Which clothing style first appeared at the Cricket World Cup in 1992?

Coloured clothing first appeared at the Cricket World Cup during the 1992 tournament.

The 1992 competition, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, marked a major visual change from earlier World Cups. Players wore coloured team uniforms instead of traditional cricket whites, while matches also introduced white balls and black sight screens. Several games were played under floodlights, reinforcing the tournament’s modern, television-friendly identity.

The change is often associated with limited-overs cricket becoming more commercial and visually distinctive. Coloured uniforms made teams easier to identify on television, especially during day-night matches, and helped separate the World Cup from Test cricket’s traditional presentation.

The 1992 event was also notable for South Africa’s return to World Cup cricket after its readmission to international sport following the end of apartheid. Pakistan won the final against England by 22 runs. “Cricket whites” is therefore the historical style being replaced, not the new feature introduced in 1992.