This week India are celebrating their first ever Day-Night test match is the historic venue of Eden Gardens Kolkata. Going back 26 years, it was the similar time of the year when the floodlights were first launched in Eden Gardens and it was first used during the CAB Diamond Jubilee Tournament Hero Cup.
On 27th November 1993, the host India and West Indies met each other in the final of the Hero Cup. India won a thrilling Semi-Final by just two runs against South Africa whereas West Indies had a more comfortable 7-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their Semi-final. They also won against India during the group stage. West Indian captain Richie Richardson won the toss and decided to bat first. It was a good bowling performance by his fast bowling quartet Curtly Ambrose, Kenny Benjamin, Winston Benjamin and Anderson Cummins to restrict India for 225/7. Only Vinod Kambli scored a fifty who ended up getting run out on 68. There were contributions from the captain Mohammad Azharuddin (38), Ajay Jadeja (30) and cameos from Sachin Tendulkar (28*) and Kapil Dev (24). Cummins was pick of the bowlers with three wickets for 38 runs.
West Indies lost Phil Simmons early for a duck but the other opener Brian Lara and captain Richardson added 56 runs and was looking comfortable. This is when Tendulkar managed to dismiss Lara for 33. By this time, Kapil Dev passed his prime but he delivered an inspiring spell of bowling and conceded only 18 runs in his 10 overs picking up key wickets of Richardson and Keith Arthurton. Suddenly from 57/1 West Indies slumped to 63/4 and India were dominating. Carl Hooper and Roland Holder formed a partnership and took the score to 101 when Anil Kumble started his magic. The ball passed Holder’s bat and bails were off but the on field umpires were not sure whether it was bowled or whether the ball hit the keeper first. They took help from the third umpire and hence Holder became the first person to be given bowled with the help of third umpire. From then on it was Anil Kumble show. West Indies could add 22 more runs before loosing their last five wickets and all of them went to Kumble, who picked up six wickets for just four runs in 26 balls. Kumble’s 6/12 was the best bowling analysis for India in ODIs for next 20 years.
The close to 100,000 crowd was ecstatic on India’s win and players also celebrated with them with a victory lap in one of the most memorable nights at Eden Gardens.
Scorecard: Hero Cup Final 1993
Highlights: India vs West Indies Final 1993
