The 1996 Pepsi Sharjah Cup was a triangular

ODI cricket A One Day International (ODI) is a form of limited overs cricket, played between two teams with international status, in which each team faces a fixed number of overs, currently 50, with the game lasting up to 9 hours. The Cricket World Cu ...

competition held in

Sharjah Sharjah (; ar, ٱلشَّارقَة ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, forming part of the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area. Sharjah is the capital o ...

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...

from 12 to 19 April 1996. It featured the national cricket teams of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

and

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. Its official sponsor was

Pepsi Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961. History Pepsi was ...

. The tournament was won by South Africa, which defeated India in the final.

Tournament

The Pepsi Sharjah Cup was the second ODI tournament held after the

1996 Cricket World Cup The 1996 Cricket World Cup, also called the Wills World Cup 1996 after the Wills Navy Cut brand produced by tournament sponsor ITC, was the sixth Cricket World Cup organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It was the second World Cu ...

, held immediately afterwards the

1996 Singer Cup File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 800, causing the plane to crash and killing everyone on ...

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

, which was won by Pakistan over Sri Lanka and India. The matches were held at the

Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium The Sharjah Cricket Stadium ( ar, ملعب الشارقة للكريكيت) is in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. It holds the record for the most ODIs hosted in a venue with 240 ODIs up to December 2019. It was originally constructed in t ...

in the

emirate An emirate is a territory ruled by an emir, a title used by monarchs or high officeholders in the Muslim world. From a historical point of view, an emirate is a political-religious unit smaller than a caliphate. It can be considered equivalen ...

. The tournament had a round-robin series of matches, with each team playing the others twice.

Squads

Pakistan

Aamir Sohail Mohammad Aamer Sohail Ali ( ur, ; born 14 September 1966) is a Pakistani cricket commentator and former cricketer. In a playing career that spanned eighteen years, Sohail played in 195 first-class and 261 List A Limited Overs matches, includ ...

(captain) *

Waqar Younis Waqar Younis Maitla HI ( Punjabi, ur, ; born 16 November 1971) is a Pakistani cricket coach, commentator and former cricketer who captained Pakistan national cricket team. A right-arm fast bowler, Waqar Younis is regarded as one of the grea ...

Inzamam-ul-Haq Inzamam-ul-Haq SI ( ur, ; born 3 March 1970), also known as Inzi, is a former Pakistan cricketer and captain of Pakistan national cricket team. He was also professional cricket coach for Pakistan. He was the leading run scorer for Pakistan i ...

Rashid Latif Rashid Latif (born 14 October 1968), is a Pakistani cricket coach and former cricketer who played for the Pakistan national cricket team in Tests and One Day Internationals from 1992 to 2003 as a right-handed wicket-keeper batsman. He also serve ...

(wicket-keeper) * Ata-ur-Rehman *

Basit Ali Basit Ali (Urdu: باسط علی, born 13 December 1970) is a Pakistani cricket coach and former cricketer who played in 19 Test cricket, Test matches and 50 One Day Internationals from 1993 to 1996. A right-hander, he has the relatively uncomm ...

* Saeed Anwar *

Aaqib Javed Aaqib Javed (Urdu: ; born 5 August 1972) is a Pakistani cricket coach and former cricketer. He was a right-handed fast-medium pace bowler with the ability to swing the ball both ways. He played 22 Tests and 163 One Day Internationals for Pakis ...

* Mushtaq Ahmed * Ijaz Ahmed *

Rameez Raja Ramiz Hasan Raja ( ur, ; born 14 August 1962) is a Pakistani cricket administrator, commentator, YouTuber, and former cricketer who served as the 35th Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board between September 2021 and December 2022. As a pla ...

Saqlain Mushtaq Saqlain Mushtaq BND ( ur, ; born 29 December 1956) is a Pakistani cricket coach and former international cricketer who, as of February 2022, is the head coach of the Pakistani national cricket team. Regarded as one of the best spin bowlers in t ...

Salim Malik Saleem Malik (Urdu: ) (born 16 April 1963), is a Pakistani former cricketer. He played for the Pakistan national cricket team between 1981/82 and 1999, at one stage captaining the side. He was a right-handed wristy middle order batsman who was ...

* Mohammad Akram Pakistan named a 14-player side, unchanged from the squad that won the 1996 Singer Cup.

Intikhab Alam Intikhab Alam Khan (Urdu:) (born 28 December 1941) is a Pakistani cricket coach and former cricketer who played in 47 Test matches and four One Day Internationals from 1959 to 1977. He captained Pakistan in 17 Tests between 1969 and 1975. He a ...

served as the team coach, and

Dan Kiesel Dan Kiesel (born 1938) is an Israeli-born German sports physiotherapist and osteopath who has worked as a trainer and physiotherapist for the national cricket teams of many countries, most notably Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Biography Dan Kiesel i ...

as the team physiotherapist.

South Africa

Hansie Cronje Wessel Johannes "Hansie" Cronje (25 September 1969 – 1 June 2002) was a South African international cricketer and captain of the South African national cricket team in the 1990s. A right-handed all-rounder, as captain Cronje led his team to vi ...

(captain) *

Andrew Hudson Andrew Charles Hudson (born 17 March 1965) is a former South African Test and ODI cricketer. The right-handed batsman played 35 Tests and 89 One Day Internationals for South Africa in the 1990s. His career spanned 16 consecutive summers, playi ...

Fanie de Villiers Petrus Stephanus "Fanie" de Villiers (born 13 October 1964), is a retired cricketer who played 18 Test matches and 83 One Day Internationals for South Africa as a right arm fast-medium bowler and right hand batsman between 1992 and 1998. He ...

Daryll Cullinan Daryll John Cullinan (born 4 March 1967) is a former South African first-class cricketer who played Test cricket and One Day Internationals for South Africa as a specialist batsman. He was regarded as the most gifted batsman of his generation ...

* Dave Richardson (wicket-keeper) *

Pat Symcox Patrick Leonard Symcox (born 14 April 1960) is a former South African international cricketer. He played 20 Test matches and 80 One Day Internationals in the 1990s.Gary Kirsten Gary Kirsten (born 23 November 1967) is a South African cricket coach and former cricketer. He has coached the Indian Cricket Team as well as the South African Cricket team. Kirsten played 101 Test matches and 185 One Day Internationals for So ...

* Paul Adams *

Brian McMillan Brian Mervin McMillan (born 22 December 1963) played 38 Test matches and 78 One Day Internationals for South Africa from 1991 to 1998. He was rated by many as the best all-rounder in the world in the mid-1990s, and won South African Cricket ...

Shaun Pollock Shaun Maclean Pollock OIS (born 16 July 1973) is a South African cricket commentator and former cricketer, who was captain in all formats of the game. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers and allrounders of all time. A genu ...

Craig Matthews Craig Russell Matthews (born 15 February 1965 is a former South African cricketer who played in 18 Test matches and 56 One Day Internationals between 1991 and 1997. Matthews was born in Cape Town, Cape Province, and attended Pinelands High Scho ...

Jonty Rhodes Jonathan Neil "Jonty" Rhodes (born 27 July 1969) is a South African professional cricket commentator and former Test and One Day International cricketer. He is regarded as one of the greatest fielders of all time and was the first South African ...

Derek Crookes Derek Norman Crookes (born 5 March 1969) is a former South African cricketer who played 32 One Day Internationals for South Africa between 1994 and 2000. In domestic cricket he played for Natal, Gauteng, Easterns and the Highveld Lions. He w ...

Jacques Kallis Jacques Henry Kallis (born 16 October 1975) is a South African cricket coach and former cricketer. Widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time and as South Africa's greatest batsman ever, he is a right-handed batsman and righ ...

Bob Woolmer Robert Andrew Woolmer (14 May 1948 – 18 March 2007) was an English cricket coach, cricketer, and a commentator. He played in 19 Test matches and six One Day Internationals for the England cricket team and later coached South Africa, Warwick ...

served as the team coach. Cassim Docrat was the team manager; Craig Smith was the physiotherapist and

Paddy Upton South African born Patrick Anthony Howard 'Paddy' Upton (born 5 November 1968) is a Cricket Coach specialising as Head Coach in Professional T20 cricket, Mental Coach to professional athletes, Sports Scientist Executive Coach and Professor of ...

worked as the exercise specialist.

India

Mohammad Azharuddin Mohammad Azharuddin (born 8 February 1963) is an Indian politician and a former international cricketer and former captain of India national cricket team. He is the working president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee and was the Memb ...

(captain) *

Sachin Tendulkar Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (; ; born 24 April 1973) is an Indian former international cricketer who captained the Indian national team. He is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the all time highest run-scor ...

(vice-captain) *

Javagal Srinath Javagal Srinath, (, born 31 August 1969) is a former Indian cricketer and currently an ICC match referee. He is considered among India's finest fast bowlers, and was the first Indian fast bowler to take more than 300 wickets in One Day Inter ...

Ajay Jadeja Ajaysinhji Jadeja ( born 1 February 1971), known as Ajay Jadeja, is an Indian former professional cricketer, who was a regular member of the Indian cricket team between 1992 and 2000. He played 15 Test matches and 196 One Day Internationals f ...

Anil Kumble Anil Kumble (; born 17 October 1970) is a former Indian cricket captain, coach and commentator who played Test and One Day International cricket for his national team over an international career of 18 years. Widely regarded as one of the best ...

Sanjay Manjrekar Sanjay Vijay Manjrekar (born 12 July 1965) is an Indian cricket commentator and former cricketer. He played international cricket for India from 1987 until 1996 as a right-handed middle order batsman. Domestic career Manjrekar was born in Mang ...

Venkatesh Prasad Bapu Krishnarao Venkatesh Prasad (; born 5 August 1969), is a former Indian cricketer, Cricket Coach , Commentator who played Tests and ODIs. He made his debut in 1994. Primarily a right-arm medium-fast bowler, Prasad was noted for his bowling ...

Nayan Mongia Nayan may refer to: * Nayanthara (born 1984), Indian actress * Nayan Desai (born 1946), Indian poet * Nayan Mongia (born 1969), Indian cricketer * Nayan Ghosh (born 1956), Indian musician * Nayan Doshi (born 1978), British cricketer * Nayan Shah, ...

(wicket-keeper) *

Aashish Kapoor Aashish Rakesh Kapoor (; born 25 March 1971) is a former Indian cricketer who played in four Test matches and 17 One Day Internationals from 1994 to 2000. A right-arm off spinner and right-handed lower-order batsman, he was a member of the 1996 ...

Vikram Rathour Vikram Rathour (born 26 March 1969, Jalandhar, Punjab) is a former Indian cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, ea ...

Venkatapathy Raju Sagi Lakshmi Venkatapathy Raju, sometimes spelt Venkapathy Raju (born 9 July 1969) is a former Indian cricketer , cricket administrators & cricket coach. He came into the Indian side in 1989–90 after capturing 32 wickets in the domestic seaso ...

Navjot Singh Sidhu Navjot Singh Sidhu (born 20 October 1963) is an Indian National Congress politician, television personality and retired international cricketer. He is the former President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. Formerly, he was the Minister of To ...

Prashant Vaidya Prashant Vaidya (born 23 September 1967) is a former Indian cricketer. He played domestic cricket for Bengal and played four One Day Internationals for India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. ...

Rahul Dravid Rahul Sharad Dravid (; born 11 January 1973) is an Indian cricket coach and former captain of the Indian national team, currently serving as its head coach. Prior to his appointment to the senior men's national team, Dravid was the Head of ...

India named a 14-player side unchanged from the side it fielded in the 1996 Singer Cup.

Sandeep Patil Sandeep Patil ( ; born 18 August 1956) is a former Indian cricketer, Indian national age group cricket manager and former Kenya national team coach, who guided the underdogs to the semi-finals of the 2003 World Cup. He was a hard-hitting midd ...

served as the team coach-cum-manager. Vikram Rathour made his international debut in the tournament.

Points Table

South Africa won all of their four round-robin matches. India and Pakistan each claimed one victory over the other. Tied at 2 points each, India qualified for the final against South Africa based on superior run-rate. Result Summary – Points Table
/ref>

Matches

Final

Records and awards

South African opening-batsman Gary Kirsten was the top run-scorer of the tournament, amassing 356 runs in 7 innings at an average of 89, with two centuries and one fifty.
/ref> He was named the player of the series. Pakistani captain Aamir Sohail was the second-highest run getter, scoring 240 runs at an average of 60.
/ref> South African fast-bowler Fanie de Villiers took the most number of wickets, taking 10 wickets at an average of 19.20.
/ref> Indian leg-spin bowler Anil Kumble followed with a haul of 8 wickets at an average of 26.50.
/ref>

References

{{reflist Pepsi Sharjah Cup, 1996 Cricket in the United Arab Emirates International cricket competitions from 1994–95 to 1997 Indian cricket seasons from 1970–71 to 1999–2000 Pepsi Sharjah Cup, 1996 One Day International cricket competitions 1996 in Emirati cricket