Sri Lanka transcends its most testing hour in style; For Ranatunga and de Silva, it was redemption after years of struggle
There was a lot of drama even before a ball was bowled in this World Cup. A few players claimed to have received death threats and a bomb explosion rocked Colombo, taking more than 100 lives.
Security fears resulted in Australia and the West Indies deciding to stay away from Sri Lanka, one of the co-hosts along with India and Pakistan, and forfeit their matches.
It was indeed a time of reckoning for Sri Lanka. At stake was its reputation, both on the field and off it (as a host). It proved adept at both, organising an incident-free World Cup and going on to win the Cup under the astute leadership of Arjuna Ranatunga.
For players like Ranatunga and Aravinda de Silva, it was confirmation of their self-belief and proof of their credentials as players capable of taking on any opposition. The Sri Lankan skipper’s innovation and tactical ploys worked wonders, prompting him to say “I always knew we would win!”
The blazing starts by Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana, who were more than ready to blast the first ball they faced, ignited Sri Lanka’s innings.
Once the imperious strokeplay of the openers had flattened the bowlers, the calm and composed de Silva and Ranatunga guided the team through the middle-overs. The strategy did not fail right through the tournament.
The island nation’s golden phase saw stalwarts like Ranatunga, Aravinda, Roshan Mahanama and Asanka Gurusinha showing the way for young stars like Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas. Ranatunga’s confidence was infectious and this was amply demonstrated in the last two games (against India and Australia).
The semifinal at the Eden Gardens was a blot on India’s reputation, as the fans vented their feelings, unable to digest the team’s capitulation against a superior Sri Lanka. After play was halted, match referee Clive Lloyd was left with no option other than to award the match to the visitors, even as the crowd grew more restless. It was an inglorious exit for India which had eliminated Pakistan in the quarterfinal in Bangalore.
The final at the Gaddafi Stadium happened to be the first floodlit ODI in Pakistan. Despite the overnight rain and the fact that the host was not playing in the final, the teams were greeted by a full house. Ranatunga, with the dew factor in mind, had little hesitation in choosing to bowl first though his deputy de Silva and the great Imran Khan, quite familiar with the local conditions, suggested otherwise.
The Sri Lankans drew on their collective strength and intensity to troop out winners, and also became the first team to successfully chase a target in a World Cup final.
