The 1996 Singer Cup was a triangular cricket tournament held between April 1 and April 7, 1996 in Singapore

Singapore

Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

. The competition featured the national cricket teams of India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The tournament was won by Pakistan, which defeated Sri Lanka in the final on April 7.

Venue

The 1996 Singer Cup was the first major international cricket competition hosted in Singapore. All matches were played at The Padang

Padang, Singapore

The Padang is an open field located within the Downtown Core of the Central Area in Singapore, at the heart of Singapore's central business district. It was formerly known as the Padang Cricket Ground...

 sports ground, which has been the home of the Singapore Cricket Club

Singapore Cricket Club

The Singapore Cricket Club is one of the premier sports and social clubs in Singapore. Its clubhouse is located at the Padang in Singapore's central business district....

.

Squads

Sri Lanka and India retained the captains - Arjuna Ranatunga

Arjuna Ranatunga

Arjuna Ranatunga is a retired Sri Lankan cricketer and politician. He was the captain of Sri Lankan cricket team, and led them to an unbeaten title-winning campaign at the 1996 Cricket World Cup...

 (Sri Lanka) and Mohammad Azharuddin

Mohammad Azharuddin

Mohammad Azharuddin also known as Azhar, is an Indian politician and former cricketer. He was an accomplished batsman and captained the Indian cricket team for much of the 1990s, until his involvement in a match-fixing scandal forced him into retirement...

 (India) - who had led their sides in the 1996 World Cup. However, Aamir Sohail replaced Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram is a former Pakistani left arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman in cricketer and model. who represented the Pakistan national cricket team in Test cricket and One Day International matches....

 as captain of the Pakistan team.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka named a 14-player side for the tournament, unchanged from the team that won the 1996 World Cup.

• Arjuna Ranatunga
  Arjuna Ranatunga
  Arjuna Ranatunga is a retired Sri Lankan cricketer and politician. He was the captain of Sri Lankan cricket team, and led them to an unbeaten title-winning campaign at the 1996 Cricket World Cup...
  
   (captain)
• Aravinda de Silva
  Aravinda de Silva
  Pinnaduwage Aravinda de Silva is a former Sri Lankan cricketer, who is considered one of the finest batsmen produced by the country.He is also regarded as one of the most elegant batsman in his generation, and to date is the only player to make a hundred and take 3 or more wickets in a world cup...
  
   (vice-captain)
• Sanath Jayasuriya
  Sanath Jayasuriya
  Sanath Teran Jayasuriya is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. An all-rounder, he played for the Sri Lankan cricket team from 1989 to 2011...
  
  
• Roshan Mahanama
  Roshan Mahanama
  Roshan Siriwardene Mahanama is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and currently an ICC match referee.Although he averaged less than 30 at Test cricket, he did score four centuries, including a top score of 225 for the Sri Lankan cricket team against India at Colombo, where he shared a then world record...
  
  
• Asanka Gurusinha
  Asanka Gurusinha
  Asanka Pradeep Gurusinha is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who enjoyed an 11-year international career, playing 41 Tests and 147 One Day Internationals for Sri Lanka. He was a specialist batsman who helped win the 1996 World Cup final with 65 in a partnership of 125 with the final's Man of the...
  
  
• Hashan Tillakaratne
  Hashan Tillakaratne
  Hashan Prasantha Tillakaratne is a Sri Lankan cricketer and a politician.-Cricket career:As a schoolboy in 1986, he was selected to play against England B at Galle, scoring a century to save the match. He played in his first One Day International in November 1986, and emerged into the Sri Lankan...
  
  
• Romesh Kaluwitharana
  Romesh Kaluwitharana
  Romesh Shantha Kaluwitharana is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who played in 49 Test and 189 ODIs from 1990 to 2004...
  
   (wicket-keeper)
• Kumar Dharmasena
  Kumar Dharmasena
  Kumar Dharmasena is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and current Umpire. He was a member of World Cup Winning Cricket Team 1996 for Sri Lanka. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm off-break bowler...
  
  
• Muttiah Muralitharan
  Muttiah Muralitharan
  Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002...
  
  
• Upul Chandana
  Upul Chandana
  Umagiliya Durage Upul Chandana is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. He was more specifically a leg spin bowler and was also an outstanding fielder....
  
  
• Chaminda Vaas
  Chaminda Vaas
  Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas , usually known as Chaminda Vaas, is a Sri Lankan cricketer is regarded as the best fast bowler to have come out of the country - he has been described as the 'most penetrative and successful new-ball bowler Sri Lanka have had'...
  
  
• Ravindra Pushpakumara
  Ravindra Pushpakumara
  Karuppiahyage Ravindra Pushpakumara is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
  
  
• Marvan Atapattu
  Marvan Atapattu
  Marvan Samson Atapattu is a former Sri Lankan cricketer and former Sri Lankan captain. Towards the end of his career he joined the Indian Cricket League and captained the Delhi Giants...
  
  
• Pramodya Wickremasinghe

Pakistan

Pakistan named a 14-player side with some major changes from the side that had played in the World Cup. Former captain and fast-bowler Wasim Akram had pulled out of the tournament due to an injury, and veteran batsman Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad

Mohammad Javed Miandad Khan , popularly known as Javed Miandad , is a former Pakistani cricketer who played between 1975 and 1996. He is Pakistan's leading run scorer in Test cricket. He has served as a captain of the Pakistan national cricket team...

 retired after the 1996 World Cup. They were replaced by middle-order batsman Basit Ali

Basit Ali

Basit Ali is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in 19 Tests and 50 ODIs from 1993 to 1996. He was recognized by many to have a similar batting style as Javed Miandad. A right-hander, he has the relatively uncommon statistic of having a higher ODI than Test batting average...

 and fast-bowler Mohammad Akram

Mohammad Akram

Mohammad Akram is a Pakistani right arm fast-medium bowler in cricket, he plays for Surrey County Cricket Club. He played in 9 Test matches and 23 One Day International matches for Pakistan between 1995–1996 and 2000-2001.He is 6'2 tall and Akram is nicknamed Haji...

.

• Aamir Sohail (captain)
• Saeed Anwar
  Saeed Anwar
  Saeed Anwar is a former Pakistani opening batsman. A left-hander, Anwar is most notable for scoring 194 runs against India in Chennai in 1997, then the highest, and now the joint second highest individual score in a One Day International.-Personal life:...
  
  
• Aaqib Javed
  Aaqib Javed
  Aaqib Javed is a Pakistani cricketer and coach. He was a right-handed medium-fast pace bowler with the ability to swing the ball both ways. He played 22 Tests and 163 One Day Internationals for Pakistan between 1988 and 1998.He was educated at Islamia College Lahore.Aaqib's best performances in...
  
  
• Salim Malik
• Ijaz Ahmed
  Ijaz Ahmed
  Ijaz Ahmed was a Pakistani cricketer who played 60 Tests and 250 One Day Internationals for Pakistan over a period from 1986 to 2001...
  
  
• Saqlain Mushtaq
  Saqlain Mushtaq
  Saqlain Mushtaq is a Pakistani cricketer, regarded as one of the finest off spin bowlers of all time.He is best known for pioneering the "doosra", which he employed to great effect during his career...
  
  
• Inzamam-ul-Haq
  Inzamam-ul-Haq
  Inzamam-ul-Haq , also known as Inzamam, nicknamed Inzy, is a former Pakistan international cricketer who was national captain between 2003 and 2007. He is a right-handed batsman who has been regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of his era...
  
  
• Ata-ur-Rehman
  Ata-ur-Rehman
  Not to be confused with Prof. Atta ur RahmanAta-ur-Rehman is a Pakistani cricketer who played in 13 Tests and 30 ODIs from 1992 to 1996. He is tall and well built, bowling right-arm fast medium with a good control of line and length and the ability to move the old ball...
  
  
• Basit Ali
  Basit Ali
  Basit Ali is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in 19 Tests and 50 ODIs from 1993 to 1996. He was recognized by many to have a similar batting style as Javed Miandad. A right-hander, he has the relatively uncommon statistic of having a higher ODI than Test batting average...
  
  
• Waqar Younis
  Waqar Younis
  Waqar Younis Maitla is a former Pakistani right arm fast bowler in cricket and widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time...
  
  
• Rameez Raja
  Rameez Raja
  Rameez Hasan Raja is a former Pakistani right handed batsman in cricket, who represented the Pakistan cricket team during the 1980s and 1990s. He also worked as captain of the national team...
  
  
• Rashid Latif
  Rashid Latif
  Rashid Latif is a former Pakistani wicket keeper and a right handed batsman who represented the Pakistani cricket team in Test cricket and One Day International matches, between 1992 and 2003. He also served as the captain of the Pakistan cricket team in 2003...
  
   (wicket-keeper)
• Mushtaq Ahmed
  Mushtaq Ahmed
  Mushtaq Ahmed is a retired Pakistani cricketer who specialised as a leg spin bowler. He was known for his hard-to-pick googly. He memorably trapped Graeme Hick in front with one during the 1992 World Cup final. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1997...
  
  
• Mohammad Akram
  Mohammad Akram
  Mohammad Akram is a Pakistani right arm fast-medium bowler in cricket, he plays for Surrey County Cricket Club. He played in 9 Test matches and 23 One Day International matches for Pakistan between 1995–1996 and 2000-2001.He is 6'2 tall and Akram is nicknamed Haji...
  
  

India

India named a 14-player side that incorporated some major changes. Leading batsman Vinod Kambli

Vinod Kambli

Vinod Ganpat Kambli is a former Indian cricketer, who played for India as a middle order batsman, as well as for Mumbai and Boland, South Africa.He is childhood friend of ace cricketer Sachin Tendulkar...

 and medium-fast bowler Salil Ankola

Salil Ankola

Salil Ashok Ankola is a former Indian cricketer who played in one Test and 20 ODIs from 1989 to 1997. He was a member of the Indian cricket team for the 1996 Cricket World Cup....

 were dropped from the team. They were replaced by medium-fast bowler Prashant Vaidya

Prashant Vaidya

Prashant Vaidya is a former Indian cricketer. He played domestic cricket for Bengal and played four One Day Internationals for India in 1995-96.-References:...

 and batsmen Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid

Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...

 and Vikram Rathour

Vikram Rathour

Vikram Rathour is a former Indian cricketer who played in 6 Tests and 7 ODIs from 1996 to 1997. He was a right-handed opening batsman.Rathour was a prolific run scorer at the first class level,scoring 11473 runs at an average of 49.66 in 146 matches.His List A career was more modest,with him...

. However, Rathour was not picked to play in any match.

• Mohammad Azharuddin
  Mohammad Azharuddin
  Mohammad Azharuddin also known as Azhar, is an Indian politician and former cricketer. He was an accomplished batsman and captained the Indian cricket team for much of the 1990s, until his involvement in a match-fixing scandal forced him into retirement...
  
   (captain)
• Sachin Tendulkar
  Sachin Tendulkar
  Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is an Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international cricket. He is the only male player to score a double century in the history of ODI cricket...
  
   (vice-captain)
• Rahul Dravid
  Rahul Dravid
  Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
  
  
• Prashant Vaidya
  Prashant Vaidya
  Prashant Vaidya is a former Indian cricketer. He played domestic cricket for Bengal and played four One Day Internationals for India in 1995-96.-References:...
  
  
• Navjot Singh Sidhu
  Navjot Singh Sidhu
  Navjot Singh Sidhu is former Indian cricket star . After retirement from cricket Navjot Singh Sidhu took up television commentary, and politics. He was later forced to resign from his political position because he was convicted of homicide.-Biography:...
  
  
• Aashish Kapoor
  Aashish Kapoor
  Aashish Rakesh Kapoor is a former Indian cricketer who played in 4 Tests and 17 ODIs from 1994 to 2000. He was member of the 1996 World Cup Squad but was dropped and was never able to make it back to ODI after 2000....
  
  
• Sanjay Manjrekar
  Sanjay Manjrekar
  Sanjay Vijay Manjrekar is a former Indian cricketer. He has a batting average of 37.14 in his 37 Tests between 1987/88 and 1996/97, as opposed to an overall first-class average of 55...
  
  
• Javagal Srinath
  Javagal Srinath
  Javagal Srinath is a former Indian cricketer. He was a frontline fast bowler for the Indian cricket team until his retirement, being the second Indian pace bowler after Kapil Dev to take 200 Test wickets. One ball that he bowled during the 1996 tour of South Africa measured...
  
  
• Vikram Rathour
  Vikram Rathour
  Vikram Rathour is a former Indian cricketer who played in 6 Tests and 7 ODIs from 1996 to 1997. He was a right-handed opening batsman.Rathour was a prolific run scorer at the first class level,scoring 11473 runs at an average of 49.66 in 146 matches.His List A career was more modest,with him...
  
  
• Anil Kumble
  Anil Kumble
  Anil Kumble is a former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian Test cricket team. He is a right-arm leg spin bowler and a right-hand batsman. He is currently the leading wicket-taker for India in both Test and One Day International matches...
  
  
• Venkatapathy Raju
  Venkatapathy Raju
  Venkatapathy Raju came into the Indian side in 1989–90 after capturing 32 wickets in the domestic season. He made his Test and One Day International debut in the tour of New Zealand. When sent in as a night-watchman in his first Test innings, he batted for more than two hours for 31 runs while six...
  
  
• Ajay Jadeja
  Ajay Jadeja
  Ajaysinhji Daulatsinhji Jadeja was born on 1 February 1971 in royal rajput family of Jamnagar, Gujarat. He was a regular in the Indian cricket team between 1992 and 2000, playing in 15 Test matches and 196 One Day Internationals. His cricketing achievements were overshadowed by a 5 year ban for...
  
  
• Venkatesh Prasad
  Venkatesh Prasad
  Bapu Krishnarao Venkatesh Prasad is a former Indian cricketer. He is the bowling coach for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League, having formerly performed the same role for the Indian cricket team from 2007 to 2009. He made his debut in 1996...
  
  
• Nayan Mongia
  Nayan Mongia
  Nayan Ramlal Mongia is a former Indian cricketer. He played as a right-handed batsman and a wicketkeeper. Currently, he is a cricket analyst....
  
   (wicket-keeper)

Points table

The opening match on April 1 between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, was abandoned due to rain and re-played on April 2. At the end of the round-robin matches, each team had one victory and one loss, making their tally of points equal. As a result, the finalists were decided based on superior net run-rate.

Team	P	W	L	T	NR	NRR	Points
	2	1	1	0	0	+0.56	2
	2	1	1	0	0	+0.22	2
	2	1	1	0	0	-0.46	2

Matches

Final

Records and awards

Sanath Jayasuriya, who had been the player of the tournament for the 1996 World Cup, won the same award for the 1996 Singer Cup. He finished the tournament scoring 217 runs in 3 innings with a batting average of 72.33, with one fifty and one century. As a bowler, Jayasuriya had also taken 3 wickets at an average of 38.33 and a best of 1/31.

Several world records were broken during the course of the tournament. In Sri Lanka's opening match against Pakistan, Jayasuriya made what is now the second-fastest century in ODIs, taking just 48 balls and going on to score 134 runs from 65 balls. Jayasuriya's 48-ball century surpassed the previously held record of India's Mohammad Azharuddin, who had scored a century from 62 balls. In the same match, Aamir Sohail conceeded 30 runs in an over he bowled - the world record for most runs made in a single over. Jayasuriya's century became the second-fastest when Pakistani batsman Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi

Sahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi , popularly known as Shahid Afridi , is a Pakistani cricketer. Between 1996 and 2011, Afridi played 27 Tests, 325 One Day Internationals, and 43 Twenty20 Internationals for the Pakistani national team...

 scored a century from 37 balls in the first ODI innings of his career, against Sri Lanka in Nairobi

Nairobi

Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...

, Kenya

Kenya

Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

 later in the year.

Sanath Jayasuriya also scored the fastest fifty in ODIs - in 17 balls against Pakistan in the final - surpassing Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

's Simon O'Donnell

Simon O'Donnell

Simon Patrick O'Donnell is a former Australian cricketer and VFL footballer, currently a horse racing and cricket commentator.-Cricket:...

's 18-ball record, made against Sri Lanka in Sharjah in 1989-90.

Pakistani captain Aamir Sohail made the second-highest number of runs, scoring 140 in 3 innings at an average of 70.00. India's Sachin Tendulkar was the only other batsman after Jayasuriya to score a century - making 100 runs against Pakistan.

The tournament's leading wicket-taker was Pakistani spin bowler Saqlain Mushtaq

Saqlain Mushtaq

Saqlain Mushtaq is a Pakistani cricketer, regarded as one of the finest off spin bowlers of all time.He is best known for pioneering the "doosra", which he employed to great effect during his career...

, who took a total of 8 wickets at an average of 16.2 and a best of 3/38. Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan

Muttiah Muralitharan

Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002...

 shared the record of taking most catches along with Pakistani wicket-keeper Rashid Latif

Rashid Latif

Rashid Latif is a former Pakistani wicket keeper and a right handed batsman who represented the Pakistani cricket team in Test cricket and One Day International matches, between 1992 and 2003. He also served as the captain of the Pakistan cricket team in 2003...

, both taking 4 catches.