5 most riveting Series/Tournament finales played at the Wankhede

The iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai has witnesses a number of thrilling finales over the yearsThe decider of the ongoing 5-match ODI series between India and South Africa will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. Given that each of the four games in the series so far have been keenly contested, this game is also expected to go down to the absolute wire. In fact, India have locked horns with the Proteas thrice at this venue and on two occasions, they have barely managed to scamper past them.Interestingly, the Wankhede too has witnessed several breathtaking series finales over the years. Let’s take a trip down the memory lane and revisit 5 of the most thrilling finales played at this iconic Mumbai stadium.

#1 India vs South Africa, The Final, 1996-97 Titan Cup

Sachin Tendulkar holds aloft the Titan Trophy

Having tamed both India and Australia in every group stage game of this triangular tournament, South Africa were clear favorites to romp home in the finale as well. India, on the other hand, had looked good only in patches and were in the final, courtesy of two very narrow victories over the Aussies.

On winning the toss, Indian skipper Sachin Tendulkar opted to bat first in a bid to build some scoreboard pressure. Though Manjrekar and Tendulkar got the Indians off to a decent start, the Proteas kept picking up wickets at regular intervals and kept the flow of runs under check. When the Indian captain was dismissed for 67 with the score reading 137/4, it triggered a mini-collapse of sorts as India were reduced to 153/6 soon after. A late cameo by Ajay Jadeja ensured that the Men in Blue posted a decent total of 220/7 in their 50 overs.

Courtesy of some disciplined bowling by Venkatesh Prasad and Javagal Srinath, South Africa had a disastrous start to their run chase as they lost a couple of wickets with just 29 runs on the board. Thereafter, the slower bowlers, viz Anil Kumble, Sunil Joshi and Robin Singh were pressed into operation, thereby making run scoring all the more difficult on a sluggish wicket. Soon, the Proteas were left reeling at 95/7.

When all seemed lost for the visitors, an 88-run partnership between David Richardson and Pat Symcox brought them back into the game. Just when it seemed that the duo would take the game away from India, Venkatesh Prasad struck, much to the delight of the Indian fans. Thereafter, Kumble quickly cleaned up Symcox and Allan Donald to hand India a 35-run win over their more fancied visitors.

#2 India vs England, 2001/02 ODI Series

Flintoff reacts to England’s victory over India

The above image is probably one of the most iconic images of the rivalry between India and England. In many ways, this is the moment that sparked off a very intense cricketing rivalry between the two nations. Having played a major role in his side’s 5-run win over India, Flintoff couldn’t keep his emotions under check and went on a shirtless victory lap around the Wankhede (often regarded as the home of Indian cricket).

A few months later, Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly paid him back in his own coin, as India pulled off an unlikely 2-wicket victory at Lord’s (the home of English cricket).

With the series scoreline 3-2 in favor of India, this was a must-win game for England. Having won the toss, England captain Nasser Hussain opted to bat first. Nick Knight’s dismissal at the end of the first over put a lot of pressure on the visitors. However, Marcus Trescothick, steadied the English innings thereafter, as he was involved in two crucial partnerships with Hussain and Michael Vaughan.

Soon afterwards, an excellent spell of spin bowling from Harbhajan Singh dashed England’s hopes of a big total as they were reduced to 174/7 from a commanding 153/2. Flintoff added some useful runs with the lower order batsmen as England were dismissed for 255 in 49.1 overs.

Courtesy of Virender Sehwag’s pyrotechnics, India raced away to 36/0 in a little over 5 overs. Tendulkar’s dismissal in the 6th over though, silenced a capacity crowd at the Wankhede. However, Indian captain Sourav Ganguly went about his business without much fuss as he was involved in vital partnerships with Sehwag, Dinesh Mongia and Mohammad Kaif as he took his team to within 65 runs of victory.

Ganguly’s dismissal in the 37th over brought England back into the game as it triggered a mini collapse of sorts. The Indian lower order crumbled under pressure as the English emerged eventual winners by 5 runs.

#3 India vs South Africa, 2005/06 ODI Series

Rahul Dravid was the architect of India’s victory

In a series that was played against the backdrop of the Chappell-Ganguly controversy, South Africa had an unassailable 2-1 lead going into the final game of the series. India had no chance of winning the series and had their backs to the wall having received a very hostile reception from the crowd in their previous game at the Eden Gardens (Ganguly’s home ground).

Given that every game in the series so far had been won by the chasing team, Indian skipper Rahul Dravid won the toss and opted to field first. An impressive opening spell by Irfan Pathan made run scoring difficult for the South Africans as they lost both their openers with just 36 runs on the board. Thereafter, Jacques Kallis brought all his experience into play as he weathered the storm and forged crucial partnerships with Ashwell Prince and Mark Boucher.

The off spin of Harbhajan Singh was equally effective in the middle overs as the Proteas just could not get going even with wickets in hand. In the end, Kallis’ 91 off 146 balls and Shaun Pollock’s cameo in the death overs, took them to 221/6 in 50 overs.

In only the second over of the Indian innings, Makhaya Ntini dismissed Gautam Gambhir, thereby silencing the vociferous Wankhede crowd. A stroke-filled partnership of 45 between Sehwag and Tendulkar followed as the duo looked to take the game to the opposition camp.

However, when Sachin was dismissed in the 18th over with the score reading 83/3, it seemed as if visitors had clawed their way back into the game. Thereafter, a crucial partnership of 79 runs between Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh took India out of the woods. Dravid remained unbeaten till the very end and deservedly hit the winning runs as India levelled the series and more importantly achieved a moral victory of sorts.

#4 India vs Australia, 2007/08 ODI Series

Zaheer was India’s unlikely hero with the bat

After the high of winning the inaugural World T20 only a month back, Indian captain MS Dhoni and his youth brigade were brought back to earth by an Australian team on the rampage. They had already lost the 7-match series 4-1 and had only pride to play for in the series finale at the Wankhede. Australia, on the other hand, were eager to hand another drubbing to the Indian team so as to stamp their authority on the 50-over format of the game.

Team India got off to the best possible start as Zaheer Khan trapped Michael Clarke in front of the wickets off the very first delivery of the match. However, Australia recovered soon thereafter as their skipper Ricky Ponting forged vital partnerships with Adam Gilchrist and Brad Hodge. At 117/2 in 19.4 overs, the Aussies seemed in complete command and looked set for a big score.

That was when Murali Kartik struck to get rid of Hodge. Soon, he spun a web around the Australian batsmen, just the way he did it in the famous 2004 Mumbai test, as one Australian batsmen after another kept falling to his trickery with the ball. Australia were dismissed for a mere 193 in 41.3 overs as Kartik finished with figures of 6/27.

Chasing small totals is always tricky and India experienced is first hand as some disciplined bowling from the Australian pace battery left them high and dry at 64/6. However, a defiant partnership of 65 between Robin Uthappa and Harbhajan Singh brought the Indians back into the game. Soon the duo were dismissed within a gap of 4 overs and it seemed as if all was lost for the chasing team.

India then found an unlikely batting hero in Zaheer Khan as the left arm seamer took his team to victory in the company of Murali Kartik as the pair added 52 runs in 62 balls. Kartik was chosen as the Man of the Match for his all-round heroics.

#5 India vs Sri Lanka, The Final, World Cup 2011

India lifted the World Cup Trophy at the Wankhede in 2011

This match needs absolutely no introduction as its conclusion fulfilled the dreams of a billion Indians. In a tournament where they were touted favorites from the very beginning, Dhoni’s men played like a team possessed and achieved the ultimate pinnacle of cricketing glory. In doing so, they became the first ever home team to lift the World Cup.

On their way to the final, both India and Sri Lanka had lost just a single game and had looked like two very balanced teams. This was therefore expected to be the ultimate showdown between the tournament’s two best teams. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Lankans found it difficult to get going thanks to some disciplined bowling from the Indian bowlers which was ably complemented by their fielders.

Though wickets kept falling at regular intervals, Mahela Jayawardene secured one end as he tried to impart some much-needed impetus to the Sri Lankan innings. His stroke-filled 103 off just 88 balls and cameos from Nuwan Kulasekara and Thisara Perera meant that the islanders posted a more than decent total of 274/6 in 50 overs.

In their pursuit of the stiff target set for them, the Indians were rocked early as they lost both their openers with just 31 runs on the board. Thereafter, the Delhi duo of Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli steadied the ship as they added 83 runs for the 3rd wicket. However, Dilshan took a brilliant return catch off his bowling to send Kohli back.

After the fall of Kohli’s wicket, much to everybody’s surprise, an out of form MS Dhoni promoted himself ahead of an in form Yuvraj Singh. The decision though turned out to be right as Gambhir and Dhoni took India to within 51 runs of the victory. Though Gambhir missed out on a well deserved hundred, Dhoni and Yuvraj ensured that there were no further hiccups as India overhauled the Sri Lankan total with ease.