After losing to Australia in the group stage, India won eight matches on the trot to reach the final of the 2003 ODI World Cup
It had to face defending champion Australia, the team that had not been beaten in a World Cup fixture since a group stage match in 1999
India’s decision to bowl first came as a shock. Captain Sourav Ganguly justified it by saying that the pitch was damp, which would help bowlers get early wickets
Australia welcomed the decision and was off to a terrific start, smashing 15 runs in the very first over. Openers Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden added 105 runs in 14 overs
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was able to finally dismiss Gilchrist. Soon, Hayden departed as well
Ponting and Damien Martyn’s humongous partnership of 234 runs took the game away from India. It remains the biggest partnership for any wicket in a final
Ponting’s 140 not-out, the highest by a captain in a final, was supported by Martyn’s 88* as Australia hammered India, especially in the death overs
Javagal Srinath, who had taken 16 wickets in the 2003 edition, conceded 87 runs in his 10 overs - the most expensive spell in a final
13 runs off the last over powered Australia to 359/2. The target of 360 set by the Aussies is still the highest in a final
Chasing the mammoth total seemed next to impossible. Hopes were dashed when Tendulkar, the tournament’s leading run-scorer, was caught by McGrath off his own bowling in the very first over
Virender Sehwag held the fort with a brilliant knock. India’s top scorer added 82 crucial runs and built a 88-run partnership with Rahul Dravid (47), bringing the side some relief
With the threat of rain looming, Australia brought in its spinners to reach the 25-over mark, the minimum overs needed to have a result. Sehwag and Dravid made good use of this
Sehwag’s attempt for a quick single got him run out by Lehmann’s direct throw. After his departure, India began losing wickets in quick succession
Zaheer Khan’s wicket was the final straw as Australia cleaned up India for 234. It won the final by a massive 125-run margin
Australia had successfully defended its title. It became the first team to have won three ODI World Cups