27 April,2019 02:43 PM IST | | A Correspondent
Australia's Ricky Ponting during the 1996 World Cup
With scores of 6, 12 and 33 from his first three matches of the 1996 World Cup, Ricky Ponting finally launched himself on the World Cup stage with a 112-ball 102 to help Australia post 229-6 in 50 overs against West Indies at Jaipur.
Steve Waugh lent a helping hand with 57. But their efforts weren't enough as West Indies managed to beat Australia by four wickets. The Australian bowlers began well by sending back Sherwin Campbell (1) and Courtney Browne (10) cheaply and it was left to Brian Lara (60) and skipper Richie Richardson (93 not out) to revive the West Indies innings with a 87-run stand for the third wicket.
Once Lara was dismissed by Mark Waugh, Richardson took the challenge upon himself to see the team through. The skipper took centrestage as the other batsmen rallied around him. Waugh, (3-38) however, kept taking wickets to maintain pressure on the West Indies. Richardson kept his calm as his unbeaten knock helped West Indies achieve the target in 48.5 overs.
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Figured out
Number six batsman Collis King delighted the Lord's Cricket Ground crowd in London with his 66-ball 86 in the 1979 World Cup final along with centurion Viv Richards, who hammered 138 with the help of 11 fours and three sixes. The importance of their 139-run partnership for the fifth wicket is well documented, but what only few cricket fans know is that King consumed brandy while waiting to bat.
SA's Allan Donald dismisses Kenya's Ravindu Shah
Did you know?
During the 1999 World Cup, South Africa was the only Test-playing nation to play a match outside the United Kingdom. They played Kenya at Amstelveen in the Netherlands.
Player to watch: Samiullah Shenwari
Afghanistan's Samiullah Shenwari is not just an economical leg-spin bowler with a career average of 4.9 in ODI cricket. He is also pretty handy with the bat. Samiullah proved his utility in the 2015 World Cup when his gritty 96 helped his team register a thrilling win over Scotland at the University Oval in Dunedin. This was their only win of the tournament.
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