Nail Biters 3: Ind vs Aus, Titan Cup 1996

Mohali.
3 November 1996.

If the earlier game was a low scoring affair, the scores in this match were some robust figures. Both teams were relatively fearless since they did not have to face rampaging South Africans. For an Indian fan, both the results were delightful. For a neutral cricket fan too, both the results were fulfilling.

For the wicket which turned out to be the best batting wicket in the tournament, Australia chose to field first. This was perhaps due to the dew factor or the demons of the earlier game. Tendulkar started his routine (i.e. flogging the Australian bowlers), but Siddhu (11 off 25) and the promoted Srinath (3 off 8) couldn't hold their end. Tendulkar and Azharuddin started positively but Tendulkar took an ambitious risk off Mark Waugh to get caught in the deep mid wicket on 62 off 60. The score was 95-3. Dravid joined Azharuddin and the duo kept their head. The conditions allowed collecting runs without taking any risks and the pair made merry of it.

Dravid (56 off 67) then fell with the score 205-4. The newly selected all rounder Robin Singh couldn't make a good score and fell for 6. Azharuddin fell short of a century with 94 off 104 balls. The score was 253-6, but Jadeja (25 off 18) and Nayan Mongia (19 off 15) did some hitting and the score at the end was 289-6.

As expected, the Aussies started off well. Things were ominous for India at 84-0 but Robin Singh struck off consecutive deliveries to get rid of Mark Waugh (37) and Stuart Law (0). Steve Waugh (33) took the score to 151 with Taylor when Sunil Joshi struck. Taylor looked set for another hundred but he too, was quickly removed by Kumble on 78. 155-4. Game on now. But Bevan and Slater put up a fierce partnership of 86 in a quick time. Prasad broke the thread to remove Bevan (40 off 43) and Ian Healy was run out on 2. 248-6. Aussies were loosing wickets in pairs. Srinath scalped the threatening Slater (52 off 38) to a slightly dodgy lbw decision. Now the game was in India command. Kumble ran through another pair of wickets by cleaning Reiffel up, but they somehow had taken the score to 273-9. One would hope to remove McGrath easily but he scored an important boundary with Hogg at the other end looking determined.

It was the last over. 6 runs were needed. After a long conference the captain Tendulkar chose to bowl the last over. It was a gamble but the key bowlers had finished their overs. The crowd, the t.v. viewers were now totally into it.

The noise from the crowd grew louder and louder as Tendulkar took each step of his run up and then it nosedived into a silence as he released the ball. It struck Hogg on his pads. Loud appeal. Both the batsmen scampered through. Wicketkeeper Mongia got the ball and hurled at the strikers end. He missed it. But the ball trotted off and found the bowlers end stumps. Hogg... was short of his ground. India had got better of the Aussies by 5 runs.

Amidst the cheers, Taylor looking like a child who was denied a toy, came to the middle, accepting the inevitable. Hogg was looking skyward, but his eyes were closed. India were through.

Scorecard.

I Remember: The game reminds you of a similar encounter. Both games were a semi final for the two teams. Sachin scored a crucial half century but Azharuddin played a larger hand. And though Azharuddin was the man of the match, Sachin bowled the last over to stifle the opponent and to take India through to the finals. It was Hero Cup 1992, India vs South Africa.