Flash Back: What Happened In 2003 World Cup Final?

The ongoing 2023 One-day World Cup tournament reached the last stage. The opponent team which faces India in the finals on Sunday was fixed. In the second semi-final match Australia recorded a hard-fought win against South Africa. With this Australia will lock horns with India in the finals which will be played at Ahmedabad on the 19th of this month. Amid this, the 20-year-revenge story came to light.

Despite facing some issues Australia managed to win against South Africa in the semi-final match. In the match dominated by the bowlers, Australia struggled hard in the match and fixed its spot in the final. 20 years back Australia and India faced each other in the finals. Fans cannot forget what happened back then.

Exactly 20 years back in the 2003 World Cup final Sourav Ganguly-led Indian team lost to Rocky Ponting’s Australian team. As two teams are playing the finals again Indian fans are hoping that Rohit’s men will take the revenge for Ganguly’s team. In the semi-final match India took revenge against New Zealand for the 2019 Semis heartbreak.

On March 23-2003, Australian and Indian teams locked horns at the Johannesburg Stadium in Australia. Australia put up a mammoth score of 359 runs for the loss of two wickets. Openors Adam Gilchrist(57: 8x4, 1x6) and Matthew Hayden(37: 5x4) gave a flying start to the innings. Ricky Ponting played captain innings.

Ricky Ponting scored a superb century. He scored 140 runs in 120 deliveries. His innings included four fours and eight maximums. Damien Martyn (88: 7x4, 1x6) supported his skipper on the other end. Among the Indian bowlers, only Harbhajan Singh managed to pick up two wickets.

India, which started the innings with a big target of 360 did not get the ideal start as opener Sachin was sent back early for just four. Another opener Virender Sehwag was run-out after a crucial innings of 83 runs in 81 deliveries(10x4, 3x6). Only Rahul Dravid(47), Ganguly(24), Yuvraj Singh(24), and Dinesh Mongia(12) managed to make two-dig scores next.

India was all out for just 234 runs in 39.2 overs. Glenn McGrath(3) Brett Lee(2) and Symonds(2) took key wickets. Brad Hogg and Bichel took one wicket each. Their heroics helped Australia record a win with a margin of 125 runs. It's been 20 years since this happened.

The critics say that the current Indian team is looking stronger than the 2003 Australian team. Fans say that an opportunity to take revenge has come after 20 years and this will be the perfect gift Rohit’s men can give to Ganguly’s team.