The Setting: The match, played on February 28, 2012, was a must-win encounter for India to stay alive in the triangular series. Sri Lanka had set a challenging target of 321 runs, and India needed a victory not just to keep their hopes alive but also to showcase their resilience in the tournament.

Kohli’s Arrival: Coming in to bat at a precarious situation with India at 2/21, Kohli joined opener Gautam Gambhir, and the duo began the repair work. The Hobart pitch offered assistance to the bowlers, but Kohli’s determination and skill set the stage for one of the most memorable innings in limited-overs cricket.

Masterclass in Chasing: Kohli’s innings was a masterclass in the art of chasing. He combined impeccable technique with aggressive shot-making, dictating terms to the Sri Lankan bowlers. The right-hander showcased his ability to pace the innings perfectly, anchoring one end while scoring boundaries at regular intervals.

Building Partnerships: The hallmark of Kohli’s innings was his partnerships with other batsmen. He stitched crucial stands with Gambhir and Suresh Raina, guiding India towards the target. His ability to rotate the strike and accelerate when required displayed a maturity beyond his years.

The Turning Point: As wickets fell around him, Kohli continued to play with remarkable composure. The turning point came when he was joined by Suresh Raina, and together they constructed a match-winning partnership. Kohli’s ability to control the innings even under pressure was on full display.

The Celebration: The century was sealed with a boundary, and Kohli’s exuberant celebration reflected not just personal achievement but a collective sigh of relief for the Indian team. His 133 off 86 balls featured 16 boundaries and 2 sixes, etching his name in the record books and the hearts of cricket fans worldwide.

Legacy and Impact: Virat Kohli’s innings in Hobart not only helped India secure a crucial victory but also showcased his prowess as one of the best chasers in contemporary cricket. The knock marked a pivotal moment in Kohli’s career, setting the stage for the numerous masterful innings that would follow.

Conclusion: Virat Kohli’s 133 against Sri Lanka in Hobart remains a testament to his skill, temperament, and the ability to thrive under pressure. The innings is etched in the memories of cricket fans as a defining moment in Kohli’s career and a shining example of his unparalleled batting prowess. It stands as a reminder of why Virat Kohli is considered one of the modern-day greats in the sport.

The post Virat Kohli’s Masterclass in Hobart: Recounting the Unforgettable 133 Against Sri Lanka in 2012 appeared first on Cricket Country.

Australia shocked the hosts by 72 runs in the first One-Day International before the Indians leveled the series in Jaipur with a 360-run chase. Australia took a 2-1 lead in the series after a last-over miracle at Mohali thanks to late-game heroics from James Faulkner.

It was the second ODI of a seven-match series against Australia in Jaipur when India was set an improbable target of 360. Following their loss in the opening encounter, the Men in Blue were starring down the barrel of a 0-2 deficit when the batsmen took matters into their own hands.

An incredible opening partnership saw Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan propel India to 176/0 in 26 overs. Australia finally broke through, removing Dhawan for 95 to make way for Virat Kohli’s entry. Carnage of the highest order followed as the champion batter smashed a century off 52 deliveries with eight fours and an incredible seven maximums. On the other side, Rohit played second-fiddle, notching up a sublime century off 102 deliveries and eventually finished on 141 from 123 balls.

The pair stitched together an unbeaten partnership of 186 from 104 deliveries to motor India to a nine-wicket victory in a mere 43.3 overs. Here is a video of the game that saw India chase 360 and level the series at one apiece.

The 360 runs is still the team’s greatest successful run chase in the 50-over format, while Virat Kohli’s 52-ball century is still the fastest century by an Indian batsman in an ODI.

In one-day internationals, the pair has been incredibly successful against the Australians, averaging over 50 with a strike rate in the nineties and amassing 16 centuries between them.

The post IND VS AUS 2013 : When Rohit Sharma announced himself to the world appeared first on Cricket Country.

But both sides agree that this was possibly the nadir for Indian cricket in terms of World Cups, and never ever has the side been in such ignominy since coloured clothing was adopted in cricket. India’s West Indies trip was a story of three matches and little else.

Accusations and anger that followed were natural, and refuse to die down even now, while the team that has moved on, as have all the players, would most likely still sit back and wonder at time as what went wrong.’But both sides agree that this was possibly the nadir for Indian cricket in terms of World Cups, and never ever has the side been in such ignominy since coloured clothing was adopted in cricket. India’s West Indies trip was a story of three matches and little else.

Bob Woolmer’s death

The biggest news of this World Cup was the death of Pakistan’s English coach Bob Woolmer.

Woolmer was found dead on March 18 in his hotel room in Kingston, Jamaica, a day after his side’s loss to Ireland which sent them packing. Initially considered a suspicious death, leading to a post-mortem and subsequently Jamaica police opened a murder investigation, which was subsequently reversed and remains a mystery till now.

New hosts and format

The Caribbean islands hosted their first World Cup and as many as 16 teams participated in the jamboree. The sides were divided into four groups and the top two teams from all groups then played a Super 8 format.

The associate teams included Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, the Netherlands and Scotland, who contested with the 10 Test-playing countries.

India’s disastrous run

India were clubbed with Bangladesh, Bermuda and Sri Lanka, and on any normal time, they were a cinch for the Super 8s. But it did not quite go down like that.

India began with a sensational loss to Bangladesh at Port of Spain, Trinidad, on March 17. Batting first, India were all at sea and barring Sourav Ganguly’s painstaking 66 and 47 runs from Yuvraj Singh, there was little else as they ended at 191 runs.

Bangladesh medium-pacer Mashrafe Mortaza claimed four wickets while spinners Abdur Razzak and Mohammad Rafique had three wickets each.

In reply, Bangladesh saw half-centuries from opener Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib al Hasan as they notched up a five-wicket win.

India duly beat Bermuda but their last-ditch battle with Sri Lanka ended in a defeat and they were out.
Upul Tharanga (64), Chamara Silva (59) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (38) guided Sri Lanka to a moderate 254/6 in their 50 overs but under-pressure India were not up for the challenge.

Skipper Rahul Dravid scored 60 and Virender Sehwag 48 but three wickets from Muttiah Muralitharan, two Chaminda Vaas and contributions from all the Sri Lankan bowlers saw India crumble to 185 all out in 43.3 overs and their run had ended ingloriously.

All-win Australia lift another title

Australia were once again at their best. They registered 12 consecutive victories in the tournament and brooked no opposition as they marched on.

After the league and Super 8s, Australian fast bowlers Shaun Tait (4/39) and Glenn McGrath (3/18) destroyed South Africa in the semi-finals, restricting them to just 149 runs, which they sailed past for a seven-wicket win.

In the other semi-final, Mahela Jayawardene scored 115 not out and Muralitharan claimed 4/31 as Sri Lanka knocked out New Zealand by 81 runs.

In the final, a repeat of the 1996 contest, Australia and Sri Lanka played what ended up being a fiasco of a final. As rain dominated, the match was initially reduced to a 38-over clash, and Adam Gilchrist blasted 149 as Australia reached 281/4.

Sri Lanka responded with challenging second-wicket stand between Sanath Jayasuriya (63) and Kumar Sangakkara (54) before wickets tumbled and the rain again reduced the overs to 36 overs and the Duckworth-Lewis System (DLS) target to 269.

But then the umpires asked the players to go back to the pavilion after 33 overs due to bad light and decided that the remaining three overs would be bowled the following day.

But rival skippers Ricky Ponting and Jayawardene decided to continue and the remaining overs were played in near-dark conditions and Australia finally win by 53 runs by the DLS system, taking their unbeaten World Cup streak to 29 matches.

The post ICC World Cup 2007: India’s Nightmare As Australia Notch Up Another Title appeared first on Cricket Country.

But sadly, for all of them, Australia were just too seasoned and their experience of playing finals made a telling difference as India could only offer very limited resistance in the title match. This is also the only time till now when India have reached the final and not lifted the trophy. But this was a side that excited all fans and kept them all clued in right through the tournament, but fell agonisingly short of their aim.

This was the biggest tournament to date with 14 teams participating. Apart from the 10 Test-playing nations, co-hosts Kenya were joined by Canada, Namibia and the Netherlands. With so many teams in the fray, this was also the tournament with the biggest number of matches as 54 games were played.

India were in Pool A with Australia, England, Namibia, the Netherlands, eternal rivals Pakistan and co-hosts Zimbabwe and ended the seven-team league in second position on points, behind Australia.

India’s Dodgy League Run

India couldn’t have asked for an easier opener when they met the Netherlands at Paarl on February 12 but their performance was not the best. It took a 52 from Sachin Tendulkar and contributions from Nayan Mongia (42) and Yuvraj Singh (27) to carry them to 204 off 48.5 overs. But Javagal Srinath (4/30) and Anil Kumble (4/32) were too hot to handle for the Dutch and they folded up for 136.

Worse was to come when India were absolutely walloped by Australia in their next match. Tendulkar again top-scored with 36 and Harbhajan Singh scored 28 as India were bundled out for 125, with Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie claiming three wickets each. Australia cantered home to a nine-wicket win.

But things then looked up as India beat Zimbabwe and Namibia and then got the better of England, riding on Ashish Nehra’s sensational 6/23.

Nehra classic

India batted first at Durban and Tendulkar got another half-century (50) while Rahul Dravid top-scored with 62. Virender Sehwag, promoted to opener, got some useful runs as did Dinesh Mongia and Yuvraj Singh as India tallied 250/9 off 50 overs.

Nehra then waded into the English batting with a career-best wicket haul as they were sent packing for 168. Nehra’s victims included Michael Vaughan, Nasser Hussain, Paul Collingwood, Alec Stewart, Craig White and Ronnie Irani. By far the best World Cup show by any Indian bowler.

Pakistan Lose Again

India-Pakistan matches in World Cups have always been one-way traffic and this time was no different. India once more were on the winning side in their contest at Centurion on March 1.

Saeed Anwar, always a thorn in India’ side, once again was on the job with a century but got little support as Pakistan managed only 237/7 off 50 overs.

Tendulkar then hammered 98 off just 73 balls and Yuvraj (50 not out), Dravid (44 not out) and Sehwag (21) ensured an easy Indian win and vital points.

Sensations And Disasters

The tournament was a story of Kenya’s sensational entry into the semi-finals, as also of co-host South Africa’s inability to decipher the Duckworth-Lewis rain rule and crashing out of the tournament in that legendary match with Sri Lanka in Durban, when they needed one more run to win but ended with a tie after everyone in the South African camp misread the D/L run requirement. The nation was stunned as their team was washed away with the Durban rain.

Other disasters included England, Pakistan and the West Indies too crashing out in the league stage.

India Advance

India met Kenya in their semi-final in Cape Town and skipper Sourav Ganguly finally got some runs with and unbeaten 107 as India chased down the 225-run target rather comfortably but not before India were reduced to 3/24. Dravid (32) and Yuvraj (58 not out) then kept Ganguly company as India made it to their second World Cup final.

Australia were in fearsome form against Sri Lanka in what was quite a revenge match for the 1996 final. Ricky Ponting hammered 114 off 109 balls while Adam Gilchrist was run out at 99. Damien Martyn chipped in with 52 as the Aussies scored 319/5.

Sri Lanka were decimated Lee, Glann McGrath and Brad Hogg and only Aravinda de Silva (92) could offer any resistance as they went down by 96 runs.

Final Agony For India

Australia, who had witnessed star spinner Shane Warne being expelled from the tournament on drug abuse charges even before a ball was bowled, were again in the final and they had to contend with a chock-a-block Wanderers Stadium at Johannesburg on March 23 as they took on crowd favourites India. But the Australians were way more professional in their approach as India succumbed to the hype and pressure and it ended up being a one-sided affair.

Ponting once again led the batting assault with 140 runs off 121 deliveries after Gilchrist (57) and Matthew Hayden (37) had got them off to a flying start. Martyn contributed 88 not out of 84 deliveries as only Harbhajan Singh (2/49) had anything to offer in terms of resistance.

Sehwag’s 82 went in vain as India were never in the game. Dravid (47), Ganguly and Yuvraj (24 each) were not able to find enough support and India went down by a massive 125 runs.

India would have to wait another eight years to see another final. But that was a whole different story.

The post World Cup 2003: After The Crescendo, India Fall Short Of Glory appeared first on Cricket Country.

Australia and the West Indies refused to play in Sri Lanka in the tournament between February 14 and March 17, after some bomb blasts in the capital Colombo in January. Efforts to make them change their minds were all in vain.

Nevertheless, the International Cricket Council (ICC) was firm in not rescheduling the games and Sri Lanka got full points for both games with walkovers. Something that was to their benefit in the long run.

The tournament also saw the maximum number of teams participating, with the nine Test-playing nations being joined by three associate members in Kenya, the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Sri Lanka, with four points from two forfeits, were almost through to the quarter-finals even before stepping onto the ground. However, even in the other games, they found ways to surprise their rivals.

Call it indignation at being slighted by Australia or the West Indies, or the brilliant tactical acumen of coach Dav Whatmore, Sri Lanka were on another level.

The plan to use Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana as pinch-hitters at the top of the order bore rich fruit.

Their first ‘real’ match was Zimbabwe, which they won, and then they met India at New Delhi. Though the latter scored 271/3 off 50 overs, thanks to a run-a-ball 137 by Sachin Tendulkar and 72 not out from skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, Sri Lanka’s plan worked to perfection. Jayasuriya scored 79 off 76 balls and Kaluwitharana added 26 off 16 before Asanka Gurusinha, captain Arjuna Ranatunga and Hashan Tillekeratne sealed off a fine win.

Sri Lanka Then Crushed Kenya To Top The Group

Getting into the quarter-finals was not a great feat this year. All the teams had to do was to win two games. Everyone beat the UAE and Netherlands and four sides including India and Sri Lanka entered the quarter-finals.

India Stop Pakistan Again

India met Pakistan there, with India winning the Bangalore match by 39 runs. Navjot Singh Sidhu scored 93 and everyone chipped in as India scored 287/8 and Venkatesh Prasad and Anil Kumble claimed three wickets each as Pakistan were restricted to 248/9 off 49 overs.

Sri Lanka were not bothered too much by England and duly entered the semi-finals, where they met India, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

Fire At Eden

Despite Azharuddin’s disastrous decision to field first on a breaking Eden pitch, India began sensationally, with Javagal Srinath dismissing Jayasuriya, Kaluwitharana, and Gurusinha, with the first two wickets falling with the score at just one run.

But the inimitable Aravinda de Silva, Roshan Mahanama, Ranatunga, and Tillekeratne came good and Chaminda Vaas used the long handle effectively as the visitors ended at 251/8.

India never got off the ground on the crumbling pitch and though Tendulkar got 65, it was a wasted effort as India were reduced to 120/8.

The Eden crowd was unforgiving and flames were seen in the stands as the anger boiled over. The match was halted and subsequently, Sri Lanka won by default, Vinod Kambli’s tears as he walked off being a stark reflection of India’s dismay.

Payback

The final, ironically, brought Sri Lanka face to face with Australia, who had snubbed him at the beginning of the tournament. The islanders had not forgotten and they made Australia pay.

The Aussies batted first at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and Mark Taylor (74), Ricky Ponting (45) and Michael Bevan (36 not out) got some runs but the Sri Lankan spinners, especially the innocuous off-spin of De Silva, were deadly. All Australia got was 241/7.

Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana left early again by De Silva was in supreme form, carving out 107 not out, while Gurusinha (65) and Ranatunga (47 not out) made sure that the Sri Lankans had vengeance and also the World Cup.

It was quite a sensational achievement for the Sri Lankans and their cause was vindicated, in one of the most dramatic World Cups ever.

The post World Cup 1996: Sri Lanka’s Moment Of Glory After Politics Interfere With Cricket appeared first on Cricket Country.

The format was different too. Nine teams, including Zimbabwe who had just played their first Test match, were clubbed in one group and played one another once in the league.

India’s Agonising Outing

India had a World Cup to forget. They went down to England in their first match, failing to reach the moderate 236-run target, which came thanks to a 91 from Robin Smith and 51 runs from Graham Gooch.
India’s reply began well with a 63-run opening stand between Ravi Shastri (57) and Krishnamachari Srikkanth (39) but then the wheel came off. Sachin Tendulkar scored 25 and Subroto Banerjee scored a valiant 25 not out off 16 deliveries but the lower-order just did not have enough steam to get through as India lost by nine runs.

Worse was to come as India lost to Australia by just one run in a tantalising rain-affected match.

After their second game was rained out, costing India a likely win against Sri Lanka, the next game saw them face Australia at Brisbane and it went down to the wire.

After Australia were restricted to 237/9 after some fine seam-up bowling from Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar, India fell short of the revised target by one run when Javagal Srinath’s long aerial shot was dropped by Steve Waugh at the fence but he recovered to throw the ball into fins last man Venkatapathy Raju short of his crease. India ended at 234 off 47 overs.

India beat Pakistan, defending a low score, and then went past Zimbabwe to keep their hopes alive, but went down to the West Indies, New Zealand, and then South Africa and their race was run.

Pakistan’s Roller Coaster Ride

Pakistan, at one stage, were almost out of the tournament. They lost three of their first five matches and only a rained-out contest against England gave them their third point, which would be crucial in the final summation.

Pakistan were 74 all out against England, who were 24/1 when the match stopped and never restarted.
Worst, Pakistan lost to India, which is always a big game. India scored only 216, thanks to a 54 not out from Tendulkar and 46 runs from Ajay Jadeja, and a late-order flurry from Kapil Dev who got 35 runs off 26 deliveries. Leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed claimed three wickets.

But Pakistan collapsed in a heap to end at 173. Only opener Aamer Sohail (62) and Javed Miandad 40 were in the race as the medium-pacers Kapil Dev, Prabhakar, and Srinath claimed two wickets apiece, while Tendulkar got the important wicket of Sohail.

Pakistan’s next match was a loss to South Africa and they were staring at elimination at this stage. But then things turned.

They beat Australia convincingly, then beat Sri Lanka and New Zealand to end up with nine points from the league, that one point in the rained-out match with England getting them ahead of Australia’s tally of eight.

They never looked back. Inzamam-ul Haq played a leading role as Pakistan beat New Zealand in the semi-final to set up a final clash with England.

Skipper Imran Khan scored 72 and Javed Miandad 58 as they scored 249/6. Contributions also came from Inzamam (42) and Wasim Akram (33).

Then the fiery display of fast bowling from Akram set the Melbourne Cricket Ground ablaze. He dismissed Ian Botham for a duck and then returned to remove Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis of successive deliveries, in one of the finest bowling displays of any final and England had no answers. Neil Fairbrother scored 62 and Lamb 31 but even though their tail wagged to some extent, Mushtaq Ahmed and Aaqib Javed also claimed wickets and Pakistan emerged winners by 22 runs.

The post World Cup 1992: Pakistan Rise From The Ashes To Claim Maiden Title appeared first on Cricket Country.

You won’t find the first of the lot, since they are yet to be up for sale. The second and third, sure, but at a premium. But that really does not matter to our NRI. Cricket must be watched, at any cost. Not least the only match that matters, India versus Pakistan, in Ahmedabad, on October 15! So, you make all your flight bookings, block hotel rooms (even hospital beds, it seems) and wait with bated breath for the tickets to be up for sale.

Then, they suddenly realise that the India-Pak match may not be played on October 15 at all! Just a minor fact of Navratri beginning on that day and which Indian doesn’t know how big it is in Gujarat.

Then the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unleashes the real bombshell. There will be changes in the dates and times of several matches, because as many as three International Cricket Council (ICC) full members have issues about the current schedule.

We still don’t know if those members include Pakistan.

So, all the NRI friend’s plans – flight dates, hotel bookings, domestic travel plans – go up in smoke within the span of one BCCI briefing. Now he will be left scampering to revise all plans, but that too will have to wait till the new schedule is released.

The biggest equity-holder in cricket in India – the paying fan – has the last say, if any, in the goings-on of the board, or the ICC.

With just over two months left for the World Cup to begin (as per the original schedule), fans still don’t know when the matches he wants to watch will be played. As a double delight, he will also have to run to marked centres to pick up hard copies of match tickets, since e-tickets are not available.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah states that 7-8 centres will be opened “well in advance” for redemption of physical tickets, which will have to be retained by the spectators for the tournament.

So much for digitisation.

So not just will our NRI friend have to change all his plans, he will also have to queue up at one of these centres “well in advance” to redeem his ticket. That should be fun.

As a return for all these trials, the fan will be welcomed with enhanced facilities at the hosting stadia – stuff like hygiene, clean toilets, and free drinking water. They should be eternally grateful. After all, these things, taken as a given in most stadia for most sports worldwide, are not so in India.

Batting order mystery

Speaking of reordering, it was very interesting to see the Indian batting order during the first One-Day International (ODI) against the West Indies at Bridgetown, Barbados.

All the talk about Sanju Samson getting a look-in went up in smoke as Ishan Kishan came in to open India’s inning along with Shubman Gill, followed by Suryakumar Yadav (wearing Sanju Samson’s shirt) at No, 3, Hardik Pandya at 4, Ravindra Jadeja at 5 and then Shardul Thakur.

No sign of Virat Kohli (who wasn’t even padded up) and Rohit Sharma only came sauntering in when India lost their fifth wicket, that of Thakur.

Quite interesting, this whole exercise. Team India seems to be testing the waters, so to speak, in real earnest. Even the shirt sizes seems to be up for changes. Ask Samson and SKY.

Quite an engaging beginning to the World Cup preparations, off and on the field. Normally, such events are fixed, sold and sorted by this time, but this is cricket, after all, and that too in India.

Anything is possible. So, keep watching this space.

The post World Cup 2023: Change In Schedule And Batting Order, Ticket Sales And Scampering Fans appeared first on Cricket Country.

All that was thanks to that World Cup in 1983, when a bunch of players ambled into England with precious little hope of doing anything big and returned as champions, players who are still feted and celebrated. This was the World Cup of change.

Little Hope

India, led by that Haryana star Kapil Dev, went into England with very little to bank on. In the past two World Cups in 1975 and 1979, India had a single win, that too over unknown East Africa and had the ignominy of losing to associate nation Sri Lanka in the second edition.

So, when the team left for England, everyone in it was looking at another short tour, and several plans had been made within the side to travel to the US once they were done with the tournament, much before the final.

Their mood couldn’t have improved when they saw the West Indies in their group. This was a side that had run over anyone in their way to win both the 1975 and 1979 editions of the tournament and India surely could not change that.

Incredible

But incredibly, India did change that. Their first league match of the tournament, on June 9 at Old Trafford, Manchester, saw India pitted against the Caribbeans and history was made.

Yashpal Sharma was the hero with a fighting 89 as India scored 262/8 in their 60 overs and the West Indians, to their and the cricket world’s utter shock, fell short.

Roger Binny claimed 3/48 off 12 overs and Ravi Shastri had 3/26 and the West Indies fell short by 34 runs. India were on their way.

The Wheels Coming Off

Despite this win, this was a big league to play – each side played the other twice – so this could still go south. India beat Zimbabwe in their next game but then Australia came down on them like a ton of bricks.

Opener Trevor Chappell scored a century as Australia scored 320/9, Kapil Dev’s 5/43 notwithstanding.

India were dismissed for 158, with Kapil getting 40 runs and Kris Srikkanth 39. Ken MacLeay’s 6/39 was just too much.

Then it was the West Indies again. Vivian Richards scored a century and despite a late-order collapse, the West Indies scored 282/9. India’s reply was orchestrated by Mohinder Amarnath’s 80, but there was little else as they fell to a 66-run loss.

India were now looking down the barrel. They had to win everything from here to have any hope of making it to the semi-finals.

Kapil Dev’s Magic

Tunbridge Wells on June 18 was looking like the end. Zimbabwe reduced India to 9/4 and then 17/5 before Kapil Dev, with some company from Binny, took India to 77 before two more wickets fell.

But Kapil was not to be denied. His incredible record 175 not out, lost to the world because of a strike by the broadcasters, was unreal. It came off 138 balls with 16 boundaries and six sixes. Any modern-day batter would be challenged to achieve that strike rate

Syed Kirmani remained 24 not out as India reached 266/8 and the shell-shocked Zimbabwe capitulated.

Then came Australia again, but by this time, India believed. Their 247 off 55.5 overs didn’t look enough but Binny and Madan Lal claimed four wickets apiece as Australia were dismissed for 129.

Miracle Unfolds

India were in the semi-finals! This was a shock to the powers of the sport and a sensation for the expatriate crowd in England.

But the title was still not in their reach. After all, they had to get past the hosts in the semis.

England batted first and an ominous 69-run opening stand between Graeme Fowler and Chris Tavare was threatening before Binny took care of both. Kapil Dev claimed three wickets while Binny and Amarnath had two apiece, while Kirti Azad’s off-spin sent the dangerous Ian Botham back and England could muster only 213.

Yashpal Sharma score a fine 61 and everyone in the top order chipped in as India sailed through, with Sandeep Patil (51 not out) hitting the winning runs.

India were in the final!

India! India!!

The final at Lord’s was a foregone conclusion, or at least the West Indies team and fans thought so. They expatriate Caribbeans thronged the ground but the Indian fans were not to be undone. It was quite the stage for history to be made.

India batted first and the West Indies fast-bowling battery was in no mood to let them into the match. But Srikkanth scored a courageous 38, taking the attack to the bowlers and Amarnath chipped in with 26. Patil contributed 27 and the tail, in Madan Lal, Kirmani and Balwinder Sandhu, scored some crucial runs. But 183 was not much of a target.

Sandhu was back in action when Gordon Greenidge shouldered arms to an inswinger and lost his stumps, but Richards was in no mood to let the match meander.

The star clobbered 33 off 28 deliveries with seven boundaries and it looked like curtains for India before Kapil Dev grabbed a skier that changed the entire match.

The rest is history, much repeated and celebrated. Amarnath claimed three wickets, as did Madan Lal, while Sandhu had two as West Indies collapsed for 140 in 52 overs.

India were champions. That day began what has been a legend, which lives on, and will for as long as sport is played. That was the day when India became viable, and never looked back.

The post World Cup 1983: India! India!! The Tournament That Changed World Cricket Forever appeared first on Cricket Country.

India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was furious over a few controversial decisions by the umpires during the match, including her LBW call. Harman was disgusted after being given out LBW and smashed the stumps with her bat in frustration.

Later in the post-match presentation, Harmanpreet Kaur didn’t mince words and slammed the umpires for their decisions. As per a report in ESPNcricinfo, Harman even wanted the umpires to join the Bangladesh team for photographs, implying that they were part of the home team.

“A lot of learning from this game, even apart from cricket. The type of umpiring that was happening there, we were very surprised. Next time, when we will come to Bangladesh, we will make sure we have to deal with such umpiring and accordingly, will prepare ourselves,” said Harmanpreet during the presentation.

Bangladesh Captain Nigar Sultana Hits Back At Harmanpreet Kaur

Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana hit back at Harmanpreet Kaur for her behaviour and said that the India captain should have shown better manners.

“It is totally her (Harmanpreet’s) problem. I have nothing to do with it,” Nigar said in the press conference. “As a player, she could have shown better manners. I can’t tell you what happened, but it didn’t feel right to be there [for the photograph] with my team. It wasn’t the right environment. That’s why we went back. Cricket is a game of discipline and respect.”

The Bangladesh captain also backed the umpires and said that they are professional individuals and gave the decisions they felt were right. Sultana also took a swipe at Harman and said that she should not cry about poor calls as seven wickets to fall were either caught or run out.

“The umpires wouldn’t give her out if she wasn’t out. We had umpires from men’s international cricket, so they were good umpires. What are they [India] going to say about the caught or run-out dismissals [of which there were six excluding the Harmanpreet and Meghna wickets]? We have respected their decisions. The umpire’s decision is the final decision, whether I like it or not. Why didn’t we behave in that way [like the India players]?”

How Fair Was Harmanpreet Kaur’s Outrage At Umpires?

Cricket is a gentlemen’s game where the umpire’s decision is supreme. The umpires are humans and are bound to make errors. This is not something that is new to the game and the players are well aware of this. There have been instances in the past where batters have been given out unfairly, at times very close to a big landmark, and bowlers have been denied certain wickets.

To minimize the umpiring errors, DRS has been put in place but the technology too has its fair share of glitches. What Harmanpreet did was against the spirit of the game which is of utmost importance for the players and fans. Look at Kane Williamson, his team was denied a World Cup after a bizarre boundary count rule but he took the blow with a smile on his face. Harmanpreet should think about her behaviour in the final ODI as no player is bigger than the game itself and its integrity.

(The views and opinions expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent)

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Major upset

As it turned out, that was not quite true. Australia, runners-up in 1975 to the West Indies, did not even qualify for the semi-finals after a disastrous league stage, where they lost both to England and Pakistan in the league stage.

Granted, Australia were not half the side they were in 1975, as the World Series Cricket (WSC) organised by Australian media baron Kerry Packer attracted a lot of the top names, who were thereafter slapped suspensions by the International Cricket Conference (ICC) and thereby were not available.

Nevertheless, Australia ran between the wickets like they had resumed from the 1975 final. That match saw five Aussie run-outs, and their next World Cup match, in 1979 against England, saw four batters being found short. From 111/3, Australia were reduced to 159/9 and that just wasn’t enough.

The biggest shock however came against Pakistan. The Pakistanis, boasting Sadiq Mohammed, Majid Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad and skipper Asif Iqbal were formidable and scored 286/7. Then Majid chipped in with three wickets as well as Sikander Bakht and Imran Khan were on point as Australia were dismissed for 197, losing by 89 runs and exiting the World Cup.

West Indies unstoppable

The West Indians were fantastic. No side was good enough to stop them and, in any case, they were in the relatively easier group.

India had no answer to the giant fast-bowling quintet of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Colin Croft and Collis King and were dismissed for 190, which also was thanks to a patient 75 from Gundappa Viswanath.

Then Gordon Greenidge sailed to an unbeaten century and between him, Desmond Haynes and Richards, the job was easy.

The West Indies-Sri Lanka match was washed out and then the Caribbeans beat New Zealand to ensure a semi-final berth.

The last four saw Greenidge, Haynes, Richards, Lloyd and King in fine nick and 293/6 was too much for Pakistan, despite some valiant resistance from Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas. Ironically, Vivian Richards’ innocuous off-spin was as lethal as the fearsome fast bowlers.

England duly made the final against New Zealand and the hosts met the West Indies at Lord’s on June 23.

Chris Old and Mike Hendrick had West Indies in trouble and they were 99/4 before Richards and King, the original pinch-hitter, carved together a 139-run fifth-wicket stand.

Richards was his imperious self, with 138 not out off 157 deliveries while King blasted 86 off 66 balls with 10 boundaries and three sixes. A total of 286/9 was very challenging indeed.

A painstakingly slow opening stand between Mike Brearley and Geoffrey Boycott ensured England were never really in the race and Garner was unstoppable. His 5/38 off 11 overs and contributions by Croft and Holding ensured the West Indies their second successive World Cup.

India’s horror run

India had a World Cup to forget. Not only they lost to the West Indies and New Zealand, they also conceded points to Sri Lanka, still an associate nation, and were sent packing rather unceremoniously.

After the West Indies defeat, India went down to New Zealand. Batting first, they managed just 182 runs. Sunil Gavaskar scored 55 off 144 deliveries and barring Brijesh Patel in the middle-order and a bit of long handle by Kapil Dev and Karsan Ghavri lower down, there was nothing of note.

John Wright and Bruce Edgar added exactly 100 for the New Zealand opening stand and that effectively was that.

But the worst came five days later.

Sunil Wettimuny, Roy Dias and Duleep Mendis punished the Indian bowling as the islanders scored 238/5 off 60 overs and then the Indian batting, boasting Gavaskar, Anshuman Gaekwad, Dilip Vengsarkar, Viswanath and Brijesh Patel just never stuck around long enough and a lower-order collapse ensured that India had conceded points to the minnows.

India ended with zero points, below Sri Lanka’s one (no-result with West Indies).

This was hardly the backdrop that India needed, and no wonder they were not really taken seriously in the subsequent World Cup in 1983. But then, that is another story.

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