including a flicked six off Mike Hendrick in the last ball of the innings), and helped his side win by 92 runs. Vivian was named Man of the Match for his performance
9) As a captain, Vivian never lost any test series
10) Vivian Richards joined the Delhi Daredevils as their Mentor in The Indian Premier League in 2013. Richards will also mentor the Quetta Gladiators in the 2016 Pakistan Super League
11) In 1994, Richards was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to cricket
12) In test cricket, Vivian scored 8,540 runs at an average of more than 50 runs per innings. Viv also hit 24 centuries and 45 half centuries along with 32 wickets
13) In ODI cricket, Vivian scored 6721 runs at an average of 47. Viv also hit 11 centuries and 45 half centuries along with 118 wickets
14) Richards had apparently twice refused a blank cheque offer to play for a rebel West Indies squad in South Africa during the Apartheid era in 1983, and again in 1984
15) Viv Richards was extremely successful as captain of the West Indies team. Viv captained the team in 50 Tests and won 27 of them while lost only 8. Viv remains the only West Indies captain to never lose a Test series
16) Viv Richards never used helmet in his 17 years international career
17) Viv Richards led a colourful life both on and off field. Viv is married to Miriam and has two children with her: Matara, who currently lives in Canada; and Mali, who has also played First-Class cricket. Viv also had a brief relationship with Indian actress Neena Gupta, with whom he has a daughter, fashion designer Masaba Gupta, with whom he shares a doting relationship. He is also godfather to his good friend and contemporary player Ian Botham’s son, Liam
18) Vivian Richards was chosen as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year for 1977
19) In December 2002, Wisden named him as the greatest ODI batsman of all time as well as the third greatest Test batsman of all time, after Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar
20) The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua, is named in his honour.
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