Sri Lanka’s World Cup cricket victory in 1996 will be celebrated tomorrow and this year is special as it marks the Silver Jubilee . On March 17, 1996 Sri Lanka cricket team under the leadership of Arjuna Ranatunga won the 50 over Wills World Cup final against Australia led by
Mark Taylor and this historic final was played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The World Cup victory came about not from a sudden master plan, but from a gradual process of self-belief. Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga said :
The sixth Cricket World Cup jointly was hosted by three Asian countries Pakistan , India and Sri Lanka for the first time Finally It ended in a memorable victory for Sri Lanka . 12 countries took part in the sixth edition of the World Cup and ultimately Sri Lanka emerged champions by defeating Australia by seven wickets with 22 balls to spare in the final .
How Sri Lanka fared on their way to the final
Earlier they beat Zimbabwe by six wickets, beat India by six wickets and beat Kenya by 144 runs in the preliminary round .Australia and West Indies teams didn’t play with Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka were awarded victory in those two matches with an unbeaten record to reach the quarter final stage . In the quarter final Sri Lanka defeated England by five wickers and in the semi final beat India by default (misbehaviour of the crowd at Eden Gardens Stadium , Calcutta).
In the grand final on March17 Australia put into the bat scored 241 for seven wickets in 50 overs . Sri Lanka lost their hard hitting openers Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana with only 23 runs on the board ,Jayasuriya the master blaster was unfortunately run out for 9
runs while little Kalu was back in the pavilion after scoring only six runs . However number three batsman Asanka Gurusinha and master batsman Aravinda de Silva were involved in a memorable 125 run third wicket stand to build up the innings . Gurusinha played the sheet anchor role with 65 runs in 99 balls hitting six boundaries and a six while de Silva was the hero with a remarkable knock of an unbeaten 107runs in 119 balls with 13 fours He was associated in an unbroken 97 run stand with skipper Arjuna Ranatunga to record a grand victory to clinch the World Cup .Ranatunga hit the winning boundary off paceman Glenn McGrath and was unbeaten on 47 in 37 balls with 4 fours and a six to celebrate victory on that historic day . Aravinda de Silva the all rounder also bowled well to pick 3 wickets for 42 and was named man of the final while Jayasuriya was adjudged most valuable player of the tournament .
What was the secret behind the World Cup victory. The cricketers played as a team and they always played for the country . Their team spirit was very high and very good leadership ably supported by team management and the Sri Lankan Cricket Board headed by chairman Ana Punchihewa .Especially we can't forget former cricket board chairman late Minister Gamini
Dissanayake ..
The moment Ranatunga scored the winning runs against Australia, he thought, “People say when you're born in a country, you must give something back. And I think with we have done our country.proud .” It is worth remembering that even though at 5’ 8” and 90 kg he hardly looks the imposing sportsman, Ranatunga, was an exemplary leader who inspired his team mates to give of their best Coach Dave Whatmore had one bit of advice for every player “Don't leave it to the next man.”And every man performed: Ranatunga hit 47 in 37 balls in the final, De Silva 66 and 107 in his final two matches, Jayasuriya 82 off 44 balls vs England, Kaluwitharana stumping Tendulkar when it mattered, Gurusinha 65 in the final, Tillekeratne 70 in the first India match, Mahanama 58 in the semi final against India . .This was the success of the journey. Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga leading from the front . He said
“We had grown up and maybe people didn't want to notice it. Most wanted to put us down.”. Ranatunga had a good plan before the final . He observed the ground and wicket the previous night and It was easy to take a decision after winning the toss . He realized the dew factor on that ground and had a chat with the management and the players . He always tried to maintain team spirit before the final and players had to concentrate on the game
The world cup victory was a long journey as a team . Their curriculum vitae over the last two years - a first overseas Test series win against New Zealand, winning the Champions Trophy in Sharjah, coming from behind to beat Pakistan in Pakistan in a Test and one-day series. All these successes directly helped to clinch the major title .
Six of the Sri Lankan batsmen had played more than a 100 one-day internationals (only two Indians had), and with 1,114 caps totally, had more miles in their tank than anyone except Pakistan. “That weight of experience,” says Ranatunga, “had to tell sometime.” This was a team
bursting with ability It is hard to pinpoint an exact beginning of this team's journey,
but in June 1995 . Dave Whatmore arrived on a coaching assignment, Lankan legend Duleep Mendis was being firmly installed as a long-term manager and, with Ranatunga and Aravinda de Silva formed the team's core group. There were other peripheral supporterss: unlike the past, not only were the selectors former players, but Ranatunga's voice in selection was never ignored. We can’t forget physio Alex Kontouri who gave excellent support to the players throughout the tournament .
The Members of Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup winning team will celebrate the Silver Jubilee tomorrow , Most of the members of the victorious team with their families and dignitaries will take part in this event which will take place at Grand Ballroom in -Shangri La,Hotel , Colombo.
The Sri Lanka World Cup winning team . Arjuna Ranatunga(Capt), Aravinda de Silva (V.Capt), Sanath Jayasuriya, Romesh Kaluwitharana,Asanka Gurusinha , Roshan Mahanama, Hashan Tillekaratne, Kumar Dharmasena, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Pramodya Wickramasinghe, Upul Chandana, Marvan Atapattu, Ravindra Pushpakumara , Dave Whatmore (coach) Duleep Mendis (Manager ) Alex Kontouri (Physio)
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