On This Day: Sri Lanka became first team to chase down 300-plus score in ODIs

Arjuna Ranatunga scored a 61-ball 88 as Sri Lanka defeated Zimbabwe by three wickets with four balls to spare.

Arjuna Ranatunga scored a 61-ball 88 as Sri Lanka chased down a 300-plus run target against Zimbabwe in during the I992 World Cup. (File)

On February 23, 1992, the revolution of the One Day Internationals started with Sri Lanka chasing down a 300-plus total against Zimbabwe during their match in the 1992 World Cup. Sri Lanka defeated Zimbabwe by three wickets with four balls to spare at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth. Sri Lanka became the first country to chase down a 300-plus score in ODIs.

In the past 29 years, cricket has changed massively. With the inception of T20Is, ODIs are no longer the shortest format of the game, and no targets are safe now with shorter boundaries and broad willows. Since Sri Lanka’s successful chase against Zimbabwe in the 1992 World Cup, 47 times teams have chased past the 300-plus total in ODI cricket. South Africa even chased down a 400-plus total against Australia in 2006.

Sri Lanka skipper Aravinda de Silva won the toss and put Dave Houghton-led Zimbabwe into bat.

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Zimbabwe lost Wayne James 17), Andy Pycroft (17) and skipper Houghton (10), but their young opener Andy Flower stayed firm at one end. The southpaw went on to score a crafty century (115 off 152 balls). His lock was studded with eight boundaries and one six. The wicketkeeper-batter put on an 85-run stand with Kevin Arnott (52 off 56 balls; 4×4, 1×6).

The final flourish in Zimbabwe’s innings was provided by Andy Waller, who smoked a 45-balls 83 with the help of nine four and three sixes. Waller and Flower were involved in an unbeaten 146-run stand for the fifth wicket. For Sri Lanka, Pramodya Wickramasinghe (2/50), and Asanka Gurusinha (2/72) picked up two wickets apiece. Zimbabwe put on a massive total of 312 for 5 in 50 overs.

Chasing the massive target, Sri Lanka were off to a flier with their openers Roshan Mahanama (59 off 189 balls; 4×4) and Athula Samarasekera (75 off 61 balls; 11×4, 1×6) put on 128 runs for the first wicket. The openers set the platform for the Islanders but they lost wickets in regular intervals and at one stage were reeling at 167 for 4.

Arjuna Ranatunga (88 not out off 61 balls; 9×4, 1×6) was joined by a young Sanath Jayasuriya (32 off 23 balls; 2×4, 2×6), who four years down the line will stamp Sri Lanka’s authority in the ODI cricket, and will become one of the greatest openers of the modern-day cricket. The duo was involved in a brisk 45-runs stand for the fifth wicket.

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Once Jayasuriya was gone, Ranatunga changed the gears and put on a couple of valuable partnerships with Hasan Tilakaratne (18 off 12 balls; 1×4, 1×6) and Ruwan Kalpage (11 off 14 balls; 1×4). Ranatunga steered his team home with three wickets in the hut and four balls to spare.

Andy Flower was adjudged as player of the match for his magnificent century but the seeds of change in ODIs cricket started from this match. Four years later, Arjuna Ranatunga-led Sri Lanka will defeat Australia by seven wickets in the 1996 World Cup final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan.

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