Indian cricket and miracles go hand in hand. When it comes to taming tough opponents, the Indians never shy away from challenge. Be it the 1983 World Cup Final or the NatWest 2002 Final, the Indian cricket team did the unthinkable and proved its worth every time.
It has been two decades since the heroics of the Natwest Series 2002 Finals. Let's cherish those prestigious moments and the efforts of players.
Someone truly said, never play for the name on your back, always play for the name on your front. Before picking every moment and relishing it. First, let's take a look at the team that created this historic moment. Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly (c), Dinesh Mongia, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, and Zaheer Khan.
India returned to Lord's. This time against England in the final of the NatWest Series. The target set by England was 326. Unlike modern day cricket, a target this big was not an easily achievable one.
A win in the final looked a far-fetched dream when India were down and out at 146/5. India started off well but lost wickets in the middle overs. When it looked like England will win this one easily, the partnership between Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif gave a glimmer of hope. While the partnership was going on, skipper Sourav Ganguly sat on a chair in the Lord’s balcony with his feet on the railing.
The duo put on a partnership of 121. Just when England players’ faces started to look a bit tensed, Yuvraj got out after scoring 69 runs. Not known for his big-hitting skills, Kaif carried the run chase and batted with the tailenders. He took calculated risks and saw India get over the line. With a ‘never say never’ attitude, he remained unbeaten on 87 off 75 balls.
However, it was Zaheer Khan who scored the winning runs. There were a few nervous moments in the slog overs but Kaif’s resilience helped India chased down the score with two wickets and three balls to spare.
The winning runs followed perhaps one of the most iconic celebrations in the history of cricket. Ganguly took his shirt off at the balcony of Lord's Cricket Ground to celebrate the win. Few years back, he revealed that he felt embarrassed by the celebration but to most it was more of a statement than a mere celebration.
