It is a shame Calcutta has to live with. Known for its sporting attitude the 1-lakh strong gathering shockingly reacted in a most unsporting manner to stall what could have been a deserving victory for Sri Lanka over India at the Eden Gardens in the first semi- final of the Wills World Cup.
The game went on smoothly until India, chasing a target of 252 set by Sri Lanka, lost the wicket of Aasish Kapoor. It was at this point that the crowd gave vent to its pent up anger at the pathetic Indian batting. When it was clear that the home team would not come out a winner, plastic water bottles and soft drink containers were hurled into the playing arena. With 15 overs to go and India reeling at 120 for eight, it was not possible for the emotionally charged Calcuttans to stand the humiliation any more.
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The missiles continued to rain for almost 25 to 30 minutes after the match referee, Clive Lloyd of the West Indies, and the two umpires, Cyril Mitchley of South Africa and Steve
Dunne of New Zealand, led the teams out giving time for the crowd to calm down.
The game resumed but before the Lankan off- spinner Muttiah Muralitharan could deliver the second ball of his unfinished over, the spectators once again indulged in bottle throwing. The match officials claimed that a few were glass bottles and that was the end of the match. With the situation turning dangerous for the Lankan players to field near the ropes, the match was rightly abandoned and awarded to Sri Lanka.
True, the acts by the crowd were not as serious as in 1967, when a riot destroyed the wooden stands, or in 1983, when the Windies humbled India, the then world champion, at the Eden Gardens.
Yet, the reaction of the spectators was most surprising this time, for India had lost the match even before a ball was bowled by opting to field.
Former India off-spinner E.A.S. Prasanna wrote in a local daily that India should have adopted safety first tactics and ought to have batted first on winning the toss.
But the Indian think-tank had different ideas. In retrospect, the Indians' decision to field first was more psychological than one borne out of careful planning.
Indian skipper Mohammed Azharuddin confirmed it at the post- match press briefing when he said: "We did not want Sri Lanka to chase." He also blamed the pitch for India's debacle when he said: "We did not expect' the wicket to turn like this."
Lack of application on the part of the Indian batsmen also hastened defeat. The most stunning piece of information came from the grounds- men who knew what to expect of the Eden Gardens pitch.
"We told the captain to opt for batting on winning the toss because we expected the ball to turn square in the second session. It was a newly laid wicket and this was the first international to be played on it. Also, the bowling side would get much advantage from the heavy atmosphere in the late Calcutta evening," said one of them.
Whatever may be the reason, there was no denying the fact that Sri Lanka was the better side. The Lankans had a bad beginning - one run for two wickets, those of Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana- and a little later were tottering at 35 for three, with the exit of Asanka Gurusinha.
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The splendid start for India gave the packed stadium much to shout about, but vice- captain Aravinda de Silva and Roshan Mahanama had different ideas. Without compromising on the run rate, the two batted with aplomb as the Indian bowling fell to pieces.
De Silva, adjudged the Man of the Match, stole the thunder with his immaculate batting and clean hitting for a fantastic 66 (47 balls, 14 fours).
He and Mahanama (58, 111 balls, six 4s) repaired the early damage and put Sri Lanka firmly on the path to recovery. After De Silva fell, captain Arjuna Ranatunga joined Mahanama and the pair plundered runs at will.
Ranatunga (35) was adjudged leg before to Tendulkar and this brought in Hashan Tillekeratne. Mahanama retired due to dehydration, but Tillekeratne (32) and Chaminda Vaas (23), at No. 9, enabled their team to finish at 251 for eight.
This, one thought, gave the visitor a fighting chance. Ranatunga later admitted that he was looking for a total around 275-280, but thought a score of 220 would be enough after finding the ball spinning when he was at the crease.
"I knew the wicket was crumbling and was happy to see the score go past the 200 mark."
"We could not restrict Sri Lanka after such a fine start," rued Azhar. The fire the Indians displayed at the beginning of the Sri Lankan innings was doused by the end and it was left
to Sachin Tendulkar to give India a rousing start.
The spectators realised that India's passage to Lahore was in the hands of Tendulkar and the little big man of Indian cricket gave a lot of hope as long as he was at the crease. The early departure of Navjot Sidhu did not bring about despair as Tendulkar and Sanjay Manjrekar took the score to 98 for one. Then disaster struck in quick succession. Tendulkar was the first to go, stumped off left-arm spinner Jayasuriya for 65 (88 balls, nine 4s).
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For the addition of just another run, Azhar left, caught and bowled by Kumara Dharmasena for no score.
Manjrekar (25), who looked solid in his 48-ball innings, left being bowled by Jayasuriya and an Indian victory looked distant. Javagal Srinath was promoted over Ajay Jadeja to give company to the left-handed Vinod Kambli and to add muscle to the Indian innings.
But he was run out for six. Jadeja left for no score after playing 11 balls. He was bowled round his legs by a vicious turner from Jayasuriya and the writing wason the wall.
With the dismissal of Nayan Mongia (1) and Aashish Kapoor (0), falling to De Silva and Muralitharan respectively, it was all over bar the baying for blood by the spectators.
This article was first published in The Sportstar (issue dated: March 23, 1996)
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