00:00In the late 1980s, one day cricket was often slow and careful.
00:05Most bestmen played with cautious, focusing more on staying at the crease than scoring
00:09quickly.
00:10But Chris Sirikant was different.
00:12He was one of the few Indian bestmen who believed in attacking from the very beginning, even
00:17against the most dangerous ballers in the world.
00:20On October 16, 1989, in Sharjah, India faced a strong West Indies side in the fourth match
00:26of the tournament.
00:27The West Indies face attack included legends like Malcolm Marshall, Kirtley Ambrose, Courtney
00:32Walsh and Winston Benjamin, fastballers who could scare any bestman.
00:37But Sirikant was not afraid.
00:39He opened the innings with confidence and gave India a solid attacking start.
00:57If that's an indication, Sirikant having no problem in putting that away to the square
01:03leg.
01:04Down to third man, six for no wicket.
01:08There it is.
01:09There it is.
01:10There it is again.
01:11But that was a very good delivery.
01:13I think he hopped a little.
01:15And Richard lets that one go by him.
01:21Oh, fine shot.
01:22Four runs.
01:23Now that's Sirikant.
01:24No guiding the ball there, but brutally forcing it away on the offside.
01:28Square of the wicket.
01:29Four runs.
01:30India in double figure.
01:32Oh.
01:33It's a good ball.
01:34Once again, the angle bat down to third man.
01:39It's two more.
01:59Shot.
02:00Lovely shot.
02:01Second over.
02:06There's a sweeper cover now.
02:24Richardson.
02:25Lovely return.
02:26Played a cramped shot.
02:38Getting a single down to square leg.
02:49That was miscued.
02:52It kept a little low.
02:54Again cramped.
02:55Shrikant is trying to play it away on the onside towards square leg to pick up a single.
02:59I think he played a bit too early.
03:01Got the leading edge of the bat.
03:03And he's very lucky that it fell in the no man's land.
03:07Yes.
03:08Yes.
03:09The bat seemed to have turned in his hand as he played that shot.
03:14There you see.
03:17The bat is turning in his hand and therefore takes the outside edge, the leading edge, and
03:25goes up in the air.
03:26Fortunately, no fielder is close enough for that catch.
03:37Missed field by Ambrose.
03:38Ricochet is off his boots.
03:40What should have been only one.
03:43Results in four.
03:46First bounce.
03:47First bounce.
03:48To Richardson's right.
03:49Ricochet is off his hand.
03:50Richardson completes the fielding.
03:51Shrikant gets a single.
03:52Walsh to Shrikant.
03:53Slow ball.
03:54Best the fielder.
03:55Goal him.
03:56Very injudicious.
03:57But I think this has been brought about by the first bounce.
03:58First bounce.
03:59To Richardson's right.
04:00First bounce.
04:01To Richardson's right.
04:02Ricochet is off his hand.
04:03Richardson completes the fielding.
04:04Shrikant gets a single.
04:05Walsh to Shrikant.
04:06Slow ball.
04:08Bests the fielder.
04:09Goal him.
04:10Very injudicious.
04:11But I think this has been brought about by the first bounce.
04:24This has been brought about by the fact that Shrikant is not feeling well at all.
04:28And rather than stay and delay things, he has decided to have a hoick.
04:32Played a cross batted shot.
04:34Played all over it.
04:36And had his middle stump knocked back.
04:38In any era when one day international often drifted into a sluggish rhythm
04:43and bassmen tiptoed around the crease, wary of losing their vigours,
04:47Chris Shrikant was a glorious anomaly.
04:49More than the runs, it was the manner in which Shrikant played that set the tone.
04:54He took the sting out of the new ball.
04:56Dented the confidence of the ballers early and provided India with momentum.
05:01A rare commodity in those days of cautious ODI batting.
05:04His spirited approach paved the way for the middle order to capitalize.
05:08Thanks to the Shrikant knock at the top, India managed to reach a total of 211 runs.
05:14It was not a huge score, but it turned out to be enough.
05:17The Indian baller bowled well as a team and the West Indies were bowled out for 174.
05:23India won the match by 37 runs.
05:26Shrikant inning was not the highest of the day, but it was one of the most valuable.
05:31He showcased courage played his natural game and helped India to get ahead right from the start.
05:37It was a reminder of how fearless batting at the top can make a big difference even against the strongest team.
05:43In the annals of Indian ODI cricket, it stands as one of those underrated yet crucial innings.
05:49Bold, brisk and beautifully timed.
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05:55Thank you very much.
