Yuvi-Kaif show guided India to the NatWest Trophy win

Nineteen years after their greatest cricketing moment, India once again did the unexpected at Lord’s. In 1983, Kapil Dev led India pulled off one of the historic wins when they stumbled the then world’s best side West Indies in the World Cup final. In early 2000s, Sourav Ganguly led India started their winning streak overseas but failed to replicate the same in the final.

On this day, 13 years back, India lifted the NatWest Series trophy after beating England by two wickets. India had played some good cricket to enter the final of the tournament.Batting first, England posted 325 runs on the board, as a result of which the match was heavily tilted in the hosts’ favour. Ganguly and Virender Sehwag got off to a flying start and provided with a much essential start with a 106-run opening stand. Ganguly’s 60 from 43-balls gave India the initial momentum but once Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed in the 24th over, the score read — 146 for five. Ganguly, Sehwag, Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Dinesh Mongia were back in the pavilion.

What seemed like another halt to the final glory was averted by the two youngsters — Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif. The duo put on 121 for the sixth wicket before the 20-year-old Yuvraj fell for 69 from 63 balls. Kaif, then 21, combined brilliantly with the tail to see India home with three balls to spare. Kaif for this valiant effort was named Man-of-the-Match for his unbeaten 87 from 75-balls. India had completed the then second highest chase in One-Day cricket. The celebration scenes in the Indian camp were surreal. Captain Ganguly had taken off his jersey and waved it in frenzy.

In the above photograph, we see Ganguly lifting the trophy along with Kaif and Yuvraj on either side. India went on to continue to their splendid run to the 2003 World Cup.