Throw Back: Lesser-known and thrilling World XI matches

The ICC World XI takes on the Windies team on Thursday at the Lord’s in order to raise funds for the damaged stadia in Caribbean Islands by Hurricane. Anguilla’s Ronald Webster Park and Dominica’s Windsor Park were damaged by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria in September 2017. This isn’t the first time a World XI game has been organised to raise funds for a greater cause.

After Tsunami hit Asia in 2004 saw ICC organized an ODI between Asia XI and Rest of the World XI. The likes of MS Dhoni, Virender Sehwag, Brendon McCullum and many International stars were part of Help for Heroes foundation charity T20 game to raise funds for the British Soldiers who were injured. Here we look at some of the lesser-known World XI matches and those that had a thrilling finish:

1. Asia XI vs Rest of the World XI, One-Day at Dhaka, 8th April 2000:

The ICC Week was held between 2nd April and 9th April 2000 with a 50-over game between Asia XI and World XI was held for the promotion of the sport and the ICC Emerging Nations tournament. The game was played on 8th April at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, the Asia XI was led by Wasim Akram and the Rest of the World by Mark Waugh. The home team elected to bat first in what turned out to be a high-scoring thriller but didn’t go down as an official ODI or a List A.

Sachin Tendulkar opened the innings and scored 77-ball 80 with 11 boundaries. He shared a 114-run stand with his country-mate Sourav Ganguly (67) for the 2nd wicket. Contributions from middle and lower-order saw Asia XI finish with 320/9.

Michael Bevan was the lone warrior for the Rest of the World XI as they were reduced to 196/7 by 37th over. He along with Andy Caddick shared a century stand to keep his team alive in the hunt till the last over of the game. The final over was bowled by Abdul Razzaq who was supposed to defend 20 runs.

Caddick picked up a single on the first ball to hand Michael Bevan the strike. The Australian struck the next three balls for fours in three different directions to bring down the equation to seven needed from two balls. Bevan ran two on penultimate ball to retain strike but Caddick failed to ground his bat as the Rest of the World needed six from the final ball.

Bevan hit one straight to clean the long-off fielder but the ball bounced in front of the ropes as Asia XI sneaked in a one-run win. Bevan finished with an unbeaten 185 off 132 balls with 19 fours and five sixes.

2. New Zealand vs FICA World XI, T10 game at Hamilton, 26th January 2005:

The New Zealand team faced off with FICA World XI in a 3-match One-Day series as a component of fundraising for the Tsunami Disaster in Asia on the Boxing Day of 2004. This series was played in late January after the Tsunami Appeal game organized by ICC at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

This 3-match series had List A status and was levelled before heading into the final match at Hamilton witnessed a sell-out crowd. However, the game turned out to be a low scoring affair as World XI was bowled out for 81 and hosts chased it down for the loss of 6 wickets.

The teams decided to feature in a 10-over-a-side game later in the day to compensate for the large turn-up as the initial game lasted only 35.2 overs. No bowler was supposed to bowl more than one over in the game meant as many as 10 bowlers got a chance to roll their arms. The hosts batted first and scored 178/3 in the restricted 10 overs. Openers Scott Styris and Kyle Mills added 64 runs in four overs while Craig McMillan struck nine sixes in his 18-ball 63 to give them a perfect finish.

The World XI got off to a flyer and were 101/2 in 5 overs. Their opener Andy Bichel scored 47 off 14 balls while Heath Streak contributed 11-ball 32 batting at No.3. World XI needed 14 in the final over bowled by Stephen Fleming.

Matthew Elliott hit the first two balls for boundaries before Fleming bowled an underarm delivery that cost only one run. Kumar Sangakkara hit the 4th delivery for a four to level the scores. Elliott was run out on the penultimate ball and so was Sangakkara on the final ball via a direct hit from Nathan Astle and the game was a tie.

3. England vs Rest of the World XI, 4th unofficial Test at Leeds, 30th July to 4th August 1970:

South Africa’s tour of England in 1970 season was cancelled due to political issues which meant a Rest of the World XI was assembled to cover the cricketing season in England with a 5-match Test series. These matches were considered to be Test matches at first place but had only first-class status as the ICC revoked the International status of the series later on. The World XI was leading the home side in the Test series by a 2-1 margin before it headed to Headingley for the 4th Test.

Keith Fletcher and captain Ray Illingworth’s fifties kept England on the bay in their first innings before Edgar Barlow took four wickets in five balls including a hat-trick to bundle the hosts for 222. The likes of Rohan Kanhai and Barry Richards picked up back injuries while fielding and they were slated in the lower-order. Skipper Garry Sobers’ 114 and DL Murray’ 95 helped World XI declare their innings on 376/9 with Richards not coming out to bat.

Edgar Barlow was once again amongst wickets as he bagged a 5-wicket haul but four players who scored fifties helped England post 376 and set a target on 223 for the Combined XI. John Snow and Illingworth shared seven wickets between them to diminish the World XI to 183/8 with 40 more runs required. Richards came out to bat at No.9 and scripted a 43-run partnership for the 9th wicket with his South African mate Mike Proctor. The unbeaten partnership between the South African pair took Rest of the World XI over the line and with that, they also won the series.

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