World Cup flashback: Great batting performances – I

Tags: World Cup 2015, India, Zimbabwe

Published on: Jan 26, 2015

With the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup just days away, we build up to the mega event by looking back at some fantastic batting performances in the tournament over the years.

With the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup just days away, we build up to the mega event by looking back at some fantastic batting performances in the tournament over the years. We begin by looking at Kapil Dev’s unforgettable 175 not out against Zimbabwe at Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells on June 18, 1983.


Teams

India: S Gavaskar, K Srikkanth, M Amarnath, S Patil, Yashpal Sharma, Kapil Dev, R Binny, R Shastri, Madan Lal, S Kirmani, B Sandhu


Zimbabwe: R Brown, G Paterson, J Heron, A Pycroft, D Houghton, D Fletcher, K Curran, I Butchart, G Peckover, P Rawson, AJ Traicos


Toss: India won and chose to bat


The setting: The scenario that played out in the first few over of the game was almost unbelievable. Having decided to bat first, India crumbled embarrassingly to 17 for 5 against minnows Zimbabwe. Sunil Gavaskar was sent back by Peter Rawson for a duck, Kris Srikkanth was also dismissed without scoring by Kevin Curran. When Mohinder Amarnath was sent back by Rawson for 5, India’s score read 3 for 6. Worse was to follow though. Sandeep Patil was caught by Dave Houghton off Curran’s bowling for one, and Yashpal Sharma fell to Rawson for 9, leaving India in absolute tatters.


The great knock: The Indian skipper came in to bat at number six. Most captains around the world would have given up the cause in such a hopeless scenario, but Kapil was no ordinary captain. He was someone who had extreme belief in himself even in at a very young age. Kapil showed his prowess and mental ability even during that innings. It was an extraordinary knock, which not only pulled India out from depths of despair, but took them to a position of comfort, from where they could dominate.


In an unforgettable exhibition of big hitting, Kapil smashed 16 fours and as many as six sixes to finish on 175 not out. The Indian skipper scored these runs off merely 138 balls, at a strike rate of 126.8, something almost unheard of in those days of safe batting styles. Thanks to Kapil’s heroics, which couldn’t be recorded since the BBC staff was on strike that day, India managed to end on 266 for 8. Roger Binny chipped in with 22, and Syed Kirmani an unbeaten 24.


The result: Following the turnaround with the bat, the Indian bowlers managed to find enough inspiration to outdo the Zimbabwean batsmen. Chasing 267, Zimbabwe were all out for 235 in 57 overs. Madan Lal was the best Indian bowler with 3 for 42, while Roger Binny picked up 2 for 45. Kapil claimed the last wicket of John Traicos to finish off the match in style, and won the man of the match too.


--By A Cricket Analyst

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