WC 1999 - Lance Klusener - The man they called “Zulu” & the birth of the “Chokers.”

 Every cricket World Cup has seen many stars emerging; especially the excitement of the pre-T20s era, if you pick any World Cup from 1975 to at least 2003; you would see at least one star cricketer rising above the rest. Viv Richards burst into the scene around 1975, and Kapil Dev with a magnificent 175 not out against Zimbabwe single-handedly carried India to the title. Inzamam Ul Haq for me was a standout performer for Pakistan in 1992 with the most important contributions made against NZ at crucial junctures. Jayasuriya was lethal in 1996.

 

However, in 1999, Lance Klusener rose to the top by displaying extraordinary hitting. He took the scalp out of Shoaib Akhtar in 1 of the Super Six matches. Lance treated Shoaib clocking almost 100 mph every ball with equal disdain. He annihilated his opponents with the bat and equally contributed with wickets. I remember him scoring at a strike rate over 150; something unheard of in the previous millennium.

 

Coming back to the Super 6 contest between SA & Pakistan; at around the end of the 45^th over South Africa looked down & out; with almost 50 runs required in the last 5 overs with hardly any wickets left. In comes Shoaib Akhtar – an assault of a lifetime was supposed to be witnessed. Lance along with Boucher scored almost 17 runs in that over, the 6 which was hit over the mid-wicket still gives you goosebumps on replays. It was the sheer power of Zulu. He kept on pulling over mid-wicket to Saqlain, Wasim & Shoaib. He deservedly achieved the finisher tag in that tournament.

 

No matter what total was supposed to be chased for South Africa, till the time Lance was at the crease – South Africa was never ruled out. They should have won that semi-final too, had there not been a mix-up between Alan Donald & him. I still believe 1999 was the best chance that South Africa had to win the World Cup. By the end of that magnificent semi-final, I still remember heaving a tear in my eye as I wanted South Africa to win it. But Australia, again Australia started the golden run from that match & won almost every one-day international tournament until India finally pipped them in the 2011 World Cup quarter-final at Ahmedabad.

 

For me, the semi-final between South Africa & Australia in the 1999 World Cup at Edgbaston stands out as the best ODI ever played. It was a heartbreak for South Africa & Lance Klusener. But Lance Klusener without any doubts was the man of that tournament. Scoring at a brisk pace and taking wickets at crucial moments made him one of the most lovable characters of the 1999 World Cup.

 

Possibly, South Africa earned the “chokers” tag after this defeat & is still living up to this fact of losing that semi-final because of a tied score & a Super 6 loss to Australia a couple of days earlier. Had South Africa knocked out Australia in Super 6 – who knows South Africa could have been the superpower in ODI cricket in the 1^st decade of the 21^st century.

 

Still, Lance Klusener according to me was the greatest finisher around that time.

 

-            Madhur Kapoor (Cricket Enthusiast)