IQOCharli56: drafted the pg first draft

2026-07-15T15:54:46Z

drafted the pg first draft

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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}}{{Infobox limited overs final|title=1996 Cricket World Cup semi-final (India v Sri Lanka)|event=[[1996 Cricket World Cup]]|team1=[[Sri Lanka national cricket team|Sri Lanka]]|team1score=251/8|team1overs=50 overs|team2=[[India national cricket team|India]]|team2score=120/8|team2overs=34.1 overs|date=13 March 1996|stadium=[[Eden Gardens]]|city=[[Kolkata]]|man_of_the_match=[[Aravinda de Silva]] (Sri Lanka)|toss=India elected to field|result=Sri Lanka won by default|umpires=[[Steve Dunne (cricket umpire)|Steve Dunne]] (New Zealand) and [[Cyril Mitchley]] (South Africa) with [[Clive Lloyd]] (West Indies) being the referee|attendance=100,000}}
[[File:Eden_Gardens.jpg|thumb|Eden Gardens before the 2011 renovations had the capacity of around 100,000]]
'''1996 Cricket World Cup semi-final''' was a [[One Day International]] (ODI) cricket match played between [[Sri Lanka national cricket team|Sri Lanka]] and [[India national cricket team|India]] on 13 March 1996 at [[Eden Gardens]] in Kolkata as the first semi-final of the [[1996 Cricket World Cup]]. Sri Lanka scored 251 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted 50 overs, while India collapsed from 98/1 to 120/8 during their chase. The match became one of the most controversial fixtures in Cricket World Cup history after crowd disturbances forced referee [[Clive Lloyd]] to abandon the match and award victory to Sri Lanka.<ref name="CricinfoScorecard">{{cite web |title=India vs Sri Lanka, 1st Semi-Final, Wills World Cup 1995/96 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/wills-world-cup-1995-96-60981/india-vs-sri-lanka-1st-semi-final-65190/full-scorecard |access-date=26 May 2026 |website=ESPNcricinfo |publisher=ESPN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1996-03-14 |title=Sri Lanka triumph as India's fans run riot |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/sri-lanka-triumph-as-india-s-fans-run-riot-1342013.html |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Siddhartha Vaidyanathan |title=Tears in vain as India crash out |url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/282656.html |access-date=27 October 2007 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

India entered the semi-final after defeating [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]] in the quarter-finals, while Sri Lanka had beaten [[England cricket team|England]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Wills World Cup, 1996 schedule and results |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-series/653/wills-world-cup-1996/matches |access-date=26 May 2026 |website=Cricbuzz}}</ref> The match attracted intense public attention in India because of Sri Lanka's aggressive batting approach during the tournament, led by opening batters [[Sanath Jayasuriya]] and [[Romesh Kaluwitharana]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fernando |first=Andrew Fidel |date=Apr 27, 2020 |title=Sri Lanka don't win the 1996 World Cup |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/alternative-universe-what-if-sri-lanka-had-not-won-the-1996-world-cup-1219946 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

After India won the toss and chose to field, Sri Lanka lost both openers early to [[Javagal Srinath]], but recovered through a partnership between [[Aravinda de Silva]] and [[Roshan Mahanama]]. De Silva scored 66 runs from 47 balls and Mahanama made 58 before retiring hurt. Contributions from captain [[Arjuna Ranatunga]] and [[Hashan Tillakaratne]] helped Sri Lanka finish on 251/8 in 50 overs. Indian spinner [[Anil Kumble]] took 3 wickets for 51 runs.<ref name="CricinfoScorecard" />

India's innings was anchored by [[Sachin Tendulkar]], who scored 65 runs and shared partnerships with [[Navjot Singh Sidhu]] and [[Sanjay Manjrekar]]. However, after Tendulkar was stumped off Jayasuriya with the score at 98/2, India lost seven wickets for 22 runs and slumped to 120/8.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Williamson |first=Martin |date=Feb 19, 2009 |title=Unfinished business |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/unfinished-business-391374 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> Television footage of [[Vinod Kambli]] leaving the field in tears became one of the defining images of the tournament.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mohanarangan |first=Vinayakk |date=2019-05-18 |title=World Cup moments: An epic collapse, a tearful Vinod Kambli, India’s 1996 WC ends in ignominy |url=https://scroll.in/field/923814/world-cup-moments-an-epic-collapse-a-tearful-vinod-kambli-indias-1996-wc-ends-in-ignominy |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=Scroll.in |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-04-13 |title=World Cup Redux: In 1996, It All Ends in Tears at Eden Gardens |url=https://www.news18.com/cricketnext/news/world-cup-redux-1996-world-cup-ends-in-tears-at-eden-gardens-2099475.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818074736/https://www.news18.com/cricketnext/news/world-cup-redux-1996-world-cup-ends-in-tears-at-eden-gardens-2099475.html |archive-date=2019-08-18 |access-date=2026-05-27 |work=News18 |language=en}}</ref>

Following the fall of India's eighth wicket, spectators at Eden Gardens threw bottles and debris onto the field and set sections of the stadium on fire. Players briefly left the field before attempting to resume play, but further crowd trouble caused Lloyd to abandon the match and award it to Sri Lanka by default.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Ranganna |first=Akhila |date=Jan 28, 2011 |title=Riot police, fires and a sobbing Vinod Kambli |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/controversies-in-kolkata-riot-police-fires-and-a-sobbing-vinod-kambli-498547 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> Sri Lanka subsequently defeated [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]] in [[1996 Cricket World Cup final|the final]] at [[Gaddafi Stadium]] in [[Lahore]] to win their first World Cup title.<ref>{{cite web |title=Australia vs Sri Lanka, Final, Wills World Cup 1995/96 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/wills-world-cup-1995-96-60981/australia-vs-sri-lanka-final-65192/full-scorecard |access-date=26 May 2026 |website=ESPNcricinfo |publisher=ESPN}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[1996 Cricket World Cup final]]

* [[Cricket in India]]

* [[Eden Gardens]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}[[Category:Cricket controversies]]
[[Category:1996 Cricket World Cup]]
[[Category:Cricket in India]]

1996 Cricket World Cup 1st semi-final - Revision history

IQOCharli56: drafted the pg first draft