For every Sri Lankan, 1996 will forever remain a special year. At a time when the nation was battered by the scars of war and weighed down by uncertainty, the cricket team produced a performance for the ages. They beat India twice in their own backyard in intimidating strongholds like Delhi and Calcutta before hammering the final nail in the coffin by toppling Australia in Lahore.

Nobody believed Sri Lanka could go the distance. Yet here was a team that ripped up conventional wisdom and rewrote cricket history. More importantly, this was a side that genuinely cared for one another. Three decades on, that bond remains intact as the World Cup winners gathered in Malaysia to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their triumph on the invitation of Cricket Malaysia.

The team arrived in batches. Physiotherapist Alex Kontouris and dependable number three batter Asanka Gurusinha flew in early from Melbourne. Five players touched down on Thursday morning while captain Arjuna Ranatunga and five others arrived on Friday.

As the team bus rolled into the hotel, Ranatunga was the first to step off. Kontouris walked into the lobby to greet his old skipper only to be met with Arjuna’s trademark humour. Pointing at his lean frame, Arjuna quipped, “Zero fat.”

Kontouris, during his eight-year stint with Sri Lanka Cricket, was known as a strict disciplinarian when it came to fitness. Three decades after that giant-killing campaign, several players have understandably lost the golden touch and perhaps gained a few extra kilos too. Marvan Atapattu reminded Kontouris with a grin that his workload these days may involve keeping the old warhorses fit for one more outing.

Malaysia, with its large Indian community, has quickly recognised the champions wherever they go – airports, restaurants and shopping malls. Sanath Jayasuriya remains hugely popular. Indians can hardly forget the man who tormented their bowlers for years. Fans approach Arjuna too, although many hesitate at first, unsure whether it is really him after his dramatic weight loss. Once confirmation comes straight from the horse’s mouth, phones are out in a flash for pictures and greetings.

One question follows the team everywhere: “Where’s Murali?” The world record holder has been unable to attend due to coaching commitments in the IPL.

Gurusinha, once the hard taskmaster in charge of team discipline, has mellowed with age and now takes jokes from the younger players on the chin. Chaminda Vaas, however, was quick to remind everyone that when “Gura” was in charge during his younger days, he would not tolerate nonsense from anyone.

Hashan Tillekeratne, the ultimate team man and a batter who conquered some of the toughest assignments in cricket – scoring Test hundreds at the WACA in Australia and Centurion in South Africa, two of the quickest pitches in the world – has also joined the reunion. Carrying a slight limp, he remains doubtful for Saturday’s game. His teammates instinctively rally around to help with luggage and logistics. These men still care deeply for each other.

Ravindra Pushpakumara and Upul Chandana, the two youngest members of the World Cup-winning squad, remain the livewires of the group, keeping the atmosphere lively with endless banter.

On Friday, the historic Royal Selangor Club, founded by the British in 1884, hosted the team for a gala dinner. On Saturday, the champions will conduct a coaching clinic for more than 150 youngsters before taking part in a T20 exhibition game later in the day.

Rex Clementine
in Kuala Lumpur

After five successive wins in conditions that weaponised their bowlers and masked their limitations with the bat,Gujarat Titans [GT] found their kryptonite at Eden Gardens. In near-perfect batting conditions, Kilkata Knight Riders [KKR] ran away to 247 for 2, the highest total anyone has ever scored against GT.

Finn Allen set the tone, hitting 10 sixes in 35 balls on his way to an awe-inspiring 93, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Cameron Green carried the baton with impressive unbeaten half-centuries. GT had their chances to minimise the punishment they took, but they put down four mostly straightforward catches, including two off Allen.

Everything needed to go right for GT to be able to get to 248; the highest target they had previously chased down was 204. But after a frenetic start in which they rushed to 42 for no loss in three overs, they simply couldn’t keep up with the required rate.

B Sai Sudarshan, who provided much of that early impetus, retired hurt after taking a blow to the elbow, and returned to bat in the 17th over. In between Shubman Gill and Joss Buttler scored half-centuries and put on a 128-run stand for the third wicket. But by the time Sai Sudharsan returned, the match was done and dusted, with GT needing an absurd 71 off 22 balls.

When it finally settled, a day that ebbed and flowed belonged to Litton Das.  A majestic hundred from Bangladesh’s wicketkeeper-batter lifted his side from the oblivion of 116 for 6 to 278. Khurram Shahzad and Mohamed Abbas had torn through Bangladesh’s top and middle order, but as it happens so frequently, Pakistan failed to deliver the knockout blow, allowing Bangladesh to wriggle out of trouble once more. By the end of the day, the visitors will have been relieved to see off six overs in the evening without damage after the final session handed Bangladesh momentum that was all Pakistan’s in the first two.

Litton was a man on an ambitious mission from the moment he walked out, and saw two more team-mates fall inside ten runs to leave him batting alongside the tail. He immediately began turning down singles, aware he would have to do much of the work himself. He knew what it would take, having previously wrested control of a game after six early wickets in Rawalpindi, where his hundred set up a Bangladesh win.

After gritting his way alongside Taijul, he slowly began to loosen Pakistan’s control over the innings. He began to trust his partners more as the sting went out of the bowling attack, and then, crucially, the intensity and concentration. A bouncer from Shahzad kissed his glove on the way to Mohammad Rizwan, and though there were muffled appeals from the Pakistanis, no one felt confident enough to review after Pakistan burned two. He was on 52 then and went on to add another 74.