By Amrut Thobbi
It was Wednesday night, when I watching the day-night semi-final match of the 1996 World Cup between India and Sri Lanka on my black-and-white television with my family. I was just nine years old then and had fallen in love with the game of cricket. I still didn’t know who Sachin Tendulkar was and why people adored him but I loved the Indian team and wanted it to win the semi-final. My father had arrived early from work just to watch the match with me and the family with much fervour.
The match looked to be in India’s grip till one point of time with India looking firm favourites as they had been throughout the tournament. But all of a sudden everything went berserk. India started to lose wickets like a pack of cards, and then the only thing I remember is my father turning off the television.
”We lost,” he said. The only thing then I could recollect about that match was a weeping Vinod Kambli walking towards the pavilion, and the fans setting the stadium ablaze. Dejected like millions of Indian fans, I tried to force myself to sleep.
Fifteen years have passed by, and the stage was set yet again for the clash of two great cricketing nations in the same country. Both teams would clash in an epic encounter with the stakes being higher this time – the World Cup final. After the match, yet again Indian players were seen weeping but this time, these were tears of joy for winning the coveted World Cup after 28 years of long wait.
Though the triumph of 2011 might have reduced the pain of 1996 disaster but the memories of the defeat still haunt many cricket lovers. Many cricket pundits had slammed Indian batting for falling like a pack of cards then. From a strong position of 98 runs for two wickets to being reduced to 120 runs for eight was a matter beggaring description. Since then, there have been many theories for why the famed Indian batting line-up crumbled that night. But Kambli’s recent revelations that he suspected match-fixing in that match is quite distressing.
Kambli questioned former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin’s decision to bowl first on good batting pitch in the semi-final. He said in an interview recently, "I was stunned by India's decision to field. I'll never forget the match because my career ended after it," Kambli said. "I was standing on one side and on the other end my fellow batsman was telling me that we would chase the target," a private TV channel quoted the retired player as saying. "However, soon after they quickly got out one by one. I don't know what transpired.”
Many questions can be asked about the timing of this statement. Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has rightly asked as why it took him 15 years to express his suspicion? Or is it that Kambli found a right opportunity to speak his mind in the wake of the spot-fixing verdict of Pakistani trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer?
In any case, the sentiments of the Indian fans were hurt then by the show put up by the players or the lack of it; and now by this statement of Kambli. A strong investigation should be ordered probing these allegations. If Kambli’s suspicion is proven true, then as a cricket lover I want maximum prison term under the Indian Penal Code for the players involved in the match-fixing. If the suspicions are not proven true, then Kambli should also receive strong punishment to deter others in future from making loose statements.
Often the term, ‘spirit of the game’ is emphasised in international cricket. Perhaps the time has come for the cricket community to consider fans with more respect as time and again cricketers and administrators alike have enjoyed ridiculing the enthusiasm of true pillars of cricket- the fans. The time has come to hold ‘spirit of fans’ in high esteem.
It was Wednesday night, when I watching the day-night semi-final match of the 1996 World Cup between India and Sri Lanka on my black-and-white television with my family. I was just nine years old then and had fallen in love with the game of cricket. I still didn’t know who Sachin Tendulkar was and why people adored him but I loved the Indian team and wanted it to win the semi-final. My father had arrived early from work just to watch the match with me and the family with much fervour.
The match looked to be in India’s grip till one point of time with India looking firm favourites as they had been throughout the tournament. But all of a sudden everything went berserk. India started to lose wickets like a pack of cards, and then the only thing I remember is my father turning off the television.
”We lost,” he said. The only thing then I could recollect about that match was a weeping Vinod Kambli walking towards the pavilion, and the fans setting the stadium ablaze. Dejected like millions of Indian fans, I tried to force myself to sleep.
Fifteen years have passed by, and the stage was set yet again for the clash of two great cricketing nations in the same country. Both teams would clash in an epic encounter with the stakes being higher this time – the World Cup final. After the match, yet again Indian players were seen weeping but this time, these were tears of joy for winning the coveted World Cup after 28 years of long wait.
Though the triumph of 2011 might have reduced the pain of 1996 disaster but the memories of the defeat still haunt many cricket lovers. Many cricket pundits had slammed Indian batting for falling like a pack of cards then. From a strong position of 98 runs for two wickets to being reduced to 120 runs for eight was a matter beggaring description. Since then, there have been many theories for why the famed Indian batting line-up crumbled that night. But Kambli’s recent revelations that he suspected match-fixing in that match is quite distressing.
Kambli questioned former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin’s decision to bowl first on good batting pitch in the semi-final. He said in an interview recently, "I was stunned by India's decision to field. I'll never forget the match because my career ended after it," Kambli said. "I was standing on one side and on the other end my fellow batsman was telling me that we would chase the target," a private TV channel quoted the retired player as saying. "However, soon after they quickly got out one by one. I don't know what transpired.”
Many questions can be asked about the timing of this statement. Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has rightly asked as why it took him 15 years to express his suspicion? Or is it that Kambli found a right opportunity to speak his mind in the wake of the spot-fixing verdict of Pakistani trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer?
In any case, the sentiments of the Indian fans were hurt then by the show put up by the players or the lack of it; and now by this statement of Kambli. A strong investigation should be ordered probing these allegations. If Kambli’s suspicion is proven true, then as a cricket lover I want maximum prison term under the Indian Penal Code for the players involved in the match-fixing. If the suspicions are not proven true, then Kambli should also receive strong punishment to deter others in future from making loose statements.
Often the term, ‘spirit of the game’ is emphasised in international cricket. Perhaps the time has come for the cricket community to consider fans with more respect as time and again cricketers and administrators alike have enjoyed ridiculing the enthusiasm of true pillars of cricket- the fans. The time has come to hold ‘spirit of fans’ in high esteem.
