Sourav Ganguly waving his shirt bare-chested from the Lord’s balcony is an image that has been inked to every Indian cricket fan’s memory. Today, the country celebrates 20 years of an incredible run chase that gave a statement to world cricket. A statement that India was no longer an also-ran but indispensable to cricket.
Talking of the game, England put together a humongous target of 325/5 in front of India. Marcus Trescothick came up with a sensational 109 off of 100 deliveries along with Nasser Hussain’s 115 off of 128 in the final to give India a massive uphill task.
Everybody had written India off as records book claimed the same. Until this match, a score of 300 was never chased down at Lord’s.
Coming to chase a massive total, India got a good start from the openers Virender Sehwag (45) and captain Sourav Ganguly (60) but soon wickets started to fall. From 106-0 to 146-5, most of the hope for an India win had departed. This is when Mohamad Kaif and Yuvraj came onto the pitch.
Together the two batters made a partnership of 121 runs to claw India back into the game. The game, however, still remained out of India’s reach as Yuvraj Singh was sent back on a Paul Collingwood ball in the 42nd over. With a win appearing fainter by the ball, Kaif played the innings of his lifetime to rescue the match for the Men in Blue.
In the last over, India needed two runs with just two wickets remaining. On the third ball of the final over, Kaif played a shot at cover and ran for his life. The fielder in hopes of getting a diving Zaheer Khan run out threw the ball at the striker’s end. The two batters turned again to complete the second run and the Indian dressing room lept off their feet.
Ganguly, having been disrespected by a brattish Andrew Flintoff in Mumbai a year prior, took off his shirt and waved it from the Lord’s balcony, giving England a taste of their own medicine. The irony is that it was the same Flintoff who gave the winning runs, the same Flintoff who had charged topless around the Wankhede a few months earlier; the same Flintoff now sat on the ground, destroyed!
The match marked a new era for the Indian team, an era in which India went head to head with others in terms of quality, character and most importantly aggression! Twitter celebrated the 20th anniversary of the win with memories, memes and everything in between. Let’s look at some of them.
It's been 20 years since this magical day at Lord's!
What's your favourite memory from this epic game?#Natwestfinal pic.twitter.com/6Lb5oq5CPw
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) July 13, 2022
On this day in 2002, India registered a historic win at Lord's completing one of the greatest ODI run chases. India's win had ensured them NatWest Trophy. #TeamIndia | #SouravGanguly | #NatWestSeries2002 pic.twitter.com/5Y9AFhrbex
— Cricket.com (@weRcricket) July 13, 2022
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On this day in 2002, India defeated England to lift the NatWest Trophy…The game is mainly remembered for Sourav Ganguly's shirtless celebration… pic.twitter.com/Owa6D7mcnT
— Debankan Mukherjee (@DebankanMukher1) July 13, 2022
Twenty years back I played an inning that gave me an identity, fame and love for a life time. Revisiting the 2002 Miracle of Lord's with family and friends and answering the question that I always get asked – How did you manage to chase down 326? #Lord's #NatwestSeries pic.twitter.com/MYZoDQc9aH
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) July 13, 2022
20 years since that epic win by India vs England in the Natwest Trophy final – being 146-5 while chasing 326. The then team manager Amrit Mathur, recalls the events around the match. Nice nugget re. Dravid wanting the cash bonus to be distributed among ALL players & support staff pic.twitter.com/qwAuNfvasa
— Atul Karmarkar (@atulkarmarkar) July 13, 2022
?2??0?? Year A Go ,Team INDIA Beat England In England In ?Natwest Trophy Final? ?
? ?? ? Mohammad Kaif ? ?? Was A Hero Of That Match ! He Scored ? 8?7?*? Runs In 7?5? Balls With 6? Fours & 2? Sixes At A Strike Rate Of 1?1?6? ?? pic.twitter.com/3vaLui8FNz— Awes Kaif (@Awessays) July 13, 2022
Ok, let me make you feel old. This happened TWENTY YEARS ago. Yes, you read that right. #NatwestFinal #NatwestSeries #sauravganguly #lords pic.twitter.com/nkaIHSjXlY
— Apurva Sircar (@apurvasircar) July 13, 2022
A clsssic 90's hangover (SRT Out! = ? Off) continued till early 2000's.
This Natwest Final was a big step forward in Indian Cricket.
20 years ago #OnThisDay ?#CricketTwitter https://t.co/BxH4USwGjr— Aditya (@myselfadi) July 13, 2022
20 years ago (already?!) today.
The words "NatWest Series Final" can mean only thing to Indian fans. THAT run chase by @MohammadKaif and @YUVSTRONG12.
Nasser Hussain reportedly said of 21yo Kaif when he came to the crease: "He must be the bus driver." pic.twitter.com/T0qa4jWPrp
— Ishika Pandey (@Ishika_Pandey45) July 13, 2022
