The idea of cricket players being rewarded with cars for being the “man of the match” or the “man of the tournament” has long captivated car enthusiasts. Nevertheless, the practice of offering cars as incentives to cricketers has diminished in recent years. Sanath Jayasuriya, a celebrated Sri Lankan batsman, took to his social media account to reminisce about the time when he was presented with a car as recognition for his exceptional performance in the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
Jayasuriya recently shared a photo on his social media, featuring himself alongside a vibrant red first-generation Audi A4. The picture is divided into two parts. On the left side, it captures Jayasuriya posing with the newly awarded Audi A4 immediately after the 1996 World Cup. On the right side, it shows him striking the same pose with the same car, nearly 27 years later.
In contrast to its brand-new condition in the left part, the right part depicts the car in a worn state with slightly faded paint. There are even spots on the front bumper where the paint has chipped off. However, given that this A4 is 27 years old, it is understandable that age has had some impact on its appearance. Nevertheless, the car still appears to be in a drivable condition and should be decent enough to drive, even if it may not be as pristine as a brand-new vehicle.
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During the Benson and Hedges World Championship of Cricket held in Australia in 1985, Ravi Shastri was bestowed with an Audi 100 as a reward for his exceptional performance against Pakistan. His remarkable display throughout the series earned him the honor of receiving the car.
Jayasuriya was rewarded with this car for his exceptional performance in the 1996 World Cup, which Sri Lanka won by defeating Australia in the final. Throughout the tournament, Jayasuriya displayed remarkable skills as an all-rounder, scoring 221 runs and securing seven wickets. Following the final match, he was presented with the red Audi A4 as recognition for his title as the “man of the tournament.” After Jayasuriya shared this picture on his Twitter account, numerous netizens and car enthusiasts commended him for taking excellent care of the awarded Audi A4 over the years.
The Audi A4 rewarded to Jayasuriya is the first-generation model of the sedan, which was globally introduced in 1994. This sedan was available worldwide with a range of petrol engine options, starting from a 1.6-liter four-cylinder to a 2.8-liter V6. Additionally, there was a 1.9-liter four-cylinder diesel engine variant as well. However, it remains unclear which engine powers the A4 given to Jayasuriya. It’s worth noting that this particular version of the A4 was never officially released in India. Instead, the first officially launched A4 in India was the third-generation model, introduced in 2005.
Ravi Shastri, a former player and head coach of the Indian cricket team, was also presented with a car as a gift during one of the matches. The occasion took place in Melbourne, Australia, in 1985, where he received an Audi 100 sedan. Recently, the car underwent a restoration process at the Super Car Club Garage (SCCG), which is operated by Gautam Singhania, Chairman and Managing Director of Raymond Group. The restoration aimed to bring the car back to its original factory condition.
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