India's one memorable win from each edition of the World Cup

India vs New Zealand at Nagpur in World Cup 1987

Chetan Sharma became the first bowler to take a hat trick in a World Cup match

This was the last group match of reliance World Cup 1987. India has already qualified for the semi-finals while New Zealand was out of it. But India’s run rate was lower than Australia’s.

India had to improve their run rate against New Zealand to go past Australia and top the group. If they failed to do so, they would have been forced to travel to Lahore to meet Pakistan in the semi-finals. Hence the inconsequential final group stage match had suddenly assumed huge significance for India.

The New Zealand captain Jeff Crowe won the toss and made India’s job easier by electing to bat first. Now India could go for the target within a specified number of overs to stay away from Pakistan. But for that to happen, India had to first restrict New Zealand to a reasonable target.

New Zealand had a steady start and reached 181 for 4. Lahore was weighing on the psyche of the Indian players. At the nick of time, Shastri gave India the vital breakthrough by terminating Dipak Patel’s innings for 40.

Chetan Sharma took over from thereon as he cleaned Ken Rutherford, Ian Smith and Chatfield off successive deliveries. In the process, Chetan Sharma became the first bowler to take a hat trick in a World Cup and that too by clean bowling all his victims. Chetan Sharma restricted New Zealand’s total to a manageable 221.

India needed to reach the target in 42 overs @5.26 runs per over to meet England in the semi-finals at home. In those days, that was not an easy target. But India had an unexpected hero in Sunil Gavaskar. Sunny, playing his penultimate International innings, matched his more aggressive partner Krish Srikkanth stroke by stroke.

Gavaskar batted like Srikkanth at Nagpur

The openers put on 136 runs before Srikkanth was dismissed for 75 off 58 balls with 9 fours and 3 sixes. Gavaskar raced to his maiden ODI hundred in his 107th ODI off 85 balls with 10 fours and 3 sixes. India reached the target in a mere 32 overs @6.96 runs per over.

In the end, it was a facile win for Team India and the match will be remembered for Chetan Sharma’s hat trick and Gavaskar’s maiden ODI hundred at less than a run a ball.