Flashback: West Indian spinners run through India’s star-studded batting

The Akai Singer Champions Trophy played at the Sharjah Stadium in 1997 featured four teams – India, England, Pakistan and West Indies. With only one match remaining in the league stage, West Indies and Pakistan were tied on two points while India were yet to open their account.

India in control

However, close defeats ensured India needed to beat the Caribbean team to qualify for the final against England. India decided to bowl first but were not able to take early wickets with the new ball. However, they kept West Indies batsmen quiet with regular wickets. Opening batsman Stuart Williams scored an unbeaten ton as West Indies ended up with 229/6. Williams scored 105* from 149 balls with the help of ten boundary fours.

Spinners make merry

India began the chase with an 87-run partnership for the first wicket between Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sourav Ganguly. Leg-spinner Rawl Lewis claimed the wicket of Sidhu to break the opening stand that lasted 19.2 overs. The other opener Ganguly kept the chase on with a 94-ball 70 that included six boundaries. India looked set for a place in the final as they moved to 126/1 in only 28 overs. Just when the things were in India’s control, Ganguly was stumped off Carl Hooper in the 29th over.

The Indian skipper Sachin Tendulkar got runout before making a significant contribution. Mohammad Azharuddin suffered the same fate after scoring four runs in the 32nd over. The pace bowlers didn’t prove effective as they bowled 19 overs between them conceding 89 runs without picking a wicket. Carl Hooper once again struck with the ball by cleaning up Rahul Dravid who scored 31 runs.

Hooper got the better of Ajay Jadeja as well leaving India in tatters. Saba Karim made a quick 22-ball 26 before Shivnarine Chanderpaul cleaned him up. Chanderpaul proved to be effective with his leg-breaks as he sent back Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath before Hooper wrapped up the match when Venkatesh Pradesh got bowled.

India got bowled out for only 188 by losing their last nine wickets for just 62 runs. India batted only 42.2 overs and fell 42 runs short of the target set by the Caribbean team. West Indies spin bowlers claimed eight wickets in the game; the joint-most they have picked in an ODI match till date. Their spinners picked exactly 8 wickets also during the 1996 Karachi ODI against Pakistan.