The CAB Jubilee Tournament, later branded as the Hero Cup, secured sponsorship from Hero, yet this initial success was quickly overshadowed by a series of complications. The first blow came when Pakistan withdrew from the tournament, citing security concerns. This reduced the competition to a five-nation contest featuring hosts India alongside West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe. The tournament’s structure, however, was perplexing—ten league matches merely to eliminate one team before proceeding to the semi-finals and final. Yet, a historic milestone was set, as the last three matches were scheduled to be the first played under floodlights at Eden Gardens.
Jagmohan Dalmiya, the mastermind behind the Hero Cup, soon found himself embroiled in a deeper battle—one that transcended the boundary ropes and entered the realm of broadcasting rights. On March 15 of that year, CAB sent a letter to the Director-General of Doordarshan, India’s state-run broadcaster, which had long enjoyed an unchallenged monopoly over the telecast of cricket matches in the country. In an era when the BCCI had once paid Doordarshan to air matches, a seismic shift was underway.
The emergence of private broadcasters, spearheaded by Star, brought a new dimension to the equation. CAB awarded the exclusive telecast rights of the Hero Cup to Trans World International (TWI), an international broadcasting company that outbid Doordarshan with an offer that was significantly more lucrative. While Doordarshan’s bid stood at a mere INR 10 million, TWI guaranteed a minimum of INR 17.6 million along with 70% of the gross revenue. Even after factoring in an INR 1.5 million payment to VSNL for facilitating satellite transmissions via Intelsat, the deal was financially irrefutable.
Doordarshan, however, was not prepared to relinquish its stronghold without a fight. In a retaliatory move, the state broadcaster declared that it would not telecast the matches across India. This decision had immediate repercussions: when India faced Sri Lanka at Kanpur, advertising within the stadium dwindled, resulting in significant financial losses for CAB. Desperate to salvage the situation, CAB urged Doordarshan to broadcast the tournament, only to be met with a counter-demand—a steep INR 0.5 million per match.
The crisis deepened when TWI’s equipment was seized at Bombay Customs under the pretext of lacking requisite government permissions. As a result, the highly anticipated clash between West Indies and Sri Lanka at Wankhede went unseen by the masses. The disruptions persisted as TWI’s crew was barred from broadcasting South Africa’s encounter with Zimbabwe at Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Public interest, already dampened by Pakistan’s withdrawal, suffered further due to the initial lack of telecast. However, a flicker of excitement was reignited when South Africa and West Indies, arguably the two strongest teams on paper, engaged in a riveting contest where Jonty Rhodes' spectacular five catches stunned the Caribbean giants.
Yet, controversy continued to mar the tournament. When India faced West Indies at Motera, the hosts collapsed for a paltry 100 in response to West Indies’ 202 for 7. Frustration among the Ahmedabad crowd escalated to such an extent that play was halted for 40 minutes. Mohammad Azharuddin later remarked that it was “the worst crowd I have ever seen.”
Indore provided another dramatic moment when India and Zimbabwe played out a thrilling tie marred by chaotic scenes. However, the tournament largely remained devoid of consistently competitive cricket, with matches often leaning towards one-sided affairs. Despite media-fueled hype, public enthusiasm remained inconsistent. That was until an unforgettable night at Eden Gardens, where India clashed with South Africa in a pulsating contest that recaptured the nation’s imagination. The stage was then set for a grand finale against the West Indies, still regarded as the finest team in the world. In the end, amid all the off-field turmoil, the Hero Cup delivered a dramatic climax, cementing its place in cricketing folklore.
A Masterclass in Indian Domination
The final at Eden Gardens was expected to be a fierce contest, with the West Indies carrying the weight of favouritism. But cricket, ever the great equalizer, had its own narrative. India outclassed the Caribbean side with a staggering margin of 102 runs, a testament to their supremacy. Richie Richardson, graceful in defeat, could offer little protest. India had simply outplayed the West Indies in every department.
From the very outset, there had been murmurs—was it time to drop Kapil Dev? Had Sachin Tendulkar, prodigious yet inconsistent, become a liability? Could Ajay Jadeja handle the pressures of international cricket? Did Vinod Kambli possess the technique to withstand the thunderbolts of the West Indian pace attack? Every question found its emphatic answer under the gaze of 90,000 roaring spectators and millions glued to their television screens. Kapil, Tendulkar, Jadeja, and Kambli played pivotal roles in scripting India’s triumph.
The Kumble Hurricane
If one moment encapsulated the final, it was Anil Kumble’s spell—a bewitching display of leg-spin that left the West Indies in ruins. His figures, 6 for 12 in just four overs, were not just extraordinary but transformative. In a mere 24 balls, he spun a web of deception, dismantling the opposition with clinical precision. The West Indians, historically vulnerable against spin, found themselves ensnared yet again, despite Richardson’s persistent assertion that their frailty against the turning ball was a mere “myth.”
The Crucial Turning Point: The Roland Holder Controversy
Yet, amid the heroics, controversy lingered. Roland Holder’s dismissal became a subject of heated debate. Television replays confirmed he was bowled, yet his departure carried an air of ambiguity. The West Indies sought intervention, but Bishan Singh Bedi, the adjudicator, refused to reconsider the decision. The International Cricket Council Chairman, Clyde Walcott, upheld the verdict. Richardson later pointed to this moment as the game’s turning point, but in truth, the collapse had already begun. Holder’s exit merely hastened the inevitable as Kumble ran riot through the lower order.
The Art of Building an Innings
Before the carnage, India’s batting had laid the foundation for an authoritative total. The start was wobbly, but Jadeja and Kambli stitched together a crucial partnership, steering the innings from 161 for two to a precarious 161 for five. A moment of brilliance from Curtly Ambrose—an instinctive kick onto the stumps—cut short Kambli’s fluent 68. Shortly after, Azharuddin perished attempting an audacious steer, followed by Pravin Amre’s departure in quick succession. A promising innings was at risk of unravelling.
It was then that experience and youthful audacity combined. Kapil Dev and Tendulkar, both under scrutiny, rose to the occasion with a vital 46-run stand. Their partnership not only steadied the innings but provided the launchpad for a defendable target on a sluggish wicket. Kambli’s audacious stroke play, Jadeja’s calculated aggression, and Azharuddin’s finesse—including a sublime cut off Phil Simmons—underscored India’s tactical acumen.
The Bowling Symphony
When the West Indies began their chase, the Indian bowlers delivered in unison. Manoj Prabhakar struck early, removing Simmons in the very first over. The Caribbean innings, though dented, found resilience in Richardson and Brian Lara’s partnership. As the duo threatened to shift momentum, it was Tendulkar—already a hero from the semifinal’s final over—who prised out Lara, breaking the crucial stand. Richardson, growing in stature with every stroke, appeared to be the last bastion of hope, until Kapil Dev, with his characteristic guile, engineered a collapse. Arthurton was trapped in front, and Richardson was deceived by the slower ball. With the lower order exposed, Kumble’s magic unfolded, and within moments, the contest was over.
A Celebration Like No Other
As the final wicket fell, Eden Gardens erupted into a carnival of lights, bonfires, and euphoric celebrations. For two consecutive nights, the historic venue had witnessed cricket in its most dramatic form, and now, as the final chapter concluded, the air was thick with the scent of victory.
The journey to the trophy had been turbulent—two wins, a loss, and a tied game in the group stage reflected India’s inconsistency. But when it mattered most, the team peaked. Ajit Wadekar, the quiet architect of India’s resurgence, had his moment of fulfilment. As the celebrations swirled around him, he remained pragmatic. “This is just the beginning,” he mused, already looking ahead to the next challenge against Sri Lanka.
Ajit Wadekar stood that night with a quiet sense of triumph, his broad smile a reflection of vindication. Every decision he had made, every call he had taken, had come to fruition. Against prevailing scepticism, he had backed the very team that had faltered in Sri Lanka’s one-day series. As Mohammed Azharuddin lifted the Hero Cup under the floodlit Kolkata sky, it was evident that Wadekar’s ability to extract the best from his players had orchestrated this resounding success.
The cricket manager, bat in one hand and ball in another, would return to his role of a perfectionist, ensuring India’s fielding—the only chink in the armour—was sharpened for future battles.
For now, though, the Hero Cup belonged to India, and Kolkata had its fairytale night.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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