Moments that define the Cup

CITY OF NO JOY
The Indian crowd was labelled as ‘bad losers’ after the 1996 semi-final was awarded to Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Chasing Sri Lanka’s 251, India started off well reaching 98 for 1 with Sachin Tendulkar at the crease. An error of judgement left him stumped and Indian batting fell like a pack of cards as the wicket suddenly turned vicious. At 120 for 8 over a million Kolkata crowd threw bottles on the field halting the game. Vinod Kambli cried, pleaded with folded hands but the unruly crowd did not budge. The officials decided to award the game to Sri Lanka that helped them make final.

GILLY WALKER
It was totally an un-Australian decision. Wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist was looked upon with respect by the cricketing world after he walked off during the semi-finals against Sri Lanka in 2003, despite umpire Rudi Koertzen’s not out decision to a caught behind appeal. Gilchrist swept an Aravinda de Silva delivery but got a thin edge as the ball flew off his pads and landed in Kumar Sangakkara’s gloves. Koertzen ruled that the ball had only hit the pad. Gilchrist waited till the verdict was pronounced and then walked back to the pavilion.

NO MUSIC TO EARS
This was for the first time that technology was used on the field by a player though ‘illegally’. South African captain Hansie Cronje, who a street-smart cricketer, put up an earpiece to communicate with his then coach Bob Woolmer during their match against India. A complaint was promptly lodged by India and Talat Ali, the match referee, asked Cronje to take out the earpiece after Sky TV pictured Cronje’s ‘illegal’ act. The International Cricket Council later stated that Cronje had not sought permission to use it from the world governing body.


MALINGA TO THE FOUR
South Africa were almost home needing just four runs from 30 deliveries with five wickets in hand when Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga’s menacing four deliveries almost plotted a heist for his side. ‘Slinga Malinga’ first fooled Shaun Pollock with a full toss which disturbed his furniture. The second delivery, his last of the over, forced Andrew Hall to balloon the ball in the hands of covers. Proteas managed just one run from the next over and Malinga returned back to have a shy at the hat-trick, the fifth in the World Cup, till then. He forced a well-set Jacques Kallis to nudge behind in the gloves of Kumar Sangakkara to complete his hat-trick and then bowled tailender Makhaya Ntini. SA, though, managed to win.