The year was 1987. Sunil Gavaskar was to retire soon, Sachin Tendulkar hadn’t yet made his appearance in the Indian consciousness. Goa had become the 25th State of the Indian union. The population hadn’t touched a billion yet. Scandals over defence deals had been exposed in the media. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s ‘Mr Clean’ image was taking a beating. Writing in the Asian Journal, a think tank analyst said, “Indian democracy is on trial.” And World champions India hosted the first World Cup outside England.
The first-ever World Cup match in India was played in Chennai 36 years ago. A year earlier at the same venue, Maninder Singh had been dismissed leg before to signal only the second tied Test. Now here he was again, last man, with India needing two to win. You couldn’t blame him if his only thought was Oh No Not Again! Steve Waugh knocked back his stumps to give Australia victory by one run.
It was a dramatic start to the tournament and gave an early hint to the spirit of the Australian team which went on to win it and dominate world cricket for a few years. They had lost the home Ashes earlier, and five previous ODIs. Waugh, then 22, a bit of a bowler and a bit of a batsman, but one of the heroes of the Cup and later a world-beating batsman was to say the Australians were “rank outsiders.”
