Mark Waugh’s 126 enabled Australia to post a challenging 258 all out in 50 overs. Tendulkar with a superbly compiled 90 kept India in the hunt till his dismissal. Manjrekar (62) sustained the chase before India were all out for 242 in 48 overs.

There was nothing keen about the next contest however against Sri Lanka, who by now had emerged as strong contenders for the title. India led off with a seemingly imposing total of 271 for three in 50 overs with Tendulkar leading the run riot with a splendid run-a-ball 137 with eight fours and five sixes. With Azharuddin (72 not out) he shared a third-wicket partnership of 175 runs. But Sanath Jayasuriya made the Indian total look woefully inadequate hammering 79 off 76 balls with nine fours and two sixes. Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga (46) and Hashan Tillekeratne (70) then steered Sri Lanka to a comfortable six-wicket victory with eight deliveries to spare by figuring in an unbroken fifth wicket partnership of 131 runs.

The two successive defeats, however, did not affect India’s chances of progressing in the tournament and they formally booked a berth in the quarterfinals with a convincing 40-run victory over Zimbabwe. This time it was Kambli who took the batting honours with a fluent 106 and he was supported by Sidhu (80) with whom he added 142 runs for the fourth wicket. With a record of three wins and two losses, India took third spot in the group behind Sri Lanka and Australia.

As luck would have it India drew Pakistan who finished second in group B in the quarterfinal. Predictably enough the match attracted a great deal of attention from the media and the public and in keeping with all the hype it turned out to be a tension-filled, action-packed game.

Batting first, India put up a challenging total of 287 for eight in 50 overs thanks in the main to Sidhu’s 93 off 115 balls at the top of the order and Jadeja’s brilliant cameo knock of 45 off only 25 balls in the middle-order. Pakistan stayed in the hunt till 184 for four but then Kumble got among the wickets and they ended up at 248 for nine in 49 overs.

With a meritorious victory behind them, India took on Sri Lanka with confidence in the semifinals at Calcutta. In a brilliant opening spell, Srinath dismissed Jayasuriya, Kaluwitharana and Gurusinha with only 35 runs on the board. But led by the in-form Aravinda de Silva (66), Sri Lanka made a splendid recovery to finish at 251 for eight in 50 overs.

India with Tendulkar again in rip-roaring form were on course at 98 for one. Tendulkar’s dismissal for 65, however, saw India slide sharply to 120 for eight in the 35th over. The spectators unable to come to terms with the shattering collapse started throwing bottles on the field and play was halted. With there being no improvement in the situation, match referee Clive Lloyd had no option but to award the match to Sri Lanka and it was a controversial and unhappy ending to India’s campaign.

About the only consolation was that India produced both the leading batsman and bowler in the competition in Tendulkar (523 runs at an average of 87.17 with two hundreds) and Anil Kumble (15 wickets at 18.67)