World Cup flashback: Pakistan crash to gift West Indies final berth

West Indies' Colin Croft

World Cup memory
Pak crash to gift WI final berth

Pakistan and West Indies ended up being in the semi-final of the 1979 World Cup at The Oval. Asif Iqbal put the West Indies in and though the West Indies didn't exactly collapse, Asif's medium pace accounted for the top four batsmen - Gordon Greenidge (73), Desmond Haynes (65), Viv Richards (42), and skipper Clive Lloyd (37).

Imran Khan impressed with his pace but he bowled too short, resulting in Greenidge and Haynes using the pull shot often in their 132-run partnership. When the West Indies threatened to post a huge total, Majid Khan was called on to bowl his off-spinners and he choked WI, conceding only 26 runs in his 12 overs. Considering Pakistan's batting ammunition, reaching 294 was not impossible.

Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas threatened to take the match away from the defending champions with a 166-run alliance which ended when Colin Croft got Zaheer to edge one to wicketkeeper Murray for 93. Eleven runs later, Majid perished to the same bowler for 81. The rest of the batting flopped and the Pakistan wagon crumbled for 250 in the 57th over with Roberts (2-41) and Richards (3-52) troubling the lower order. The Windies thus entered their second final on the trot.

Figured out
Australia were not a team to fear even if they had the likes of Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh in their team led by batting stylist Kim Hughes in the 1983 World Cup. Lillee was most unimpressive in the tournament, bagging just four wickets in four games. He didn't play in both of Australia's games against India and went wicketless in Australia's second game against the West Indies at Lord's where he didn't even open the bowling. He was called on to bowl after spinner Tom Hogan.

Ian Botham

Did you know?
Graham Gooch, the then captain of England, and his star all-rounder Ian Botham walked out of a function held for the both teams before the England v Pakistan 1992 World Cup final at Melbourne because they took offence over Aussie comedian Gerry Connolly impersonating the Queen of England. "Why should I put up with that? If it was done the other way around and he came in with a turban on his head and took the mickey out of the Pakistan team it would be called racism," Botham said.

Man to watch
Ashton Turner

The manner in which Ashton Turner wielded his willow and guided Australia to an amazing win in the recent Mohali ODI, he could pose a danger to a lot of teams in the World Cup. He hits the ball cleanly and doesn't tend to get carried away with his strokeplay. The Indian Premier League will give Turner the right platform to showcase his skills and tune up well for the mega 50-50 event. Sure, the world will get a better view of him and plot his dismissal, but the experience southpaw Turner will gain by tackling the best limited overs bowlers in business has to be a plus for him.

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