India vs. Australia: Taking a Look Back at the 2003 Cricket World Cup

The 2003 Cricket World Cup Final was a one-day international (ODI) match played on March 23, 2003 at Johannesburg’s Wanderers Stadium. It marked the end of the eighth Cricket World Cup, held in 2003. This was the first time the two teams had played at this round of the World Cup. It was Australia’s sixth World Cup final, and India’s second since their 1983 title. Australia won the match by 125 runs and claimed the trophy for the third time.

Also read: The 1996 Cricket World Cup win by Sri Lanka

Both teams advanced through three stages before reaching the final. Australia was unbeaten thus far, whereas India had just lost one game—to Australia in the first stage. Australia, led by Ricky Ponting, went into the contest as strong favourites. After winning the toss, India captain Sourav Ganguly decided to field first in front of a nearly 32,000-strong crowd. The Australian openers, Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, contributed 105 runs in 14 overs. Following their dismissals, Ponting (140 not out) and Damien Martyn (88 not out) shared a 234-run partnership, a then-Australian record, to take the total to 359 runs for two at the end of the innings. Harbhajan Singh took two of Australia’s wickets and allowed 47 runs.

In retribution, India lost their key batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, at the start of the innings. Despite a slight rain delay following the 17th over, no time was lost in the game. When play resumed, India’s wickets fell at regular intervals. Virender Sehwag was India’s leading scorer with 88 runs, and the team’s innings ended in the 40th over with 234 all out. Glenn McGrath got three wickets for 52 runs, with Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds each taking two. Ponting was elected man of the match after reaching 140 not out, while Tendulkar, the tournament’s highest run-scorer (675 runs), was named man of the series.

The final marked Australia’s seventeenth consecutive ODI victory, a record, and they became the first team to win three World Cups. Journalists and former cricketers criticised Ganguly’s decision to bowl first in the match.

Summary of the final match between Australia and India:

India’s starting lineup remained the same from the semi-finals, whereas Australia rested Ian Harvey and recalled Damien Martyn. Ganguly won the toss and chose to field first. India’s opening bowlers were Zaheer Khan and Javagal Srinath. The Australian openers struck fast from the start of the innings, with Khan conceding 15 runs in the first over. Gilchrist, in particular, blasted Khan and Srinath for multiple runs, scoring 50 off 40 balls. 

When Ganguly switched to his spinners in the tenth over, Gilchrist’s scoring rate dropped. When Harbhajan Singh returned to bowl in the fourteenth over, Gilchrist (57 off 48 balls) tried to hit him over midwicket but was caught in the deep by Virender Sehwag. The pair had scored 105 runs for the first wicket. Harbhajan struck again in the twentieth over, knocking Hayden for 37 runs off 54 balls, bringing the score to 125 runs.

After Hayden left, Ponting was joined by Martyn, who completed his half-century in 46 deliveries. Ponting scored slowly, scoring 50 off 74 balls, including one four. After completing his half-century, he accelerated, hitting two sixes off Harbhajan and one off Ashish Nehra. The third wicket partnership achieved 100 runs in 109 balls. Ponting scored his century quickly, with his second fifty coming off 29 balls.

Also read: The thrilling 1999 ICC Cricket World Cup victory by Australia

At the end of the innings, Australia had scored 359 runs for two wickets;[d] Ponting had hit 140 not out (off 121 balls; four fours and eight sixes)[e], and Martyn had struck 88 not out. As of the 2019 World Cup, Ponting’s innings is the highest individual score by a captain in a World Cup final, while Australia’s total remains the highest as a team. Ponting and Marytn’s 234-run partnership was Australia’s ODI record at the time. Indian bowlers conceded 37 extras. In his final international encounter, Srinath conceded 79 runs without taking a wicket, the most expensive figures of his career.

Tendulkar and Sehwag lead India’s batting line-up. McGrath began bowling for Australia. Tendulkar hit a boundary with the fourth ball of the over, but was caught on the next delivery. Ganguly joined Sehwag, and the two scored at a run per ball until the former was dismissed by Lee in the tenth over. The next man, Kaif, was bowled in the next over, leaving the score at 46 for three wickets. Dravid and Sehwag scored steadily from then on until the sixteenth over, when rain halted play with the score at 103.

After play resumed, Ponting introduced Australia’s spinners, Brad Hogg and Darren Lehmann. Sehwag was more aggressive against both, hitting Lehmann for three straight fours and Hogg for a four and six, while Dravid supported Sehwag by constantly pressing for singles. They were removed in quick succession after scoring 122 (from 111 balls) and 77 (from 77 balls), respectively. After that, India began losing wickets at regular intervals. Except for Yuvraj Singh (34), Dinesh Mongia (15), Ashish Nehra (25) and Harbhajan Singh (28), the remaining players ended in single digits. India were bowled out for 234 in 39.4 overs. Australia won the match by 125 runs.

It was their second consecutive World Cup title and third overall. Ponting was named Man of the Match after making 140 runs without being dismissed.

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