In a recent ICC poll, Jonty Rhodes’ iconic run out of Inzamam-ul-Haq at the 1992 World Cup was voted the greatest moment in the history of the tournament.
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As part of the build-up for the 2023 Men’s World Cup, the ICC ran a poll. They selected 32 “ICC Men’s World Cup Greatest Moments” and pitted one moment against another in a knockout format.
In one of the poll semi-finals, Jonty Rhodes’ run out of Inzamam-ul-Haq in the 1992 World Cup had beaten the run out of Allan Donald that helped Australia tie the 1999 semi-final against South Africa to qualify for the final, which they eventually won.
The other semi-final pitted two of the most celebrated moments in Indian cricketing history against each other: Kapil Dev’s running catch of Viv Richards off Madan Lal in the 1983 final, and MS Dhoni’s six off Nuwan Kulasekara that sealed the 2011 final.
The Rhodes and Dhoni moments won the polls and “qualified” for the final, which the former won.
The run out took place in Brisbane. It rained after South Africa made 211-7, and Pakistan’s target was readjusted to 194 in 36 overs. They were on course at 135-2, with Inzamam (48) – who was wearing Mushtaq Ahmed’s shirt for some reason – and Imran Khan (34).
Inzamam missed the ball from Brian McMillan, and the ball rolled towards point. Inzamam wanted a leg-bye, but Imran, then in his 40th year, turned it down.
Having debuted at the World Cup, Rhodes had done little of note until then with the bat. However, as was – and still is – common with the best fielders, particularly on quicker pitches, he was manning backward point.
He made up his mind: “There was a 50 per cent chance that I’d hit the stumps if I threw, and a 100 per cent chance of hitting the stumps with ball in hand. The fastest way I could cover the last metre and a half was head-first. It was just the right thing to do at the time.”
The centre-forward of the national field hockey side, Rhodes would have played at that year’s Barcelona Olympics, but South Africa did not qualify. Inzamam, on the other hand, did not threaten to evolve into a sprinter. Rhodes’ choice was logical and, as we know by now, the right one.
There have been great fielders before Rhodes, but this run out took place in the 1992 World Cup, which revolutionised ODIs in many ways. The coloured attire, new-age television coverage, night cricket – everything worked in unison to make cricket viewing different.
Leaving a mark in a stage like that had its effect. Children in faraway lands, who had aspired to bat all day or at most bowl, would dive on rocky surfaces and come up with bruised knees and elbows in their aspiration to become the new Jonty Rhodes.
By the turn of the century, fielding would no longer remain an also-ran aspect of the sport. This run out was the moment when it had all started.
