1996 World Cup: Sri Lanka’s Moment In The Sun | Rewind, Ep 04

In the gripping fourth episode, Rajdeep and Nikhil explore the unforgettable moments of the 1996 Cricket World Cup, a tournament that brought a remarkable shift in cricketing dynamics. This world cup held immense significance for Sri Lanka, a country that had long remained overshadowed by cricketing giants like India and Pakistan.

At the heart of the discussion was the emergence of private news television in India, which significantly changed the media landscape during the tournament. Unlike the previous edition in 1987, where Doordarshan was the sole broadcaster, 1996 witnessed the rise of private news channels, eagerly seeking to cover the World Cup and capitalize on the fervor of cricket-crazy fans.

However, this newfound competition between Doordarshan and private channels led to a major controversy.

The tournament was supposed to be jointly hosted by India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, but political turmoil in Sri Lanka forced Australia and West Indies to withdraw from playing there. Sri Lanka had faced a decade of terrorism in the 1990s, with the LTTE causing havoc, including the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. Co-hosting the World Cup was seen as a step towards normalcy, and India and Pakistan stood in solidarity with Sri Lanka while the western world hesitated.

The new format of the tournament came under scrutiny, leading to some intriguing discussions during the episode. Rajdeep and Nikhil also delve into India's campaign in the World Cup, particularly their iconic match against Pakistan, which took place on Indian soil for the first time in World Cup history.

One of the significant moments of the tournament was India's match against Sri Lanka, where questions arose about India's decision to bat first despite knowing that the pitch would favor spin bowling. Years later, match-fixing controversies would surround this match, with fingers pointed at Azharuddin for allegedly taking that decision under match-fixing pressures.

Listen in to more of the untold stories!

Produced by Anna Priyadarshini

Sound Mix by Sachin Dwivedi