Sports and controversies go hand in hand and over the years, cricket’s biggest event, the World Cup has seen many. Shiamak Unwalla lists 10 controversies from cricket World Cup.
1: Sunil Gavaskar’s 36 not out in 60 overs — 1975 World Cup:
India and England battled it out in the very first-ever World Cup match. An occasion as momentous as this was marred by what is still regarded as the most pathetic innings in One-Day International (ODI) history.
Chasing 335, India never got going, thanks to a shocking and inexplicable approach by Sunil Gavaskar. He batted the quota full of 60 overs (ODIs were 10 overs longer in those days) to score a measly 36 off 174 deliveries — poor even by Test standards.
Gavaskar later gave an even weaker defence of his approach in his autobiography Sunny Days, “There were occasions I felt like moving away from the stumps so I would be bowled. This was the only way to get away from the mental agony from which I was suffering. I couldn’t force the pace and I couldn’t get out. Towards the end I was playing mechanically.” Those words were unacceptable as he could simply have got hit wicket, if he wanted to get out. Gavaskar’s innings remains a blot on Indian — and World Cup — cricket history.
2: Rain-rule that deprived South Africa of a semi-final win — 1992 World Cup:
It was the 1992 World Cup semi-final between South Africa and England. The match was already shortened by rain, as England scored 252 for six in their stipulated 45 overs. In response, South Africa were in the hunt. With the match hanging in the balance, rain once again reared its head. At that stage South Africa were 22 runs away from a victory, and had 13 balls in which to make the runs. When play resumed, the South Africans received the shock of their lives; as per the newly-implemented rain-rule, their target was revised to 22 runs off one ball — statistically impossible.
The controversial rain-rule was farcical and naturally caused a huge uproar. But by then the damage was done. England won the game and went on to the final, where they then lost to Pakistan.
3: Imran Khan’s speech after Pakistan emerged champions — 1992 World Cup:
Imran Khan’s “cornered tigers” created history by winning the 1992 World Cup — till date the only time Pakistan have won the game’s most coveted trophy. Most winning captains usually talk about the outstanding performance by the team and thank their supporters, but Imran rarely walked the beaten path.
At the post-match presentation after winning the World Cup, Imran said, “I want to give my commiserations to the English, but I want them to know that one of my greatest obsessions in life (is) to build a cancer hospital. I am sure that this World Cup will go a long way towards completion of this obsession, I would also like to say that I feel very proud that at the twilight of my career finally I managed to win the World Cup.”
Instead of talking about the World Cup, Imran chose to speak of his personal wish for building a cancer hospital — a commendable pursuit to be sure, but one that could have been spoken off at a different, more appropriate time.
4: Australia and West Indies refuse to play in Sri Lanka — 1996 World Cup:
While it was understandable that Australia and West Indies chose not to play any of their scheduled games in Sri Lanka due to security concerns, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had offered their personal guarantee that it was safe to play there. Neither team relented. As a result, Sri Lanka were awarded the games as forfeits, thereby entering the quarter-final unchallenged.
Sri Lanka managed to pull off big wins against India in the semi-final and then Australia in the final.
5: Wasim Akram pull-out before quarter-final against India — 1996 World Cup:
India had beaten Pakistan in the 1992 World Cup to signal the start of a trend that will not change for at least 27 years. However, when the two sides met in the quarter-final of the 1996 World Cup, the record still read 1-0 in India’s favour.
So when Wasim Akram, Pakistan’s captain, pulled out of the match mere moments before the toss, the resultant upheaval was not unexpected. Akram reportedly made himself unavailable due to an injury. After Pakistan’s loss, there were riotous scenes across the border from India, with effigies of Akram being burnt. One man is said to have fired his gun at the TV before turning it on himself. Another fan died of heart-attack following Pakistan’s loss. Akram came back home and was asked to swear on the Quran by angry reporters that he had not sold himself to the bookies.
6: India’s forfeiture of World Cup semis to Sri Lanka — 1996 World Cup:
India were a team on a roll in the 1996 World Cup. Their victory over Pakistan in the quarter-final would have given them a lot of momentum going into the semi-final against eventual champions Sri Lanka. The match was being played in front of the passionate but volatile Eden Gardens crowd; something that would have a massive bearing in how things were to unfold.
Batting first, Sri Lanka amassed 251 for eight. In response, Sachin Tendulkar looked like he would end the match early, scoring 65 before falling with India’s score reading 98 for two. But, then, India suffered a capitulation of abhorrent proportions, losing seven wickets for 22 runs. With India at 120 for eight, play had to be called off when some sections of the spectators turning violent. There were bonfires lit in the Eden Garden, and fruits and bottles thrown onto the ground as angry “fans” protested the way the way their team batted. Match referee Clive Lloyd had no option but to stop the match, which India forfeited.
That was not the end of the controversy. Years later, in an interview with a TV channel, Vinod Kambli — he was unbeaten at when the chaos ended the match — spoke of how he was sure the match was fixed. He went on to say that he was made an example of, and ostracised when he spoke out about the match.
7: Shane Warne sent home for failing drug test — 2003 World Cup:
Shane Warne is one of the greatest cricketing minds in the world. He will go down in history as arguably the finest leg-spinner the game has ever produced. He was Man of the Match in the 1999 World Cup semi-final and final. So when the 2003 World Cup kicked off — with Warne in his prime — he was expected to play a huge role in Australia’s title defence.
Australia did win and retain the World Cup — but they did so without Warne. A couple of days into the tournament, he tested positive for a banned substance called Moduretic — a drug which had legitimate uses for hypertension and blood pressure, but could also mask steroids — and sent home in shame. Till date though, Warne maintains that he had not taken steroids, and said that the drug had been given to him by his mother for him to lose weight. However, the Australian board was unimpressed and not entirely convinced. Warne was sent back home and banned from international cricket for a year.
8: England refuse to travel to Zimbabwe over security concerns — 2003 World Cup:
The World Cup has a history of teams not wanting to travel to certain countries on the basis of security concerns. Australia and West Indies chose not to play in Sri Lanka in the 1996 World Cup, and England followed suit by refusing to travel to Zimbabwe in 2003, again for security reasons.
The English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had received a death threat letter from an organisation called Sons and Daughters of Zimbabwe, and immediately decided not to take the risk touring that country. The ICC technical committee decided that the threat was non-relevant and that if England did not travel to Zimbabwe they would effectively forfeit the points.
9: Bob Woolmer’s mysterious death — 2007 World Cup
Without a doubt one of the most morbid and sad moments in a World Cup came when Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in his room under mysterious circumstances during the 2007 World Cup after Pakistan’s shock loss to Ireland, and subsequent crashing out of the World Cup.
According to Cricinfo, the pathologist who conducted his autopsy said he was certain that Woolmer was murdered, saying his death was caused due to “asphyxia as a result of manual strangulation.” However, the Jamaica Constabulary Force made a statement saying Woolmer had definitely died of natural causes; a result that was deemed final. There has not been any further evidence to support either claim.
10: Both teams elect to bat first in India-Sri Lanka World Cup final — 2011 World Cup
In terms of controversies, this was not nearly as dire as the previous one on this list. The India vs Sri Lanka final kicked off in confusion before the first ball. At the toss MS Dhoni threw the coin, and Kumar Sangakkara called what Dhoni thought was tails. The coin landed heads, and Dhoni promptly told Ravi Shastri that India would like to bat first. Match referee Jeff Crowe said he did not hear Sangakkara’s call, and the first toss was deemed null and void. In the subsequent toss, Sangakkara called heads and elected to bat. So essentially, both teams elected to bat first in a World Cup final! Of course, the toss didn’t matter quite so much, and Dhoni’s iconic six to win the World Cup went on to become the stuff of legends.
(Shiamak Unwalla is a proud Whovian and all-round geek who also dabbles in cricket writing as a reporter with CricketCountry. His Twitter handle is @ShiamakUnwalla)
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