However that was just the beginning of the firsts. After contentious debate and much media attention Australia and the West Indies both refused to send their teams to Sri Lanka following the Central Bank Bombing by the Tamil Tigers in January that killed 90 people and injured thousands. For the first time in history, the International Cricket Council awarded both games to Sri Lanka on forfeit. More on that later.

Twelve teams took part, divided into two groups each playing the other five in its group to determine the quarterfinalists. The 'problem' of a well-rounded group format arose when the extra teams were accommodated by a complete change from the successful 1992 system, a round-robin producing four semi-finalists. Instead, the teams were divided into two groups of six, from which not four but eight sides would proceed to the knockout rounds. The effect of this, obvious in advance, was to reduce virtually a month of cricket to the status of little more than practice games. In other words, it took 30 matches to eliminate Zimbabwe and the three newcomers (Holland, Kenya, United Arab Emirates), then seven more to reduce the remaining Test nations to one winner.

All this could have been avoided, and a genuinely competitive group programme installed, by discarding the idea of quarterfinals and going straight to a last four. Presumably, the attraction of four big crowds, four big television games, was too great, but this was a decision taken on flawed grounds. The people were not all fooled; the group games in Pakistan, particularly, drew very small crowds.

The tournament suffered from logistical chaos which stemmed largely from the decision, laudable in theory but utterly unrealistic, to spread the tournament to virtually every corner of the vast country of India. The 17 games scheduled for the country were all staged in different cities and insufficient attention had been paid to the practicalities of moving teams (let alone television crews and media people) between games.

But that was not all. The opening ceremony, attended by more than 100,000 people, most of whom must have left wondering what on earth they had been watching. The laser show malfunctioned and the grand launch was a complete flop -- so much so that there were subsequent calls at Calcuttan government level for the arrest of the Pilcom convenor, Jagmohan Dalmiya, on a charge of wasting public money.

But on now to the cricket.

With two victories under their belt without a ball being bowled, Sri Lanka were on short odds to finish top of Group A and they did so with aplomb, winning their three remaining games, albeit two against the minnows Zimbabwe and Kenya. But at the Ferozeshah Kotla, they ran into India or more appropriately, Sachin Tendulkar. The Little Master hit a century but was overshadowed by the blazing strokeplay of Sanath Jayasuria, the Sri Lankan benefiting from the fifteen over field restrictions and taking the Indian attack to sword. It was the day that Manoj Prabhakar's India career ended on his home turf as Sri Lanka successfully chased down a stiff target of 271.

Under the tutelage of the insightful Dav Whatmore, Sri Lanka revolutionised the face of one day cricket. Although the fifteen over rule had been in effect since 1992, where Mark Greatbatch and the New Zealanders had used it quite proficiently, no one had followed through or picked up on it. But the Lankans did and they promoted Jayasuria and wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana to up the rate in the first fifteen before Asanka Gurusingha and Aravinda de Silva provided middle order stability. Captain Arjuna Ranatunga followed and he too was backed up by Roshan Mahanama and Hashan Tillakeratne. At a time when 50 or 60 runs in the first 15 overs was considered adequate, Sri Lanka scored 117 runs in those overs against India, 123 against Kenya, 121 against England in the quarterfinal and 86 against India in the semi-final. Against Kenya, Sri Lanka made 398 for 5, a new record for the highest team score in a one-day international that stood until April 2006.

But the biggest surprise of the World Cup took place in Pune on Leap Years day as Kenya managed to consign West Indies to a 73-run defeat. Steve Tikolo, Kenya's only professional, top-scored with 29 out of 166, then Maurice Odumbe and Rajab Ali took three wickets apiece as West Indies crumbled for 93. The prize wicket of Brian Lara fell to a catch by portly, bespectacled keeper Tariq Iqbal; some thought it was the only ball he had held onto all day.

The islanders still managed to qualify though as they took advantage of the friendly group format to squeeze through in fourth place in Group A behind Australia and India.

Over in Group B, South Africa emerged as clear favourites after five hyper-efficient victories. Gary Kirsten's 188 not out against UAE was a Cup record. England, meanwhile, lost all three of their games against Test nations, wobbled against Holland, and lost their lunch against UAE (at least Neil Smith did). Pakistan looked quite capable as well and despite a hiccough against South Africa made light work of their other opponents to finish second in the group followed by New Zealand, while England still managed to sneak through, courtesy of winning against the two underdogs.

The quarters threw up some enthralling ties, none more so than Pakistan against India at Bangalore on March 9 the second quarterfinal. Before that game though, England ran into a savage Jayasuria assault in the first quarterfinal.

At the docile pitch in Faisalabad, the Lankan opener smashed 82 off 44 balls with 13 fours and three sixes. The English had no answer as the co-hosts ran out winners with a good ten overs to spare. It was England's tenth successive defeat against a Test nation and Mike Atherton was spared no press.

But that too was less than what Wasim Akram got, the legendary paceman deciding to drop out of the traditional clash against the Indians with a side strain. There were whispers of controversy but quicker than anyone could say bookies we were caught up in a quite fantastic tie.

Riding on Navojat Singh Sidhu's 93, India posted a high target of 287. The Pakistanis were also fined one over for slow bowling rate but their chase was spirited to say the least. Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar made a breezy start and it looked like Pakistan may yet run away with it. But when Srinath snared Anwar with the score on 84 it always looked a difficult ask. It was made even more so after the driven Sohail had his off-stump upended by the deceptive movement of Venkatesh Prasad, just one ball after he had consigned the Indian to the fence and asked him to fetch it. It will always be the enduring image of the match that incidentally was the last ever for Javed Miandad.

And after Pakistan's 39 run loss, Wasim Akram's house was promptly stoned by fans who believed he had let his country down.

In the other quarterfinals a spectacular 130 from New Zealand's unheralded Chris Harris left Australia in need of their highest total batting second to win an ODI: Mark Waugh's record third hundred of the tournament (he had already become the first man to make successive Cup tons) made sure they got it.

But the surprise was West Indies as Brian Lara's 111 inspired them to a 19 run victory over the much fancied South Africans. The match showed two things the unpredictability of the so-far sluggish West Indies and South Africa's ability to capitulate under pressure.