The 1999 World Cup returned to England after 16 years and was a paradigm shift in terms of the format employed. 1999 saw the number of participating teams increase to 12 with three associate nations taking part in addition to the nine Test playing, full member nations. As a result, there were matches that were so one-sided that they barely aroused any interest.

The 12 participating teams were divided into two groups of six each. The top three from each group would progress to the next round, the Super Six, where they would play the other three teams (from the other group) once. The concept was to ensure that each team played the other once in the Super Sixes and to save time, the results of the qualifying teams against the other qualifying teams from the same group were carried forward to the Super Six. If you did not understand that, don't worry. Most cricket fans and experts found it just as baffling!

Minnows Kenya, Bangladesh and Scotland were expected to turn up, roll over and play dead! But Bangladesh was not prepared for that. They registered the biggest win in their history at the time when they upset Pakistan by a substantial margin of 62 runs.

Pakistan were playing with their full-strength team including the pace trio of Waqar, Wasim and Shoaib. Bangladesh managed 223 for 9 and most thought this would not be difficult for Pakistan to overhaul. Akram Khan topscored for Bangladesh with 42 and off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq picked up 5/35. Pakistan had a battery of top batsmen to depend on for scoring the necessary runs, but the top five evaporated with just 42 on the board and from there on, it was always uphill. Pakistan eventually folded for 161 and Bangladesh had pulled off a miracle. That this result did not matter in Pakistan's qualification or what points they carried through to the Super Six did not make a difference.

That, however, was not the only upset of the tournament. There was a more telling one in Group A when Zimbabwe beat India by 3 runs and entered the Super Sixes with three points in the kitty against India's none. India had finished second in Group A behind South Africa with three wins but all their wins were against teams that did not qualify for the Super Sixes and hence, could not carry forward any points. To make it further in the tournament, they would have to win all their matches with substantial margins.

Zimbabwe, on the other hand, had beaten South Africa and India to enter the Super Sixes with 4 points-more than India or South Africa, the other two qualifiers. Such was the nature of the Super Sixes that some wins in earlier rounds counted for nothing.

From Group B, Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand qualified with 4, 0 and 2 points carried forward respectively. Australia's task was similar to that of India's where they needed to win five matches in a row to become champions. New Zealand made it through at the expense of the West Indies on a superior run rate. In fact, had the West Indies made it through, Australia would have had two points since they had beaten the West Indies in the group stages. England, Sri Lanka, West Indies and the three minnows bowed out in the first round itself.

The Super Sixes started with Pakistan, Zimbabwe, New Zealand and South Africa as the top four while India and Australia were the bottom two! Australia beat India in the first Super Sixes match by a whopping 77 runs thanks to a fine 83 by Mark Waugh. Even a 100 not out from Ajay Jadeja and 75 from Robin Singh was not enough to save India since the rest of the 9 batsmen contributed all of 20 runs! Glenn McGrath was the wrecker-in-chief for India with 3/34 off 10 overs.

South Africa played Pakistan next and won by 3 wickets. The chinks in the Pakistan batting were starting to show and only a 63 (of a total of 220) from wicketkeeper Moin Khan was the saving grace in an otherwise abysmal batting performance. South Africa made heavy weather of the chase thanks to some inspired bowling by Azhar Mahmood (3/24) and Shoaib Akhtar (2/51). Eventually, a resilient 54 by Jacques Kallis and Lance Klusener's hard-hitting 46 (41) saw them over the line.

The next match between New Zealand and Zimbabwe was abandoned due to bad light first and then rain on the reserve day. This match was well within Zimbabwe's reach who were 70/3 off 15 overs at the interruption with just 176 to win. A result in their favour could well have seen them through to the semi-final in the end. New Zealand must have been thanking their stars for it is this point that kept them at par with Zimbabwe and a superior run rate eventually bumped them through to the semis.

The two matches everyone was looking forward to were India v Pakistan and South Africa v Australia. Rahul Dravid (61) and Captain Mohammed Azharuddin (59) saw India through to a modest 227/6 in their 50 overs in their match against Pakistan. But India's quicks-Venkatesh Prasad (5/27) and Javagal Srinath (3/37)-came to the party and rocked Pakistan. A 41 by Inzamam and 36 by Saeed Anwar were the only two contributions of any note as Pakistan slumped to a 47-run loss. Pakistan was now in real danger of being knocked out.

Australia overcame Zimbabwe by 44 runs after a tough fight by the Africans. Australia posted an imposing 303 thanks to 104 by Mark Waugh and a gritty 62 (61b) by brother Steve. Neil Johnson's 132* and Murray Goodwin's 47 kept Zimbabwe in the hunt for a while but it was not enough. Paul Reiffel with 3/55 was Australia's best bowler and eventually, Zimbabwe just ran out of steam.

South Africa played New Zealand next and their total of 287 was never in danger. The highlight of this match was a superb opening partnership of 176 between Gary Kirsten (82) and Herschelle Gibbs (91). Further impetus was offered by Jacques Kallis (53*) and Lance Klusener's 39 (22b). New Zealand tried but was restricted to just 213 by an experienced and powerful South African pace attack.

The last round of matches in the Super Sixes threw up some interesting possibilities. Pakistan was to play Zimbabwe and a win for Zimbabwe would certainly have seen them through to the semis. Pakistan, though, annihilated them by 148 runs thanks to a 103 by Saeed Anwar 3 wickets each for Abdul Razzaq and Saqlain Mushtaq. Zimbabwe was never in the hunt and only a 54 from Neil Johnson was the highlight of their innings.

India and New Zealand were in a similar position with India having more of a mathematical chance of going through. But for that chance to become relevant India had to win against New Zealand and that was something they could not manage. New Zealand won by 5 wickets and also maintained their net run rate above Zimbabwe's to make it through. Ajay Jadeja scored 76 for India while Matt Horne (74) and Roger Twose (60*) were the stars for New Zealand.

Zimbabwe had lost to New Zealand but a win for South Africa against Australia in the last Super Sixes match could still have pushed them into the semi-finals. But the match that took place was an absolute humdinger, the one in which Steve Waugh is rumoured to have told Herschelle Gibbs that he'd dropped the cup when Gibbs put Waugh down! A 101 by Gibbs and 50 by Daryll Cullinan in addition to some characteristic hitting by Klusener saw South Africa put up 271. Australia faltered and was 3 for 48 when Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting came together. Their partnership of 126 was instrumental in putting the Aussies back on track. When Ponting fell for 69, Australia still needed 98 to win. But some able support from Michael Bevan and Tom Moody helped Waugh notch up a historic 120 (110b) balls to see Australia home with two balls to spare.

The win for Australia had greater implications than immediately visible! They had set up a semi-final clash with the same South African team for three days later while Pakistan was to face New Zealand. And what a semi-final the Australia-South Africa duel turned out to be!

The first semi-final between New Zealand and Pakistan was too simple for Pakistan to be true. Chasing 242, they lost only the one wicket of Wajahatullah Wasti (84). Saeed Anwar batted through the innings to score 113* and saw Pakistan through to their second final in three World Cups.

The vague rules of the tournament were once again exposed in the second semi-final. Australia played South Africa in a classic and at the end of the match, both teams were tied on 213! Steve Waugh (56) and Michael Bevan (65) had pulled Australia out of a precarious situation of 4/68 to post a competitive 213. Allan Donald had come good for South Africa picking up 4/32 in 10 overs. When South Africa batted, they managed to fall from 48 for 0 to 61 for 4 in 43 balls! A rescue act by Kallis (53) and Rhodes (43) brought them within striking distance of the Australian total. Needing 9 to win off the last over, Lance Klusener hit Damien Fleming for two consecutive boundaries off the first two balls. South Africa was home… almost! Two balls later, Klusener called Donald for the winning run but Donald never heard the call and was run out by a country mile! The scores were tied and Australia was through by virtue of having beaten the South Africans in the Super Sixes. In years gone by, the team to have lost fewer wickets would have been the winners, but this was 1999 and the rules were just made up!

In a final that promised so much, there was immense disappointment for fans. Pakistan had been one of the most exciting (although inconsistent) teams of the World Cup. Australia had consistently snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to make it here. The build up was dramatic. But the outcome was an anti-climax to put it mildly.

Batting first, the Pakistan batsmen suffered a bad case of stage fright and folded up for a meagre 132. Ijaz Ahmed was the topscorer for them with all of 22! Shane Warne struck four times for just 33 runs and terrorised the batting! But more than the Australians, it was the Pakistan batsmen who were responsible for their downfall. In reply, an opening partnership between Adam Gilchrist (54) and Mark Waugh (37*), effectively shut Pakistan out. Although Ponting fell for 24, Australia was just 21 away from a win by then. This was one of the most facile finals in a long time and would not be the last either!

Australia's run of seven wins to win the Cup started a reign that lasted for a long time! They were not the best team of the 1999 tournament, but were definitely the strongest in their mental make up and with Steve Waugh as leader, they were always going to be in the running for a win.

The 1999 World Cup would also prove to be the last for many stars including Arjuna Ranatunga, Shane Warne (who was banned in 2003) and the West Indian pace duo of Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose. A new era of stars was on the horizon and they would make their mark on world cricket soon.

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