HERE, CRICKET WON! West Indies played Pakistan in a must-win match in 1987 and Courtney Walsh was bowling the last over. With one ball left, the tension was at fever pitch and non-striker Saleem Jaffar was backing up too far. Walsh could have run him out and won the game for West Indies, but this gentleman cricketer warned the batsman instead and walked back to his mark to bowl again, a gesture that saw his side losing the match but won him many fans for sporting behaviour.
THE FAMOUS FROG JUMP! In the 1992 clash between India and Pakistan, 'bad boy' Javed Miandad got a taste of his own medicine and got miffed at the constant appealing by Kiran More. Miandad started jumping up and down like a frog, imitating Kiran More's appeal. Pure comedy!
RIDICULOUS RAIN RULE: During the 1992 semifinal, South Africa needed 22 off 13 balls against England to reach the final in their very first World Cup. But after a brief rain delay, the target was reduced to a farcical 21 off one ball to end their hopes!
NOT A 'WINNING' SPEECH, THIS! After Pakistan won the trophy in 1992, captain Imran Khan only talked about his upcoming cancer hospital and didn't mention his teammates even once in his acceptance speech. It miffed quite a few in Pakistan
MISPLACED CONCERNS? During the 1996 World Cup, Australia and West Indies refused to travel to Sri Lanka citing security concerns even though the International Cricket Council (ICC) considered it a safe venue. Eventually, Sri Lanka were awarded both games on forfeit.
TROUBLE IN PARADISE, LITERALLY! It still remains a mystery why Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin chose to field in the 1996 semifinal against Sri Lanka. India had to pay a heavy price and with defeat looming large, the crowd at Eden Gardens disrupted the match. The match was later awarded to Sri Lanka because of the rioting crowd. Cricket lovers still remember the image of Vinod Kambli weeping uncontrollably on the field!
TECH TROUBLE: In the 1999 World Cup match against India, South African captain Hansie Cronje wore an ear-plug on the field to take instructions from coach Bob Woolmer. Later, the match referee asked Cronje to remove it.
CATCH IT, GIBBS! In a crucial game against South Africa in 1999, Steve Waugh hit the ball straight to Herschelle Gibbs who caught it initially but threw up the ball into the air in celebration before he had full control of it, and dropped it. It proved costly, as Waugh scored an unbeaten hundred and Australia went on to win the match.
GILLY'S WALK OF FAME: In the 2003 semifinal against Sri Lanka, Australian opener Adam Gilchrist decided to walk even though the umpire had ruled him not out, a decision that stunned many! Like Walsh, he too won over many fans for his behaviour.
THEY GOT THEIR MATHS WRONG!
In a must-win, rain-hit game against Sri Lanka in 2003, South African team management got their revised target wrong ( Mark Boucher was the on-field batsman) and thanks to the calculation blunder, the game ended in a tie, which saw South Africa crashing out of the tournament!
ARMBAND PROTESTS: In 2003, Zimbabwean players Henry Olonga and Andy Flower wore black armbands for their tournament opener while "mourning the death of democracy in Zimbabwe". Besides, England didn't travel to Zimbabwe and New Zealand didn't travel to Kenya because of security concerns.
'SHAME' WARNE! Champion leg-spinner Shane Warne was tested positive for a banned drug just hours before Australia's first match against Pakistan in 2003, leading to a one-year ban of the player.
A BIG TRAGEDY: After Pakistan suffered a shock defeat against Ireland in 2007, Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in mysterious circumstances in his hotel room in Jamaica, lying in a pool of vomit. It completely shook up the cricket world.
AND THIS TIME... Even before the 2011 edition has started, Eden Gardens is in news for the wrong reasons. The India-England match has been shifted to Bangalore thanks to the delay in construction work at the venue.
Thanks TOI and Soumitra Das
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