India's Cricket World cup memories - 02. India Vs Australia (1987)
India went on to win the Prudential World Cup in 1983. The victory meant that India are the second country only after West Indies to win the World cup. A real proud achievement for an Asian country.
Indian team's victory popularized the game immensely in India. India slowly started to become a cricket crazy nation. Cricket's popularity also brought the live match telecast in TV to the country.
So World cup co-hosted by India and Pakistan in 1987 didn't come up as a big surprise. The cricket crazy nations went bizarre with the tournament. Since the arch rivals were in the different pools, there were huge anticipation of India - Pakistan finals!
India Vs Australia - Match 3 @ Chennai - Oct 9, 1987
India started their World cup campaign against Aussies at Chennai. Alan Border's team was shaping up into a fine team but still playing against India in India is a very different ball game.
Indian captain Kapil Dev won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Aussies soon made him to pay for the decision by putting on a first wicket partnership of 110. Atlast Ravi Shastri broke the strong partnership by getting rid of David Boon for 49.
Dean Jones then joined the party and made a quick fire 39 of 35 balls.
Opener Geoff Marsh went on to hit 110 runs and helped his team to reach 270/6 in the allocated 50 overs.
It was a very good score in any wicket and Indian spectators were eager to see the Indian reply.
To start with, Indian team didn't disappoint them. Sunil Gavasakar and Krish Srikanth put on a brisk 69 runs partnership.
After Gavaskar got out for 37, Sidhu, India's find of the tournament joined Srikanth. They both played entertaining cricket and tackled the Aussies with ease. When India reached 200/2, few expected a different result other than India winning comfortably!
But that's game of cricket for you!
Navjot Singh Sidhu's wicket for 73 with India well placed at 207/3 changed the entire match!
India slowly scrambled down to 265/9 in 49 overs. 6 runs were required of the last over. Still not a tough ask. But unfortunately for India, the last batsman, Maninder Singh has to be in the strike.
Maninder didn't disappoint much. He faced Steve Waugh's deliveries valiantly and even scored couple of 2's.
It's all down to the wire now! Two runs needed of two balls!
Steve Waugh showed his class by knocking off Maninder's stumps!
Indian team was all out for 269 runs.
Australia won by one run!
What a heart break loss for India!
Though they returned to form and played good cricket, they still lost to England in the Semifinals of the tournament.
Highlights
Tidbits
Is sportsmanship essential in cricket?
It's a topic still debated today.
But in this match, sportsmanship is the one that stood between win and loss!
During the Australian innings, umpire declared a shot from Dean Jones as four, but the Australians claimed it to be a six. The umpires didn't change their mind.
During lunch break, Indian skipper Kapil Dev approached the umpires and confirmed that Jones shot is indeed a six! The umpires appreciated Kapil's sportsmanship and added 2 runs to the Aussie total.
So Indian target was altered from 269 to 271.
What an irony!
If it's not for those two runs India would have won the match.
So do you still support sportsmanship in cricket? Do share your thoughts.