Who is Allan Border?
Allan Border is a former Australian cricket captain who led Australia to its first World Cup title in 1987. A tough and determined batter, he played 156 Tests and scored 11,174 runs.
Border was born in Sydney in 1955. He made his Test debut in 1978 and became captain in 1984, at a time when Australian cricket was struggling after the retirement of several star players.
He was known for his tenacity and grit, earning nicknames such as Captain Grumpy. He held the record for the most Test runs in history when he retired in 1994.
Rebuilding Australian cricket
Under Border's leadership, Australia won the 1987 World Cup in India, defeating England in the final at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The win marked the beginning of a revival in Australian cricket.
He led Australia to an Ashes victory in England in 1989, the first of many Ashes wins for Australia over the following decade.
The Allan Border Medal, awarded to the best Australian international cricketer each year, is named after him. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy, played between Australia and India, honors him and Indian great Sunil Gavaskar.
Did You Know?
Border played 153 consecutive Test matches, a record for many years.