Reliving the Classic Australia vs India, ICC World Cup 2003
In the world of cricket, certain matches stand out as timeless classics, and one such encounter is the Australia vs. India clash during the ICC World Cup in 2003. This epic showdown took place on Sunday, March 23, 2003, at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. Let’s dive into the match info, key moments, and unforgettable performances that made this game a cricketing legend.
Match Info
Match: Australia vs. India, ICC World Cup, 2003 Date: Sunday, Mar 23, 2003 Time: 05:30 AM IST Venue: The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg Umpires: Steve Bucknor (WI), David Shepherd (ENG) Third Umpire: Rudi Koertzen (RSA) Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SL) Series Name: ICC World Cup, 2003
The Lineups
Let’s take a look at the lineups for this historic clash:
Australia (AUS)
- Playing XI: Adam Gilchrist (wk), Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting (c), Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Michael Bevan, Andrew Symonds, Brad Hogg, Andy Bichel, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath
India (IND)
- Playing XI: Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly (c), Mohammad Kaif, Rahul Dravid (wk), Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Mongia, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Javagal Srinath, Ashish Nehra
The Match Summary
Australia won the toss and opted to bat, setting the stage for a memorable showdown.
Australia – 359/2
- Adam Gilchrist: 57(48) runs, 8 fours, 1 six
- Matthew Hayden: 37(54) runs, 5 fours
- Ricky Ponting: 140(121) runs, 4 fours, 8 sixes
- Damien Martyn: 88(84) runs, 7 fours, 1 six
- Extras: 37 (nb 7, b 2, w 16, lb 12)
- Total: 359 runs (50 overs), RR 7.18
Bowling Figures for India:
- Zaheer Khan: 7 overs, 67 runs, 0 wickets
- Javagal Srinath: 10 overs, 87 runs, 0 wickets
- Ashish Nehra: 10 overs, 57 runs, 0 wickets
- Harbhajan Singh: 8 overs, 49 runs, 2 wickets
- Virender Sehwag: 3 overs, 14 runs, 0 wickets
- Sachin Tendulkar: 3 overs, 20 runs, 0 wickets
- Dinesh Mongia: 7 overs, 39 runs, 0 wickets
- Yuvraj Singh: 2 overs, 12 runs, 0 wickets
Fall of Wickets for Australia:
- A Gilchrist: 105 runs (13.6 overs)
- M Hayden: 125 runs (19.5 overs)
India – 234/10
- Sachin Tendulkar: 4(5) runs, 1 four
- Virender Sehwag: 82(81) runs, 10 fours, 3 sixes
- Sourav Ganguly: 24(25) runs, 3 fours, 1 six
- Mohammad Kaif: 0(3) runs
- Rahul Dravid: 47(57) runs, 2 fours
- Yuvraj Singh: 24(34) runs, 1 four
- Dinesh Mongia: 12(11) runs, 2 fours
- Harbhajan Singh: 7(8) runs
- Zaheer Khan: 4(8) runs
- Javagal Srinath: 1(4) run
- Ashish Nehra: 8(4) runs
Extras: 21 (nb 4, b 4, w 9, lb 4) Total: 234 runs (39.2 overs), RR 5.94
Bowling Figures for Australia:
- Glenn McGrath: 8.2 overs, 52 runs, 3 wickets
- Brett Lee: 7 overs, 31 runs, 2 wickets
- Brad Hogg: 10 overs, 61 runs, 1 wicket
- Darren Lehmann: 2 overs, 18 runs, 0 wickets
- Andy Bichel: 10 overs, 57 runs, 1 wicket
- Andrew Symonds: 2 overs, 7 runs, 2 wickets
Fall of Wickets for India:
- Tendulkar: 4 runs (0.5 overs)
- S Ganguly: 58 runs (9.5 overs)
- M Kaif: 59 runs (10.3 overs)
- Sehwag: 147 runs (23.5 overs)
- Dravid: 187 runs (31.5 overs)
- Yuvraj: 208 runs (34.5 overs)
- D Mongia: 209 runs (35.2 overs)
- Harbhajan: 223 runs (37.1 overs)
- J Srinath: 226 runs (38.2 overs)
- Zaheer: 234 runs (39.2 overs)
The Memorable Encounter
This match featured outstanding performances from players like Ricky Ponting, Virender Sehwag, and Harbhajan Singh. Ponting’s century and Sehwag’s explosive batting made this contest truly unforgettable. Despite Australia’s formidable total, India put up a commendable fight.
In the end, Australia emerged victorious, but both teams left an indelible mark on the cricketing world with their remarkable display of skills and sportsmanship.
This classic encounter from the ICC World Cup 2003 will forever be etched in the annals of cricketing history, reminding us of the thrill and excitement that this beautiful sport brings to fans worldwide.
