12 greatest Cricket World Cup matches
At it's best there are few games which witness as thrilling spectacle as Cricket.Often it resmbles a war.In the Blue Riband event of the game some of the greatset battles have been contested whoich will have apermanent p[lace in the annals of sport.
1.The 1999 semi-final between Australia and South Africa.
The match swerved from one way to another like a pendulum swinginmg toi aother side constantly.It was very much like seeing a clam sea in one momenr and thunder or lightning immediately after.Australai stage amatginal recovery scoring 213 but after making 48-0loss Sout Africa seemed to be cruising.Shane Warne came in like atiger prowling sending Kirsten,Cronje and Gibbs back and suddenly the Springboks were61-4.However showing steel nerves Kallis ad Jonty Rhodes btought South Africa back with a n 88 run stand .With 10 overs to go Rhode lashed out only to be caught by Bevan.Nedding 69 run sfrom 57 balls South Africa panicked inspite of Pollock scoring 14 runsof an over, and the ru rate rotated to between 8 ro 9 runs an over with wickets regularlly tumbling.Pollock and Boucher wee bolwed trying to force the pace while earlier Kallos was caught off Warne.Hower Kluesner batted like an iron man flinging ahuge six of the penulrimate over (actuall adifficult catch dropped bty Reiffel)and bringing South Africa within 11 run sof the target.In the final over with 9 needed Kluesner thrashed the fisrt 2 balls of Fleming through the covers and the scores were now tied.Now the match came to an anti-climax with Donald almost getting tun out of the 3rd ball after Kluesner mishir adelivery and amisundersranding which led Donald to be tun out with 2 balls to spare.
THe tie was the fairest result in the context of the game as no side deserved ro win but sadly ir left South Africa out of the final.It was Australia's professionalism that won the day.THey showed nerves of steel till the end with Fleming bolwing his last 2 balls like a death defying soldier.
2.1975 WEst Indies vesus Pakisra match at Edgbaston
Pakistan raised acomperitivbe 266-7 with Majid Khan ,Wasi Raja and Mushtaq Muhammad making useful fifties.WEst Indies panocked at 36-3 after abtillinat spell by Sarafraz Nawaz.After recovering matginall by stubborn resorance by skipper Clive Lloyd the rached about 145-5 when they collapsed agin to 166-8 and 203-9.THe match was over bar the shouting but dispalying iron nerves Murray and Roberts steered West INdies to afamous victory.A lost war had been won by the skin of the teeth.They intelligently stole simngles and Majid Khanmade some stupid field palcings.
3.1975 Word Cup final
It was atop-class exhibition of Cricket .WEst Indies were in triuble at 555-3 before Lloyd played one of Cricket's graetest innings compiling 102 of 82 balls .Chaing acomperitive 293-6 Australia seemed well oncouse before aseies of run outs.particularly on Ian Chappell.At 233-9 ir seemed all over but playing in the true spirit of the game Lillee and Thomson took Australai within sight of an impossible win scoring 41 runs .With 8 balls to go and 17 required Thomson was run out .It was like aclimax of aHollywood film.
4.India verus Australia-1992 Word Cup.
Although India wenr down by one run chasing 236 in 47 overs it was the rules thar denied India a famous win.Srill they shoud have won after abrillinat assault by Azharuudin,aided by Manjrekar .With the run rate upto 8-9 India combated superbly mantaing the run ate displaying superb artistry.Wit 13 required of the final over More scored 2 boundaiies of the first2 balls .wit 5 neede of 4 More tried r sweep and was bolwed and that was virtually the end of the Indian tale.
5.India versus Australia 1987 Reliance Cup at Madras.
Australoa made acomperitive 273-6 but the manner India replied looked down and out. Navjot Singh Sidhu tore them apart like a tige r taering his prey.,while Shrikanth score auseful 70.However after he fell at 207an INdia slide started.Vengasrakar,Azharuddin,Kapil Dev and Shastri hardly made an impact and Kiran More and Manoj Prabhakar were tun out.In the end with 6 needed oif the last ball India scored 4 runs of 4 balls bur Maninde Singh was bolwed arrempting afull blooded swish of the 5rh ball and Australia had gained afamous victory.They resmbed abunch of soldiers who rurned certain defeat in abatlle into afamous victory.Mcdermoot bolwed like alion capruring 4 wickets incluiding Sidhu,Azharuddin,Vengasrakar and Gavaskar.
6.England versus Pakistan at Gujranwalla in 1987 Reliance Cup
Chasing acomperitive 243-7 England snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.Nedding 92 run sfor 10 overs and 34 from the last 3 Allan Lamb batted likea magician and brillinatly dispatched the ball through the gaps.Finally requiring 13 of the last over Lamb steered his team home dsiplaying remarkable nerves.Earlier West Indies had scored 84 runs of their last 8 overs and 54 of the last 5.Courtney Walsh lost his cool in the end and the WEst INdian teanm panicked,with inexperience being the chief cause.
7.West Indies verus Pakistan at Lahore 1987.
THe complexion of this game changed in asee-saw manner till the end.Wst Indies made acomperirive 216 and Pakitan slowly lost their hold losing 5 wickets for about 100 odd runs.However agritty partnership between Salim Youisuf and Imran Khan brought them bak and now 34 were require of 5 overs.THey faltered agin after Imtan was caught and Wasim,fell shortly after.
14 runs were needed of the last over and heroically showing nerves of asoldier Abdul Qadir hit a 4 and six to bring Pakistan within 42 runs of afamous win.Showing great sportsmanship Walsh gave Salim Jaffer a chance by warning him after he was way out of hi crease.It was one of Cricket's graetset acts of sportsmanship.Eventualy Qadir despatched afull toss from Walsh of the last ball for 2 rus and won aheroic win,being lifted off the ground.To me for hos sportsmanship Courtney Walsh was man of the match.
8.1983 World Cup Final at Lords
A low scoring affair but Tndia simply performed a miracle by bolwing out the WEst Indies for a mere 140 chasing 183.It was one of sport's greatset upsets .Chasing 183 run sthe calypsos were cruising till Viv Richards was brilliantly caught and soon the Indian team looked like an army ressurected from the grave.Binny and Madan Lan bowled with the haert of a lion .WEst Indies panicked and collapsed becoming 66-5 but marginally recovered to 114-6.West Indies then lostr both Marshalland Dujon to Amarnath who went on to perform the final ritres trapping Michael Holding at 140.
9.1992 semi-final betweenNew Zealand and Pakistan.at Eden Park Auckland
Chaing 263 runs Pakistan wee in trouble loisng 4 wickets for around 140 and requiring over 8 runs an over.Inzamam arrived and played aclassic knock and changed the entire complexion of the game displaying superb timing and reflexes.He bissected all parts of the field supported ably by Minadad and after he fell the Kiwis came back.However displaying iron nerves Minadad supported by Mlin Khan took Pakistan home amd secured Pakistan aplace in the final.The way Javed Miandad raised his bat and ran to the pavilion after the win was one of sports greatset expressions of jubliation after reaching the summit.
10.1999 super six game between Australai and South Africa
Chasing 273 for awin the Kangaroos were struggling at 68-4 before Steve Waugh played aclassic,like asoldier fighting in alost battle or acommander saving asinking ship.Supported by Ricky Ponting and Bevan he took his taem to afamous win ,which secured his taenm aberh in the semi-final.However ar 152 Gibbs threw down asitter throwing up adolly catch that feel to the ground.Ironically this changed the destiny of the entire World Cup.In achase Steve Waugh's innings was the bset ever hundred in the World Cup.
11.West Indies verus Sri Lanka in 2003 at New lands Capetown
Chasing 229 run s to win Wst Indies wee involved in ne of the most thrilling run chases of all time.THe game swung like apendulum .The feature of the innings was brilliant knock by Ramnarseh Sarawn,who was supported by Chanderpau.Sarwan ,who brilliantly held the innings together like a batallion holding up a fort against the enemy .He dissected every part of the field like apainter making cutves on a board and lokked like an airforce pilor mowing down enemy fighter planes.From 42 required of 4 overs,16 were required of 2 overs.In the end unable to mantain the strike he virtually forfeited the game.
12.West Indies verus South Africa2003 laegue match at Johannesburg
West Indies smnatched aheroic win from te Proteas despite alate onslaught from te Proteas.Chasing 266 South Africa faltered,being reduced to 117-4 and then 160-6.Lance Kluesner walked in as though he was carring abludgeon and took his team to the rhreshold of afamous win.14 were needed of 2 overs and the Protaes seemed like coaring home.However there was another twist to the tale and Collins bolwed a sensarional over conceding only 5 runs.
With 9 needed of the last over Kuesner flung at the 3td ball and was caught by Carl Hooper at the boundary.The game was virtually over with the lion being dismossed and it was like thunder brought to the end.WEst Indies must tahe creadir for fighting to the end.Brian Lara compiled aclassic century for his team batting like aplayer personified.
© Harsh Thakor., all rights reserved.
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