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Kenya’s historic victory over the West Indies in the 1996 World Cup was seen at Pune‘s Nehru Stadium as the former secured a 73-run victory.
The majority of the 37,500 spectators will have to sit in open stands, and that too in the scorching October heat, on Thursday when India plays Bangladesh at the Maharashtra Cricket Association venue. However, very few of them will be whining.
Shubham Walunj, an IT worker who attended further education in Pune after spending his formative years in Rajgurunagar, a village roughly 50 kilometers away from Pune, is a good example of the city’s shifting demographics.
All the older people I’ve spoken to since getting the cricket bug talk about Kenya’s 1996 World Cup victory over the West Indies in Pune, Walunj, 25, adds. Although I wasn’t even alive at the time, I have heard several stories about the game. I had to be present to see the first World Cup game ever played in the city I currently call home.
Walunj is alluding to the well-known match in which Pune was randomly selected for a Cricket World Cup quiz. Kenya, playing in its first World Cup, defeated the West Indies by 73 runs at the Nehru Stadium, Pune’s cricket ground before the opulent stadium opened at the beginning of the previous decade.
The lone game Pune hosted in 1996 was that one. Pune has only previously hosted the World Cup once, in 1987, when England easily beat Sri Lanka.
There were scarcely any fans for the stunning shock in 1996, same as non-India World Cup games in 2011 and 2023. A bunch of young cricketers from Maharashtra were among the 3,500 or so onlookers. The former all-rounder from Maharashtra, Kashinath Khadkikar, was in the group.
Bangladesh selects to bat first after winning the toss
At the toss, Bangladesh’s skipper captain Najmul Hossain Shanto made the decision to bat first. He thought that batting would be excellent on the new Pune wicket. Rohit Sharma, his opponent, said he would have opted to field.
Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh’s injured captain, was replaced by Nasum Ahmed, while Taskin Ahmed was replaced by Hasan Mahmud.
After a strong start to their tournament run, the host team is aiming for a fourth straight victory and are turn to the top of the Cricket World Cup standing
With a victory against Afghanistan, Bangladesh too had a promising start, but subsequent matches against England and New Zealand, the other two finalists from the previous tournament, proved to be more difficult.
In Pune Stadium, Virat Kohli displays his bowling prowess
For the first time since 2015, former India captain Virat Kohli onto the field to bowl three deliveries in the ninth over of India’s World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh in Pune.
Hardik Pandya sustained an ankle injury while bowling his first over in the contest, necessitating Virat Kohli’s assistance with the ball. In his three deliveries, Kohli conceded two runs.
Virat Kohli’s most recent World Cup bowling appearance came in 2015. When the then captain MS Dhoni asked him to turn his arm over, he was in the middle of bowling an over against Australia in Sydney.
On Thursday, Virat Kohli bowled three deliveries at a speed of almost 105 kph while displaying remarkable control. Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das each hit a single during his over, costing him two runs.
India would have four victories in a row if they won today’s match. India will receive 2 points and move up with New Zealand’s on top in the table.
India would overtake New Zealand if it wins today at the Pune Stadium
On October 18, New Zealand defeated Afghanistan and took over the top spot in the points table.
India would have four victories in a row if they won today’s match. India will receive 2 points and move up with New Zealand’s on top in the table.
India and New Zealand are the only two teams in the 2023 world cup who have never lost a match. is a fierce rivalry between India and New Zealand.
