17 March 1996 (Cricket World Cup Finals) Co Author Crishantha Nanayakkara Thirty-five days since my arrival in New Delhi, my first overseas consulting assignment. Twelve days after the Holi festival, the weather is pleasant in New Delhi. The stage is set for the big day, the cricket World Cup finals “Australia VS Sri Lanka. The build-up for this final had several events. I will skip them but mentioned one: the 1996 World Cup hosted by India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. A few weeks before I left Sri Lanka, on 31 January 1996, a lorry containing about 440 pounds of high explosives crashed through the Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s main gate, damaging eight other buildings nearby. I was a few blocks away from the central bank at Hemas building on Bristol street. Due to this incident, which killed 196 people, Australia and West Indies refuse to travel to Sri Lanka. India and Pakistan came to support and traveled to Sri Lanka to play two friendly games to keep the game’s sprint.
We stayed at a boutique hotel in Greater Kailash 1 (GK1). Bright Star Inn was a few blocks away from the old Savithri cinema. One and only Priyantha Siriwardena the party organizer, decided we need to make watching this World Cup final an eventful event. He spoke to Deepak, the Bright Star Inn manager, to get his permission to host an event at Bright Star Inn rooftop; for Priyantha’s smiling face, calm voice hard to say no to any of his requests. Deepak spoke to the Hotel owner Bhat got the approval under one condition, all the food for the event will come from the hotel kitchen, but we are free to bring our alcohol. Priyantha was over the moon and called all others staying in the hotel for a meeting to assign work. It was a Sunday, but Priyantha had to go to work for few hours.
The match is to start at 2:30 PM, Pakistan time, same as India Standard Time. We had a lot to do before that. Move all the chairs and few tables from Bright Star inn basement banquet to the rooftop (we did not pay for the venue, so we need to compensate with labor), move the 27″ Onida TV from Priyantha’s room to the rooftop. On the rooftop corner, overlooking the Greater Kailash, home to celebrities and politicians, we set the bar counter with all the local brands, old monk rum, Mc Dowell’s and Royal Challenge whiskey, Kalyani, and Hayward 2000/5000 beer. There were also two bottles of Mendis Old Arrack but kept below the table for later use.
It is getting close to 2:30 PM; Priyantha is already back from work, walking around to make sure everything is fine; the first set of friends started walking in. Priyantha came to me and said, machan let us put this large Sri Lankan flag backdrop of the TV; by now, I could see on the TV Lahore Gaddafi Stadium packed to the full capacity of 27,000 spectators. Priyantha and I could hear the commentator saying Arjuna Ranathunga and Mark Taylor are walking to the middle for the toss. Priyantha and I just left the flag and came to the front of the TV; Arjuna won the toss and put Australia to bat first.
By now, Bright Star Inn rooftop packed with over 30+ friends; it has been just a few weeks since I came to New Delhi, still a lot of new faces, Priyantha made sure everyone got a glass of something. We all turned on to the TV, the two Marks, Mark Taylor, and Mark Waugh were walking into the middle, one end was the Pavilion end, and the other end was Forman Christian College end. Two Sri Lankan fast bowlers led by Chaminda Vas starting the bowling. Mark Waugh was struggling in the middle, but Mark Taylor looked sublime in the true batting pitch. We are expecting a little more from the Sri Lankan fast bowlers; it came on the 7th over, Mark Waugh was facing Vass, he was too early with his shot. It was straight to Jayasuriya at square leg. We had a reason to celebrate with first bottoms up; I had Old monk and coke in my hand.
Ricky Ponting walked in to join Mark Taylor. Both are looking too comfortable in the middle, making Bright Star inn rooftop unhappy; both were building a partnership averaging five runs per over at 16th over is it 90/1. We are getting restless. Australia is creating a foundation for a big score. Jayasuriya was introduced to the bowling attack on the 20th over, still, no change by 24th over 124/1 when Jayasuriya and the other end Aravinda. I saw Priyantha taking the elevator down. I know he is going to the kitchen to check on the snacks he ordered. We can’t continue anymore with Haldirams snacks and need something solid. We also need some solid bowling from Lankan bowlers. On the 26th, Mark Taylor played an ambitious sweep to deep square off Aravinda, and Jayasuriya took his second catch, and the score was 137/2. The snacks started coming, Bright Star Inn waiters all on duty, one can’t have a party in New Delhi without Tandoori Chicken, Lamb kebabs, Paneer tikka, Samosas as starters. Everyone is getting comfortable, Priyantha is making sure everyone is having fun. We are ready for the next 24 overs. Aravinda is with the ball, Ricky Ponting at the crease, Ponting tries to work the ball to the offside on the back foot, but the ball spun viciously and cleaned him up. 153/3 in the 30th over. The first surprise package came on in Shane Warne after the fall of the 3rd wicket. It was spinner to spinner, Murali to Shane Warne, Murali darted an off-spin on to Warnes pads, and he missed it, and little Kalu did the rest, 156/4. Stuart Law came to the middle.
I am already feeling tipsy; an old monk is much stronger than old arrack. Dharmasena has introduced again, and he did not waste any time; he took Stephen Wahgh’s wicket straight away. 170/5. Priyantha had an excellent reason to call for a bottoms-up, and someone gave me a Haward 5000 strong beer; for a minute, I thought it is a cough syrup. Michael Bevan joined Stuart Law, both took the score to 200 in the 44th over, and it was looking a comfortable 250+, Stuart Law got out, and Ihan Healy joined Bevan. It seems like a dream day for Aravinda; he clean bowled Ian Healy for two runs, 205/7. With some of Bevan’s late hitting, Australia finished at 241/7.
It is time for a half time show at Bright Star Inn; everyone is getting tipsy by mixing them up. Priyantha ordered the next food set; the hotel kitchen had one of the best anda (egg) and aaloo (potato) paratha. We had more snacks coming in. I could see Priyantha getting panic because we are running out of drinks. He called our cab driver Jasbinder to give details to buy more drinks for us. Jasbinder is always with us for 12-14 hours a day, he knows our preferences, and he went to the shop to get more drinks. Side talks going on with everyone making their predictions, will Jayasuriya and Kalu open, will they try to hit 100 in the first 15 overs, should they get Roshan Mahanana to open with Jayasuriya, will Shane Warne open the bowling at one end.
We all are in a perfect state of mind to follow Sri Lankan innings. Lahore stadium is under lights now, no change to the batting order. Jayasuriya opening with Kalu, Glen McGrath bowling from one end, the crowd at the stadium, and Bright Star inn rooftop is expecting some fireworks from these two for a much-needed start. Jayasuriya scored eight runs in the first over, but he ran for an ambitious 2nd run McGrath was fielding in the deep backward point, threw the ball straight to Healy, and Jayasuriya run out.
Gurusinghe came to the middle; Kalu tries to pull the ball short of Damien Fleming’s length, which top-edged to Bewan at the spare leg. Aravinda joined Gurusinghe; the most read cricket fan standing next to me said, look, Sugath, this time, the only job for Gurusinghe is to destroy Shane Warne. I could not disagree with him; I poured a drink for both of us and turned to the TV; I see one of our patriotic fan showing his back to the TV; I went to the side to see the TV, it was Shane Warne with the ball on the TV. Warne gave 11 runs in his first over; in the second over, Gurusinghe got into the act and blasted Warne for a boundary. Gurusinghe waked a four and a six of the first two balls of the 20th over balled by Warne. Gurusinghe reached his half-century in the 24th over.
When the score was 148, Aussies hit back again; Gurusinghe tried to charge Paul Reiffel to hit over mid-on but ended up missing it completely. Ranathunga joined Aravinda and straightaway took a boundary of the first ball he faced. With the best two batsmen in the middle and less than 100 runs to win, the stadium’s atmosphere and rooftop are upbeat. We are expecting to see the rivalry between Shane Warne and Arjuna to be visible in the middle. Arjuna and Aravinda picking every loose ball and hitting; on the 40th over, the required run rate is around 5 per over. On the 43rd over, Aravinda played two beautiful drives against Reiffel, which made the winning closer to the doorstep;
Priyantha went with his famous cheering.
“Oh, that’s the way, uh-huh uh-huh
I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh
That’s the way, uh-huh uh-huh
I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh…”
On the 46th over, Aravinda leg glanced Fleming to get his century off 119 balls and move and equal the score of 241 and handed over to Arjuna to take the winning run. Arjuna scored the winning run with his delicate late cut off McGrath. Sri Lanka wins the first World Cup by seven wickets.
The party continued at the rooftop, then Priyantha called a few of us and said, machan let us head over to the Sri Lankan High Commission, and asked Jasbinder to arrange five cabs. Just before midnight, five white ambassador cars left Bright Star Inn to the Sri Lankan HC in Chanakyapuri.
24th January 2019, I accompanied my daughter for her guitar performance in Sengkang, and then we both went out for dinner. I saw a WhatsApp message from my wife asking what time we will be back; while trying to respond to that, a message from another group popped up. “Friends, it is with heavy heart and sadness that I have to announce that our good friend Priyantha Siriwardena has passed away this morning in Sri Lanka.” My heart stopped; years since I spoke to Priyantha, I excused myself and made few calls to my friends to confirm the message; after few calls, one of my good friends close to Priyantha called me back and said,,,
Yes, machan we have lost Priyantha. One of the devastating day of my life. A little tribute to you Priyantha, machan wish you are here with us to like and share Thank you Crishantha for ball by ball commentary
