Cricket Classics - Part XXXii : 1996 World Cup Semi-Final – India vs Sri Lanka
Hello, fellow Sports Enthusiasts,
Cricket is not just a sport between two teams; it's a battle of skills, strategy, and capitalizing on clutch moments. Although the game has transformed over the decades, it has never failed to impress or leave us with unforgettable moments.
So, through this series, I will present some of the most iconic cricket matches that have made fans jump out of their seats. Let's remember those legendary games once a week. I am with another iconic match.
I have said several times that Aravinda de Silva, the Mad Max, is the best batsman Sri Lanka has ever produced. He may not have runs like Sachin, or technical beauty like Sanga, or fame like any other batters, but clearly, he is a masterpiece of the game. He is so natural, who doesn't know about pressure. Just like Sir. Vivian, he is a real OG.
There are two innings that reflect his capacity, which show that pressure is just another word for him. Earlier I have discussed about his performance in 1996 World Cup Final, which helped us to grab our first and only ODI World Cup title. He took 3 wickets and two catches early, and then scored an unbeaten hundred, arguably the best performance in a World Cup final. Let's see another masterclass from him.
The 1996 Cricket World Cup, also called the Wills World Cup 1996, was the 6th edition, jointly hosted by India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. After a dramatic first half, Sri Lanka, India, Australia, and the West Indies advanced to the semi-finals.
It was the first semi-final on March 13, 1996, at the fully packed Eden Gardens ground, Kolkata. The Indian team was led by Mohammad Azharuddin with a good combination of Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli, Sanjay Manjrekar, Kumble, Navjot Sidhu, etc. Sri Lanka was coming under Arjuna with a revolutionary squad consisting of Jayasuriya, Arawinda, Gurusinghe, Mahanama, Kaluwitharana, Kumar Dharmasena, Vaas, Murali, etc.
India won the toss and elected to field, and straightaway the decision was justified. We lost both the openers, including destructive Jayasuriya, in the first over for just one run. Then came the savior, with dedicated eyes. The Sri Lankan team was already on the back foot. And Gurusinghe was unable to power through against Indian ballers.
But Aravinda delivered a counterattack with perfect aggression and charisma. He was playing his iconic shots all around the ground. He brought back the confidence once again. He scored 66runs off 47 balls, with 14 boundaries. Then Mahanama carried the innings with that foundation, with 58 runs. Hashan and Arjuna helped him. So, with that effort, Sri Lanka scored 251/8 in their 50 overs, a total that can be happy by both teams.
So, the chase began. India lost Navjot Sidhu early. But Sachin and Sanjay Manjrekar had a 90-run partnership for the second wicket. Their hope was solely centered on Sachin, but he was trapped by Jayasuriya at 65 runs. After that, the Indian team collapsed from 98-1 to 120/8. No batter could withstand Sri Lanka's ballers.
With that poor performance from India, their fans got furious. Unfortunately, they threw bottles, set seats on fire, which caused the play to stop time to time and completely abandon in the end. Match referee Clive Lloyd declared Sri Lanka the winners and advanced to the finals.
So, with that, we showed how to handle the pressure and ultimately become the champions. That was a memory and glory for a lifetime. Aravinde won the man match award in this match as well.
See you at the next episode!! You can always suggest a match to discuss in the next episode.
src - espncricinfo
Wikipedia
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