The Natwest 2002 Final between India and England is memorable for many reasons. It’s been 19 years since Dada taking off his t-shirt to celebrate the Indian victory at Lord’s. This match was an important milestone in the history of Indian cricket.
Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag played an important knock of 46 runs at the top of the order. Recalling the match Sehwag joked about how he wasn’t scared about losing the match, but about getting hit by Flintoff. In a throwback interview on India TV’s Aap Ki Adalat, Sehwag said:
“I was afraid of getting hit by an angry Andre Flintoff (Andrew) not of losing the match.”
India played its first test match on 25th June 1932, the same day as the 1983 WC final.
And it played it's first ODI on 13 July 1974, exactly 28 years before the historic 2002 Natwest Final.
We have a thing for making history! pic.twitter.com/HYAhU56Q2b— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) July 13, 2021
“England itne salon se humpe raaj kia hai, ab humara time aya hai unpe raaj karne ka (England ruled us for so many years, now it was our time to rule them)” Virender Sehwag jokingly added.
NatWest 2002 Final: A victory for the ages
England won the toss and elected to bat first. Centuries from Marcus Trescothick and skipper Nasser Hussain took them to a huge total of 325 runs at the end of the first innings, a score that was considered unbeatable in that era.
Indian Skipper Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag gave hopes to the Indian fans by setting a solid foundation at the top of the order. The duo added 106 runs for the first wicket partnership before Tudor bowled Ganguly for 60. Soon his partner Sehwag too got dismissed and then started the Indian batting order collapsed.
The English bowlers reduced India to 146 with half of the side already back in the pavilion. But it was the brilliance of two youngsters that won India the series. Mohammad Kaif (87 off 75) and Yuvraj Singh (69 off 63) came together to script one of the most remarkable wins in Indian cricket history.
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