The 1996 Wills Cricket World Cup was iconic in several aspects. Despite boasting a power-packed side, Sri Lanka was still considered the underdogs heading into the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Sri Lanka had a very dominant tournament as they made their way to the Quarter-finals undefeated. Contesting in Group A, along with the likes of Australia, India and the West Indies, the islanders finished at the top spot, winning all their matches.
On the other side, their opponent for the Quarterfinals was the English Cricket team who were not in the best of form. Having lost against the other three formidable sides in their Group, they just managed to qualify for the quarter-finals after beating the Netherlands and UAE.
On the match day at Faisalabad, the English side won the toss and elected to bat first. The openers Mike Atherton and Robin Smith gave England a decent start. However, momentum shifted when Chaminda Vass scalped Atherton at the score of 31, followed by the dismissal of Graeme Hick and the unfortunate run out of Robin Smith when the score read 66.
England never managed to get in control of their innings, as they lost crucial wickets at regular intervals. However, Phil Defreitas’s gritty 67 runs and Darren Gough’s 26 runs at the end helped England post a respectable total of 235 runs. DeFreitas scored his maiden half-century, an innings of 67 runs in 64 balls. He had hit two sixes and five fours. His dismissal of lbw to Jayasuriya seemed questionable, given his performance. Additionally, Jayasuriya’s run-out of Smith was controversial.
In the second innings, Sri Lanka was off to a flying start despite losing Romesh Kaluwitharana early in their chase. Sanath Jayasuriya and Gurushina’s partnership of 101 runs for the second wicket gave a huge dent to the chances of England staging a comeback. Sanath Jayasuriya was in sublime form as he hit the joint-fastest half-century in just 30 balls. Jayasurya scored 82 runs off just 44 balls, smashing 13 boundaries and 3 sixes. By the time Jayasurya left the pitch, Sri Lanka had the match in their grip. Arvind De Silva and others ensured that Sri Lanka reached the target easily without many hiccups. Sri Lanka reached the target in the 41st over and reached their first-ever semi-finals in an ICC event. In contrast, it also marked the first occasion England failed to reach the semifinals of an ICC Cricket World Cup.
Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.
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