India’s Greatest Underdog Victory: The 2002 NatWest Final That Changed Everything

🗓 Date: July 13, 2002

📍 Venue: Lord’s Cricket Ground, London

🏆 Match: India vs England – NatWest Series Final

🏏 The Setup: A High Hill to Scale

• The scene was set on a summer afternoon at Lord's. England had just put up a daunting 325/5 in 50 overs. Back in the early 2000s, this score seemed almost impossible to beat — in a final. India even with stars like Tendulkar, Ganguly, and Dravid, had a habit of coming up short in big games.
• Marcus Trescothick's smooth 109 and Nasser Hussain's tough century formed the backbone of England's innings. For Hussain, this was his first and hundred in ODIs. Often criticized for his batting, Hussain showed his pride by pointing to his name on his shirt, a move that showed his strength and belief.
• The odds looked stacked against India. They needed to score 326 runs to win a high-stakes final at cricket's most famous ground. Never before had they chased down such a big total.

💥 A Blazing Beginning - And Then the Collapse

• India though, had different plans — at least at the start.
• Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag began with a bang. Ganguly always the bold captain, challenged England's bowlers. Sehwag true to his daring nature, smashed boundaries without effort. India sprinted to 106/0 in just 14 overs, and suddenly, the unthinkable seemed within reach.
• But then the wickets fell — quick and harsh.
• Within 10 overs, India lost five batsmen. Sehwag, Mongia, Dravid, Tendulkar, and Ganguly all went down. From a strong position, they now struggled at 146/5. England closed in, and India's middle order crumbled under the strain.
• Viewers at home turned off their TVs. Commentators let out deep breaths. One more final, one more letdown — or so everyone believed.

🧢 The entry of the Young Guns-Yuvraj and Kaif

• At the crease are two young men, Yuvraj Singh, and Mohammad Kaif.

• What followed was sheer magic.

• The flamboyance of Yuvraj and the in-your-face grit and determination of Kaif formed a century partnership that electrified India's chase. They played fearless cricket, taking on the English attack with unshakable confidence and class.

💔 Twist in the Tale – Yuvi Falls

• After playing an astonishing 69 off 63 balls, Yuvraj Singh was dismissed. The game then became tense again. In the meantime, Mohammad Kaif proved to be the game's most important player and stayed on to baby-sit the tail.

💪 The Winning Moment

• Two runs were needed by India that was chased by none other than Kaif, the cool-headed man.

• The moment that seemed to be beyond grasp had finally been achieved on the final run in the highest chase in the history of the nation at Lord's.

🏹 The Chest-Out Statement

• Then came that moment. Sourav Ganguly has bare torso and stands on the balcony of Lords, tearing his shirt and waving it in wild celebration.

• It was not merely a celebration. It was a message. The underdogs had come, and they had come to win.

🌟 The Match's Legacy

Another milestone created and this match witnessed the first steps of a revolution.

• A young, comparatively inexperienced team believed in the ability to win.

• The mindset progressed — from being hopeful to fearless.

• Kaif and Yuvraj became legends in one night.

This game sparked a fresh wave of cricket enthusiasts and players. It kicked off Sourav Ganguly's bold style of captaincy setting the stage for India's rise to power in the 2000s and later years.

To this day, if you ask an Indian cricket fan, they'll share where they were when Kaif scored the winning runs.

❤️ Final Thoughts

• The 2002 NatWest Final was not a mere cricket match; it was an epochal moment. A reminder that the underdogs could stand up, that belief changes everything, and that one single win can galvanise an entire generation.