CWC History: Top 3 daring decisions in the tournament that worked wonders

#2 Opening with Sanath Jayasuriya in the 1996 World Cup

Sanath Jayasuriya went on to beome one of the best openers the game has ever seen.

Until the 1996 World Cup, the cricketing world knew Sanath Jayasuriya as a middle order batsman and a useful left-arm spinner. In an era when cricket was played in a rather conservative manner, Sri Lanka played an aggressive brand of cricket in the 1996 World Cup and revolutionized the way cricket was to be played in the years to come.

Arjuna Ranatunga decided to open with Jayasuriya and gave him the license to go after the bowlers. He found an able ally in Romesh Kaluwitharana and together they destroyed bowling attacks throughout the tournament.

Jayasuriya ended the tournament with 221 runs and 7 wickets and was adjudged the Man of the Tournament. The decision to promote Jayasuriya at the top of the order was indeed a brave call but it paid off well in the end as Sri Lanka won the World Cup.