On this day in 2000: Sri Lanka hammer India to win Champions Trophy
20 years ago, the cricketing world witnessed a one-sided and perhaps the most dramatic multi-tournament final ever. It was a game in which many records were broken and unwanted records were made. We are talking about the 2000 Champions Trophy where Sri Lanka defeated India by a mammoth 245 runs.
The 2000 Champions Trophy was played between Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and India. It was a short tournament played at Sharjah in which each team played four games. Sri Lanka were unbeaten in the group stages, defeating Zimbabwe and India twice. With India emerging victorious over Zimbabwe, the two neighbouring countries played the final on 29th October. On paper, Sri Lanka’s line-up seemed much stronger as compared to India.
India had also been chopping and changing their team around a lot. But they had the extremely successful opening pair of Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar which was expected to do the bulk of the scoring. It promised to be a great contest.
What happened
Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first in a big final. They got off to a good start, largely due to their aggressive skipper Sanath Jayasuriya. However, they lost their first wicket at 44. Thereafter, the Lankans kept losing wickets at regular intervals and found themselves in a tricky position at 116-4 in 28 overs. But the explosive Jayasuriya was still at the crease and was joined by Russell Arnold. Thus began, one of the greatest counter-attacks in ODI history where Jayasuriya took the attack to the Indian bowlers. It was one of those days – whenever the ball touched his willow, it went to the boundary.
Sanath kept playing at a phenomenal strike rate. He was looking good to become the first man to score a double ton, but ended with an unbelievable 189 off just 161 balls and was dismissed only in the 49th over. Arnold and Sanath had virtually batted India out of the game with their 166-run partnership as Sri Lanka ended with 299 in their 50 overs. It seemed a highly improbable target for India to achieve. India’s hopes were pinned on their opening pair.
The chase
Things didn’t begin the way Indians would have wanted. Sourav Ganguly was dismissed for just 3 in the 3rd over and Tendulkar a couple of overs later with the scoreboard reading 10-2. What happened next was inexplicable. The Indian batting order fell like ninepins. Not a single batsman could survive Chaminda Vaas’ opening burst. India kept losing wickets every couple of overs.
They eventually collapsed to an embarrassing 54, as Vaas ran through the Indian line-up picking a fifer. It was a thoroughly shocking display by India with the bat and the 245-run loss is till date the 10th biggest win in terms of runs. India may have historically been a better team than their Lankan counterparts but Sri Lanka were just too good on the day and went on to clinch the coveted Champions Trophy that year.
