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When Kenya leapt on February 29 in 1996
Updated On: 01 March, 2026 08:11 AM IST | Mumbai | Clayton Murzello
With the ICC 2026 T20 World Cup’s thrills and spills engaging cricket lovers, we recall Kenya stunning two-time champions West Indies in the 1996 World Cup at Pune, through the eyes of their senior pro and then future captain AASIF KARIM in this exclusive chat with Clayton Murzello
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Aasif Karim (fourth from left) celebrates the win over West Indies on February 29, 1996, in Pune with his Kenyan teammates. Pic/mid-day archvies
‘Determined to be competitive’
From the time we qualified for the World Cup in 1994, the preparation in every respect was strong. The team were determined to be competitive in our first World Cup. We believed in ourselves. We wanted to do well and not be regarded as just a number in the tournament. So, our mindset was to go and be competitive and make sure we bat for 50 overs, put up a decent score, get as many wickets as possible and make it a competitive match.
On match day…
When we went to the ground [Nehru Stadium], we were looking at how they were warming up rather than our own warm-up. Their aura was such… you wanted to see how they practise. But the thing that surprised me was the West Indies’s body language. It was not good for whatever reason. And the thing that baffled me most was when Richie Richardson won the toss and elected to field.
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