da realsbet： The quarterfinals were marked by three one-sided results but thepulsating Australia-India game made up for this
Partab Ramchand14-Sep-2002If anything, the second ICC KnockOut competition saw even moreenthralling contests and a higher standard of play, cementing itssuccess. In keeping with the globalisation process, the InternationalCricket Council this time held the competition in Nairobi from October3 to 15, 2000.
The quarterfinals were marked by three one-sided results but thepulsating Australia-India game made up for this. Australia were firmfavourites but this was a rejuvenated Indian side, under the captaincyof Ganguly and including three potentially fine players in newcomersYuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan and Vijay Dahiya. After Australia made theearly inroads, a breath-taking innings from Yuvraj saw India wrest theinitiative and the advantage thereafter stayed with India.
When the idea of such a competition was mooted, Bangladesh and Kenyaseemed next in line for Test status. By the time the Nairobitournament was held, Bangladesh had already been granted the exaltedstatus and were a month away from playing their first Test match.Kenya remained hopeful that the successful conduct of the mini-WorldCup as also a good performance from their cricketers – the number ofthe teams had been raised to eleven to include Bangladesh and thehosts – would move them a step nearer being given Test status.The tournament certainly was a success from the organisational pointof view and much of the cricket was of the ethereal variety, but therewas no storybook script for the hosts who lost to India by eightwickets in the opening match of the competition.Batting first, Kenya were restricted to 208 for nine in 50 overs. Thetotal was never going to be one to pose any problems for the Indiansand thanks to skipper Sourav Ganguly’s 66 and Rahul Dravid’s unbeaten68, they romped home with eight wickets and 7.3 overs to spare.Similarly, England faced little opposition from Bangladesh emergingwinners by eight wickets with 6.1 overs to spare. Bangladesh did wellin getting 232 for eight in 50 overs but against ordinary bowling,Alec Stewart (87 not out) and skipper Nasser Hussain (95) had littledifficulty in negotiating some ordinary bowling during their secondwicket partnership of 175 runs.The format again meant that one Test nation had to be knocked out inthe first round and this time the West Indies failed to cross thishurdle. A stroke-filled 132 by opener Avishka Gunawardene and histhird wicket stand of 160 runs with Mahela Jayawardene (72) saw SriLanka post 287 for six in 50 overs, a total that proved to be tooformidable for the West Indies who were dismissed for 179 in 46.4overs.The quarterfinals were marked by three one-sided results but thepulsating Australia-India game made up for this. Australia were firmfavourites but this was a rejuvenated Indian side, under the captaincyof Ganguly and including three potentially fine players in newcomersYuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan and Vijay Dahiya. After Australia made theearly inroads, a breath-taking innings from Yuvraj saw India wrest theinitiative and the advantage thereafter stayed with India.The pugnacious left-hander hit 84 off 80 balls treating the pace ofMcGrath, Lee and Gillespie with utter disdain. India ultimately posteda challenging total of 265 for nine in 50 overs. Then it was the turnof another youngster to strike. Bowling with hostility, Zaheer Khanremoved Adam Gilchrist and Steve Waugh and some fine work by thevaried attack, backed up by some superb work in the field in whichYuvraj was outstanding saw Australia bowled out for 245 in the 47thover.Unfortunately, the other three quarterfinals lacked such heroics anddrama. In prosaic contests, Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka by ninewickets, New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 64 runs and South Africaoutplayed England by eight wickets.The Pakistan-Sri Lanka game was billed as a scorcher. But once Lankawere bowled out for 194 in 45.4 overs no batsman reached 40 theywere always going to be up against it. Saeed Anwar’s unbeaten 105 sawPakistan home with 6.4 overs to spare. New Zealand’s total of 265 forseven in 50 overs, thanks in the main to Roger Twose’s bright 85,proved to be beyond Zimbabwe’s reach and despite a splendid 67 byStuart Carlisle they were bowled out for 201 in 42.2 overs with PaulWiseman finishing with four for 45.Similarly, England were no match for South Africa’s professional allround skills. Graeme Hick top-scored with a gallant 65 but England’stotal of 182 in 44.1 overs was always going to be inadequate. SouthAfrica with Jacques Kallis (78 not out) and Boeta Dippenaar (65)figuring in an unbroken third wicket partnership of 132 runs rompedhome with 11.5 overs to spare.Two splendid semi-final matches made up for the generally lacklustrefare in the previous round. Anwar hit a second successive hundred(104) as Pakistan scored 252 in 49.2 overs against New Zealand. AzharMahmood, then, reduced the Kiwis to 15 for two but Nathan Astle (49)and Roger Twose (87) initiated a recovery process by adding 135 runsfor the third wicket. Pakistan came back strongly and had a distinctedge when New Zealand were 187 for six. However, Craig McMillan (51)and Scott Styris (26) figured in an unbroken seventh wicket stand of66 runs to steer New Zealand home amidst much excitement with one overto spare.The other semifinal lacked a close finish but in many ways it was justas enthralling. The entertainment started early with Ganguly in hiselements. Doing pretty much what he liked with the attack thatincluded the likes of Pollock, Donald, Klusener, Kallis, Boje andTelemachus, the Indian captain hit a run-a-ball 141 not out in a totalof 295 for six in 50 overs. With Rahul Dravid (58), Ganguly dominateda second wicket partnership of 145 runs while Yuvraj (41) matched hisskipper in stroke and run production in a third wicket stand of 82runs.The youngsters continued to excel with Zaheer Khan picking up thewickets of Andrew Hall and Dippenaar cheaply in his opening spell andDahiya effecting three dismissals. Even South Africa’s professionalskills came to nought against the new look Indian side and they werebowled out for 200 in 41 overs.And so in the title clash were two unexpected contestants, India andNew Zealand. None could say, however, that they were undeserving of aplace in the final. And the two teams, in keeping with the form theyhad displayed, produced a high calibre game, marked by much tensionand excitement, twists and turns. Ganguly hit another century (117)and his first wicket partnership of 141 runs with Sachin Tendulkar(66) paved the way for the challenging Indian total of 264 for six in50 overs.At various stages – 37 for two and 132 for five – New Zealand weregasping for breath. But they received timely oxygen in the form ofChris Cairns. The star all-rounder took charge and with the help ofthe old warhorse Chris Harris (46) revived New Zealand’s hopes with asixth wicket partnership of 122 runs. In true storybook fashion,Cairns reached an unbeaten 102 in the process of steering New Zealandto victory with four wickets and two deliveries to spare in agrandstand finish.