When the Mighty Sri Lankan Lions Roared

A thrilling first ICC Cricket World Cup

Few questions are as poignant to an American as ‘What were you doing when you heard the news that JFK had been shot?’ The myriad answers evoke memories of an unrepeatable event in the life of the USA.

And the corresponding query to pose to a Sri Lankan would be: ‘And where were you when we won the World Cup?’ This would equally open the floodgates of nostalgia… for a famous victory, in our case.

Sri Lanka had already won the first semifinal against India at Calcutta’s (now Kolkata) Eden Gardens in front of an unruly crowd unofficially estimated at over 110,000 – by default. Hosts India were struggling at 120 for 8 in the 35th over when fielders were pelted with fruit and plastic receptacles. After a 20 minute recess, the players returned to the field but the spectators proved intractable – so match referee Clive Lloyd awarded the game to the visitors (251 for 8).

The final against world champions Australia began with Sri Lanka winning the toss and opting to field – a decision the cavalier islanders took despite the team batting first having won the previous five World Cups. Mark Taylor top scored with 74 in Australia’s 241 for 7 at innings’ end.

After a thrilling run chase in which maestro Aravinda de Silva notched up an unbeaten 107 to bag the Man of the Match Award (his prize in the semifinals too) to add to his 3 for 42 when his team bowled, Sri Lanka coasted to a seemingly effortless victory – by seven wickets at that, and in the 47th over to boot.

And there were tears of joy at the end result, commingled with strong sensations that seared this memorable victory forever in the mind’s eyes of cricketing aficionados everywhere!

Indeed, the memories are legion and indelibly etched…

For one, Aravinda’s cool head despite losing fellow score making machines Romesh Kaluwitharana and Sanath Jayasuriya early in what was a disastrous start; and how Asanka Gurusinha first, and skipper Arjuna Ranatunga later, swept to the fore to do coach Dav Whatmore proud in a scintillating run chase.

For another, how the mighty were fallen when giants Australia slumped from 137 for 1 to 170 for 5 in the face of the famous four-pronged Sri Lankan bowling attack (Kumar Dharmasena, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva – the cream of the crop).

Last but not least, the tumult of the 70,000 strong crowd as our ‘Lions’ roared like never before!

So where were you when Sri Lanka bagged the 1996 Wills World Cup at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on 17 March 1996…?

After a thrilling run chase in which maestro Aravinda de Silva notched up an unbeaten 107 to bag the Man of the Match Award … Sri Lanka coasted to a seemingly effortless victory