World Cup flashback: Sanath Jayasuriya too good for England

Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya. Pic/AFP

The first quarter-final of the 1996 World Cup played at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad highlighted Sri Lanka's dominant performance in the tournament. The Sri Lankan bowlers did well to restrict England to 235-8 in 50 overs with the spin troika of Kumar Dharmasena, Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya claiming two wickets each. Only veteran all-rounder Phil DeFreitas managed a sizeable score - 67 with five fours and two sixes.

Though Sri Lanka lost opener Romesh Kaluwitharana cheaply, Jayasuriya provided enough fireworks en route his 44-ball 82 which included 13 boundaries and three sixes. He equalled the World Cup's fastest 50 [coming off in just 30 balls] and Jayasuriya was well on course to beat Kapil Dev's record of the fastest World Cup century [off 72 balls in the 1983 edition]. However, the Matara Mauler's dismissal for 82 provided a huge relief in the England camp.

Medium pacer DeFreitas, who also bowled a bit of off-spin out of desperation, was the most expensive of English bowlers, conceding 38 runs in 3.4 overs. With Sri Lanka still needing over 100 runs when Jayasuriya departed, the southpaw had already demoralised England's attack as the eventual champions completed the chase in 40.4 overs with five wickets in hand.

Did you know?
England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff bagged a duck in his team's opening game of the 2007 World Cup against New Zealand at St Lucia where the Kiwis won by six wickets. After an eight-hour drinking spree that night, Flintoff hit the sea at 4 am only to be rescued by the team hotel staff. He copped a one match ban and lost his post of team vice-captain.

Figured out
A total of 463 sixes were hit during the 2015 World Cup. West Indian big-hitter Chris Gayle (above) contributed the most to this tally with 26 sixes. He also scored the first double century in World Cup history - 215 against Zimbabwe at Manuka Oval in Canberra.

Player to watch: Lungi Ngidi
South African pacer Lungi Ngidi may be nursing an injury at the moment, but the selectors have taken a chance by including him in their World Cup team. Ngidi is crucial to South Africa's plans for his ability to take wickets upfront as well as maintaining a healthy economy rate in the Powerplay overs. With 34 wickets in 18 ODIs, Ngidi is certainly a value addition in the Proteas' dangerous pace attack.

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