India surprised all the cricketing nations by defeating the mighty West Indies in the 1983 World Cup held in England.

Winning the World Cup raised India’s interest in the game to a new level.

Money flowed into the game from many spheres of the marketing world. For example, television and other broadcast rights, also advertising. For the first time, there emerged a competition to broadcast matches that involved India.

The new era of India’s cricket saw the emergence of the genius Sachin Tendulkar, who made his Test debut at sixteen.

Great Don Bradman once described him as his modern incarnation. Tendulkar is regarded in India not as a mere cricketer but as a gift from the heaven.

World Cup winners • 1975- West Indies • 1979- West Indies • 1983- India • 1987- Australia • 1992- Pakistan • 1996- Sri Lanka • 1999- Australia • 2003- Australia

Beating arch-rival India by 3-0 in 1982/1983 was a landmark in Pakistan's history which raised the game and created a celebrity- Imran Khan- for a country who had no film stars.

Pakistan went onto claim the world title in 1992.

The 1980s saw the emergence of another cricket rival from the sub-continent- Sri Lanka.

Despite taking four years to win the first Test match, Sri Lanka, too went on to claim the world title in 1996.

On an island ravaged by civil war, cricket is a common bond for all races and religions.

Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan is on his way to become the world's leading test match wicket-taker.

Bangaldesh's defeat of Pakistan was one of the biggest upsets in 1999 World Cup.

Bangladesh joined the "elite club" within eighteen month of that famous win although some believe it was premature.

The journey continues...

in the "Story of Cricket"

Story of cricket- sub continent
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