There146;s method in madness

Greatest moment His greatest World Cup moment also happens to be his country8217;s. Dateline: ...

Greatest moment

His greatest World Cup moment also happens to be his country8217;s. Dateline: Lahore, March 17, 1999. Match: Final of the World Cup against Australia. Scene: Lankans needing to score 242 for the title are 23 for two. In walks Aravinda and without a care in the world plays like as if it is a Sunday club game. Treating Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne like school boys at practice nets, he scores 107 from 124 balls. With skipper Arjuna for company he helps the Islanders couquer the world.

Aravinda de Silva is known to have a passion for fast cars and that quite easily explains his attitude towards batting. During his initiation days in international cricket, the world rather prematurely gave him the tag of 8216;Mad Max8217; for frenzied but risky style of batting. But somehow over the years that nickname vanished. A matured Aravinda remained a destroyer but the madness had a method. Today his strokes draw comparisons to a skillful surgeon and doesn8217;t remind one of a handyman. Said to be the best batsman to emerge out of the Emerald Island in their 20-year history, Aravinda will be playing his fifth World Cup at South Africa.

Did you know?

8226; Once Arjuna Ranatunga refused to lead the side as Aravinda was dropped.
8226; Aravinda never believes in practising at nets. All through the 1996 World Cup, where he won four Man of the Match awards, he batted at nets only once.
8226; It was once alleged that an Indian bookie paid 1,00,000 to a woman in Brisbane, who had Aravinda8217;s love child.

Out of the side in the aftermath of Lanka8217;s disastrous outing in the last edition of Cup, now is back to his old self to play his final Cup. He is the third highest run-scorer in ODI history and the World Cup will see him complete two milestones: Playing 300 one-dayers and claiming 100 wickets. It is said that Aravinda8217;s growth is parallel to that of Aravinda. A fitter and leaner all-rounder at World Cup might give the Islanders a push at South Africa which they desperately need.

HEAD TO HEAD

The true wickets of South Africa will be ideal for Aravinda8217;s brand of run making. Balls that come on to the bat with even and nice bounce are something that the free-flowing batter would love.

WEST INDIES:
The contest between left-arm pacer Pedro Collins and Aravinda would be interesting. Aravinda could fall for Collins8217; away-going balls while driving but anything short the Lankan batsman is sure to pull or hook.

NEW ZEALAND:
If the openers take care of Shane Bond and Daryl Tuffy, Aravinda may have to deal with the deceptively quick Andre Adams. Playing square to the wicket might be difficult to the dead accurate Adams but anything on legs wouldn8217;t go unpunished.

SOUTH AFRICA:
His duel with Jacques Kallis is the clash of two veteran all-rounders. Aravinda8217;s exquisite cover drive vs the quick in-cutters of Kallis. If the Lankan gauges the pace and bounce of the wicekt, it8217;ll straight to the fence and if not it will pass through the bat and pad and hit the stumps.

Sandeep Dwivedi

Sandeep Dwivedi is the Sports Editor at The Indian Express. He is one of India's most prominent sports journalists, known for his deep analytical insights and storytelling that often goes beyond scores and statistics to explore the human and cultural side of sports. Professional Profile Role: As the Sports Editor, he leads the sports coverage for the newspaper and the website. Weekly Column: He writes "The Sports Column," a weekly feature where he provides sharp, narrative-driven perspectives on the biggest sporting news of the week. Podcast: He is a frequent contributor to the "Express Sports" podcast (Game Time), where he discusses evolving trends in cricket and other international sports. Areas of Expertise While Dwivedi covers the entire sporting spectrum, his work is particularly noted in the following areas: Cricket: He provides extensive coverage of the Indian National Team and the IPL. He frequently analyzes the leadership styles of figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. He is known for tracking the transition phases of Indian cricket and the evolution of specific players like Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant. Athletics & Olympic Sports: He has written extensively on Neeraj Chopra’s rise in javelin, the nuances of Indian shooting, and tennis legends like Sania Mirza and Leander Paes. Human Interest Stories: A hallmark of his writing is his focus on the struggles and backgrounds of athletes, such as the sacrifices made by Shafali Verma’s father or the "silent battles" of veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara. Notable Recent Work & Themes Leadership and Dynamics: Recently, he has written about the dynamic between Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, arguing that personal friendship is not a prerequisite for team success. Sports & Culture: His articles often intersect with global culture, such as his deep dive into the 100-year legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters and their role as American soft power during the Cold War. The "Grey Areas" of Sport: He often addresses sensitive topics like the mental health of cricketers post-retirement, the "outrage industry" in sports broadcasting, and the impact of fan-wars on the game. Tenure and Experience Dwivedi has been with The Indian Express for over three decades. This experience allows him to provide historical context to modern sporting events, often comparing current crises or triumphs to those of previous generations. You can follow his latest work and columns on his official Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More