Monday, October 9, 2017

A Clash for the Ages: India vs. Australia, 1987 World Cup Thriller

 

The 1987 World Cup delivered countless moments of cricketing brilliance, but few matches stand out as vividly as the Chennai encounter between defending champions India and eventual winners Australia. The clash on that sultry October day remains etched in memory as one of the greatest contests in the tournament's storied history, a testament to the unpredictability and drama of cricket.

The Prelude: A Battle of Strategies

India, led by the charismatic Kapil Dev, won the toss and elected to field. The decision, perhaps influenced by the humid conditions, proved to be a double-edged sword. Australia, guided by their shrewd skipper Allan Border, came prepared with a meticulous game plan. Openers Geoff Marsh and David Boon executed it to near perfection, crafting an opening partnership of 110 runs that laid the foundation for a daunting total.

Marsh, the architect of Australia’s innings, compiled a masterful 110, blending patient accumulation with precise stroke play. Boon’s 49 complemented Marsh’s knock, as the pair nullified the Indian bowlers on a pitch offering little assistance. As Marsh later reflected, "It was important to bat first and create pressure. For that, one of us had to stay there, which I did."

Dean Jones, an integral part of the Australian middle order, highlighted the meticulousness of their approach: "One of the rules inscribed on our kitbags was: 'To lose patience is to lose the battle.' We focused on rotating strike and taking singles, making the opposition’s fielding look ragged."

The Six That Wasn’t—Or Was It?

A moment of controversy arose during the innings when Jones lofted Maninder Singh towards long-on. Ravi Shastri leapt at the boundary but signalled the ball had landed inside the rope. Umpire Dickie Bird took Shastri’s word, awarding four runs. However, Australian coach Bobby Simpson, observing from close quarters, insisted it was a six. Post-innings discussions ensued, and Kapil Dev, embodying the spirit of the game, agreed to adjust the score. The Australian total was revised to 270—a decision that would later prove pivotal.

India’s Fiery Response: A Tale of Momentum

India’s chase began with a flurry of aggression. Sunil Gavaskar, often criticized for his conservative approach in ODIs, unleashed an uncharacteristic onslaught, smashing 37 off 32 balls. His partner, Krishnamachari Srikkanth, dazzled with a 70-run blitz, leaving the Australians scrambling. Debutant Navjot Singh Sidhu, shedding his "strokeless wonder" tag, showcased audacious hitting, racing to 73 off 79 deliveries. By the time India reached 207 for 2, victory seemed a foregone conclusion.

Dean Jones aptly summarized the shift in Indian mindset: "It was surprising to see Sunny take the lead. He set the tempo and lifted the entire team’s confidence."

The Turning Tide: McDermott’s Spell of Magic

Just as India appeared poised for a comfortable win, Allan Border turned to Craig McDermott. The pacer’s second spell proved transformative. Mixing pace with cunning off-cutters, McDermott dismantled India’s middle order, sending Sidhu, Mohammad Azharuddin, and Dilip Vengsarkar back to the pavilion in quick succession. Ravi Shastri fell to a deceptive slower ball, leaving India’s lower order to navigate a mounting crisis.

"McDermott was like a racehorse," Jones remarked. "Once he got his confidence, he grew stronger and better. His 'gorilla teeth' were out, and the bite was real."

The Final Act: Drama at the Death

The match was a microcosm of cricket’s unpredictable nature, where every moment was fraught with tension and the outcome hung by the thinnest of threads. India, chasing a target set by Australia, needed just 16 runs from the final 24 balls, with 4 wickets still intact. The equation seemed favourable, yet the ghosts of earlier moments in the game, particularly the havoc wreaked by Craig McDermott, lingered. McDermott had put India on the back foot with his incisive spell, but with Kapil Dev and K. Srikkanth at the crease, there was still hope.

Kapil Dev, a man synonymous with Indian cricketing glory, had been the architect of many memorable victories. But in this instance, the pressure of the chase seemed to have gotten to him. He holed out to Simon O'Donnell, and suddenly, the equation became much more precarious. The score remained at 265, but now only 3 wickets stood between India and the elusive victory. At the same score, Roger Binny, who had been one of India’s unsung heroes in the 1983 World Cup, attempted to pressurize the Australian fielders with a quick single off Geoff Lawson. However, in a moment of brilliance, David Jones, positioned at mid-on, unleashed a direct hit that left Binny stranded, and India’s hopes were further dimmed. With Binny’s departure, India was now 265 for 7, and the chase seemed to be slipping away.

Yet, cricket is a game of ebb and flow, and Srikkanth, a batsman known for his fearless stroke play, was not about to give up. He struck Steve Waugh for two brilliant fours, both to the leg side, momentarily reigniting India’s chances. But as the score stood at 265, Manoj Prabhakar, who had been a key figure in India’s bowling attack, was next to face. He pushed a ball to cover and began to sprint down the wicket for a quick single. The tension was palpable as Allan Border, one of Australia’s most reliable fielders, swiftly picked up the ball and threw down the stumps with unerring accuracy. Prabhakar was run out, leaving India with just two wickets to go and the target still looming large.

As the final over began, Maninder Singh, the number eleven batsman, stood at the crease, facing Steve Waugh. India needed 6 runs to win, and the atmosphere was charged with an almost surreal sense of déjà vu. Maninder had been at the centre of a similarly tense finish in the 1986 tied match between India and Australia, and the memories of that encounter must have weighed heavily on his mind. But the man known for his calm demeanour in pressure situations was not easily rattled.

Maninder, with remarkable composure, played two intelligent shots. The first, a well-timed stroke past point for two runs, and the second, a neatly turned ball to backward square for another two. The equation had now narrowed down to 2 runs from 2 balls, and the tension was almost unbearable. The crowd, the players, and even the commentators could feel the weight of the moment. Jones, positioned at mid-on, later admitted that a sense of eerie déjà vu washed over him as he silently willed the ball into the air, hoping for a catch that would seal the match.

Steve Waugh, one of the most reliable bowlers in Australian cricket, ran in with the ball, his eyes fixed on the target. The ball, delivered with precision, was dead straight, and Maninder, in a moment of misfortune, missed it entirely. The sound of the ball clattering into the stumps echoed around the stadium, signalling the end of India’s valiant chase. The death rattle was unmistakable, and with it, India’s hopes of victory were dashed.

The final score of 269—one run more than the target set by Australia—was a cruel irony. India had fallen short by a mere 1 run, but the result was far more than just a statistic. It was a loss that cut deep, a loss that was defined not just by the runs on the scoreboard but by the moments that led to it. Kapil Dev’s decision to declare the innings had been a magnanimous gesture, aimed at giving his bowlers enough time to dismiss Australia. But in hindsight, it proved to be a double-edged sword. The two runs added during the break had, in the end, proven decisive.

The loss was one of the closest margins in World Cup history, and it underscored the razor-thin margin between success and failure in cricket. India had fought valiantly, and yet, the cruel reality of sport was that the smallest of mistakes, the slightest of miscalculations, could tip the scales in favour of the opposition. It was a defeat that would haunt the Indian team for years to come, a defeat that lingered not just in the numbers but in the hearts of those who had watched, lived, and breathed every moment of that unforgettable match.

The Aftermath: A Match for the Ages

The six—or four—that sparked controversy ultimately decided the outcome. Bob Simpson reflected, "It may have seemed like good fortune for us, but it was right."

The loss was a bitter pill for India, yet it underscored cricket’s inherent unpredictability. For Australia, it was a stepping stone towards their maiden World Cup triumph, solidifying their status as a cricketing powerhouse.

This match remains a symbol of cricket’s glorious uncertainty, where every run, decision, and moment can alter the course of history.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

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