Iconic Commentary Moments: In the first part of this series, we revisited the magic lines quoted on two of the best T20 games of all time. Essentially, the timing, the magnitude of the scenario, and the emotions make a line iconic. There are commentators who may get carried away at times. The line between an expert and a patriot gets blurred.
There are very few commentators who are able to walk the tightrope. These commentators define the historic moment for fans watching the game. In part two of this series we look at two famous World Cup wins and how the commentator made it memorable.
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Iconic Commentary Moments – Cricket Commentary Gold – Part II:
# Ravi Shastri – 2011 ODI World Cup final
It was an all-Asian World Cup final in the 2011 ODI World Cup. It was the first instance of two Asian teams competing in an ODI World Cup final. Sri Lanka had set a fairly daunting target of 275 for India after opting to bat first. In a game like the finals, it was a huge score back then. India didn’t get off to a great start losing Virender Sehwag in the first over for a blob.
Sachin Tendulkar played some delectable strokes but perished soon. Virat Kohli walking in at number 4 was greeted with a terrific line on air. Ravi Shastri said a young turk wearing jersey number 18 replaces the legend. It was in a way signified the passing of the baton. But Shastri’s best moment as commentator came later in the night.
In a match-winning partnership between Gautam Gambhir and Dhoni, the pair brought India close to a win. Yuvraj Singh then joined Dhoni at the crease. With just 4 runs needed off 11 balls, Dhoni deposited Nuwan Kulasekara for a terrific hit over long-on. Shastri exalted, “Dhoni finishes off in style. A magnificent strike into the crowd! India lift the World Cup after 28 years!”. It remains a poignant moment in Indian cricket history.
# Ian Smith – 2019 ODI World Cup final
England and New Zealand were finalists of the 2019 ODI World Cup. New Zealand batting first posted a score of 240. The total though not huge but was competitive for sure. New Zealand clinically started their defence. They kept a check on scoring and also picked up wickets at regular intervals. It was the partnership between Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler that brought England back into the game. They were even favourites at one stage but the Kiwis kept fighting. Buttler was dismissed and it opened the floodgates once again.
The match ebbed and flowed right till the last ball of the allotted 50 overs. But the game ended in a tie and after 100 overs of play, a world champion wasn’t decided. It was the super over that was going to decide the winner. England put on 15 and Kiwis had to score 16 to win. If the scores were tied again, then England would win owing to their superior boundary count. It came down to the last ball and Kiwis needed 2 off it.
Martin Guptill hit one towards deep midwicket and scampered for two. Jason Roy sent in a superb throw helping Buttler to catch Guptill short. England emerged champions and Ian Smith on commentary couldn’t believe what he saw. He claimed, “He’s got it! England have won the World Cup! By the barest of margins!”.
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