World Cup Incidents: Incident # 4: Batsman no 6 at ball no 6 of game

Not too often in a cricket match has happened that a no 6 batsman (generally termed the middle-order batman) has to come in to bat in first over; the batsman would expect to see himself facing middle overs. But that was not the case for Alok Kapali of Bangladesh during that World Cup match.

Prologue:
World Cup 03, South Africa, City Oval ground of Pietermaritzburg. On a mildly damp pitch on the Summer morning on Feb 14 a Valentine's Day's love affair was seen between the ball and the bowler. The bowler's back was sore, but his spirits were not. Even the luck favored and Sri Lanka won the toss putting Bangladesh to bat first.

Incident:
Usually great cricket matches are won in last over, this one was won in first.

Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushanta Joseph Chaminda Vaas held the ball. As long as his name is, so was his wicket streak in the over. Hannan Sarkar faced the first ball only to see the wood work behind him shattered. Mohammad Ashraful didnt know what to do with next delivery, and returned the ball straight to Vaas who gladly accepted the return catch. Ehsanul Haq kissed the next ball to give catching practice to Mahela Jayawardene at first slip.

Three balls, three wickets. First ever hat-trick in first three balls of a game in any form of cricket.

This was not the end of records for Vaas. Sanwar Hossain, no 5 found himself facing 4th delivery of the game. He hit that for a four. But that was not the end of Bangladesh's agony. After getting a run off the wide delivery, Sanwar faced the sixth (5th legitimate) delivery of the innings and was out LBW.

Alok Kapali the sixth batsman of the team came in to face the sixth delivery of the inning. This too was a World record of its kind.

Epilogue: Bangladesh never managed to recover the early losses. Though Vaas had done lots of damage in the first over, he went on to get the other opener (who had not managed to face single ball until next over) and another tail-ender. On score card, the top five batsman were devoured (that would be correct term) by Vaas.

Sri Lanka completed the formalities of scoring 124 runs without losing a wicket in 21 overs.