Reminiscences of Sri Lanka’s greatest sporting victory

PREMASARA EPASINGHE

One of the greatest pleasures of commentating on the game of cricket and touring the world is having the opportunity to visit places, observe different cultures and people, see things you would otherwise never have experienced.

I commented thrice in India, Pakistan and England. Further, I toured South Africa, Australia (thrice), Sarjah, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh - they were all ‘cricket pilgrimages’.

In my 46 years as a commentator, the most memorable match etched in my mind is undoubtedly commentating the 1996 Wills World Cup finals played at the Gaddafi stadium, Lahore, Pakistan, thirteen years back, 17 March, 1996.

This beautiful stadium is a legacy of the reign of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in the early seventies, which bears witness to Bhutto’s alliance with the Libyan regime.

The picturesque historic Lahore known as the Garden City of Pakistan boasts of a very proud history during the Moghul period. Today, it is the capital of Punjab Province. The capital of Pakistan is Islamabad.

The red-letter day dawned on 17 March 1996. It was the thirty seventh, and the final match of the 1996 Wills World Cup cricket tournament.

It rained overnight. The roadway to Gaddafi stadium was muddy. The match was scheduled to start at 2.30 p.m. Pakistan time. After an early lunch, Sri Lankan commentators - Bandula Saman Waturegama, Lucien Wijesinghe and yours truly, proceeded to the Gaddafi stadium at about 12.45. The queue for the stands snaked around the stadium.

The bookmakers made Australia favourites. You cannot blame them. The track record showed, Australia had won twenty three (23) of their ODI encounters, out of thirty-three against Sri Lanka.

They were more resilient than any of the teams. Sri Lanka had in their march to the finals: Zimbabwe, Kenya, England and India.

They first played the Australian National Anthem - Advance Australia Fair.

Australians all let us rejoice. For we are young and free

We have a golden soil - and wealth for toil

Our home is girt by sea.

We were waiting for our proud National Anthem. But, instead of ‘Namo Namo Matha’ another song ‘Nkosi Sikelele Afrika’ - the South African National Anthem was played for few minutes.

The person who was handling the public address system, pressed the wrong button. It stopped. After an embarrassing silence the loud-speaker crackled our ‘Namo Namo Matha’. I thought for a while, this bungle of national identity as a bad omen for Sri Lanka.

Left arm paceman Chaminda Vaas, bowling his heart out removed the dangerous Mark Waugh early. Rickey Ponting joined the left-hander skipper Mark Taylor. By half way mark, they consolidated the position. They passed the hundred mark in the 19th over. After 25 overs - half way mark, the score board read 134 for 1 - indeed a very sound position.

The skipper Ranatunga, unruffled, maintained his cool and juggled his spinners - Sanath Jayasuriya, Aravinda de Silva, Muttiah Muralidharan and Kumar Dharmasena, intelligently.

Ponting progressed to 45 off 73 balls and through sheer frustration tried to send the ball to the third man region. With gentle turn, de Silva deceived Ponting.

In the quarter final against New Zealand at Madras, Taylor sent Shane Warne to get quick runs. But, this ploy did not work with Sri Lanka. Muralis faster ball did the trick and Kaluvitharana whipped off the bails.

Steve Waugh, tried to flick Dharmasena to the leg. The ball was flying off a leading edge and Aravinda de Silva, running from mid-on judged the catch perfectly. At the end of the 35th over, Australia 170 for 5.

Michael Bevan, supposed to be the best exponent in limited over cricket and Stuart Law they tried to attack the bowlers. Law pulled Dharmasena for a six in the 43rd over. Later, Law tried to slash a wide ball from Jayasuriya. The catch was taken by Aravinda de Silva at gully. Ian Healy, the most experienced wicket-keeper in the 1996 World Cup, going for an adventurous big hit, lost his off stump and the score board read 205 for 7 in 45 overs.

Kumar and Murali, the front line spinners completed their quotas, but Ranatunga did not bring back Vaas and Wickramasinghe, but he insisted on Jayasuriya and de Silva. This showed his shrewd captaincy. Australia collected 33 runs in the last five overs thanks to Bevan. Sri Lankans maintained the pressure considering the early dash. To restrict Australians to 241 for 7 was an achievement.

The target for the Sri Lankans - 4.84 per over, looked a gettable one. Considering the Australian attack, anything was possible. They beat West Indies at Chandigarh by defending a smaller total, than this.

Sri Lanka pinned lot of hopes on dashing openers Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluvitharana. It was a disastrous start. Jayasuriya, a touch and go run out for 9, Kaluvitharana for 6.

Complexion

The complexion of the game changed with Aravinda de Silva and Asanka Gurusinha alliance. They laid a solid foundation with 125 partnership. Gurusinha scored 65 in 99 balls.

The stylish batting artist Aravinda de Silva was an absolute genius. He had a wonderful eye, and a wonderful brain.

I felt, if ever there was a wizard with a bat it was Aravinda de Silva. He become the darling of the spectators. Aravinda de Silva scored 107 not out in 124 balls with 13 boundaries.

The Sri Lankans and Pakistanis were overjoyed when Shane Warne, the best leg-spinner in the world looked quite an ordinary bowler at the hands of Aravinda, Asanka, and Arjuna. An over from Warne to Arjuna Ranatunga looked more like a telephone number in Sri Lanka telephone directory - 2642443. The scores were levelled 241. McGrath was operating from the pavilion end. Arjuna, nudged McGrath’s outswinger through vacant slip area to the ropes and Sri Lanka for the first time, won the World Cup, beating Australia by 7 wickets.

Great Victory

This great victory was due to the team spirit and the togetherness of the team. Every member put the country before self.

Benazir Bhutto, Prime Minister of Pakistan presented the Wills World Cup to captain Arjuna Ranatunga.

Sri Lanka team: World Champions 1996 -

Sanath Jayasuriya, Romesh Kaluvitarana, Asanka Gurusinha, Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga (captain), Hashan Tilekeratne, Roshan Mahanama, Kumar Dharmasena, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralidharan, Promodhya Wickramasinghe.

Reserves: Upul Chandana, Marvan Attapattu, Ravindra Pushpakumara.

Man of the match - Aravinda de Silva.

Most valuable player - Sanath Jayasuriya.

Manager - Duleep Mendis.

Coach- Dav Whatmore.

Physiotherapist - Alex Kountori.