Ganguly Took India To Massive Highs As The Men In Blue Reached The Final Of The 2003 World Cup:
Sourav Ganguly is one of Indian cricket’s stalwarts. In India, Ganguly was credited with changing cricket because he set up a courageous mentality for young cricketers. The cricket brand played under Ganguly’s captaincy led India to immense heights as the Men in Blue entered World Cup final 2003, thus capturing matches and series in Australia, South Africa, and England.
Not only his captaincy made Ganguly one of the game’s greats but his elegant batting as well. Ganguly scored a multitude of runs as he became a sporting icon for his country. Ganguly produced a coveted record on this day in 2003. Ganguly was the first Indian batsman to achieve a century in an ICC World Cup knockout match on March 20, 2003.
He accomplished the accomplishment against Kenya in the semi-final game of the 2003 World Cup at Durban’s Kingsmead. India won the toss in the match, and first elected to play. The first wicket on 74 runs was delivered by the Openers Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar. Nevertheless, Sehwag (33) came out in the 19th and it was then that Ganguly came out to bat.
Ganguly And Tendulkar Put On 103 Runs For The Second Wicket:
On the second wicket, Ganguly and Tendulkar put on 103 runs. The Master Blaster was dismissed for 83, but with the aid of five fours and five sixes, the Prince of Kolkata went on to score 111 runs. In the allotted fifty overs, India made 270/4 and then bowled Kenya out for 179 to progress to the tournament final. In Johannesburg, India fell to Australia in the summit clash.
Rohit Sharma is the only other Indian batsman to achieve one century in a knockout game for the World Cup. He scored a lot in Australia’s 2015 World Cup quarter-final clash against Bangladesh.
In 2008, while playing his last game against Australia in Nagpur, Ganguly called time to his career. The former skipper finished his career in the most prolonged way with 7212 runs while he posted 11,363 runs in ODIs. Ganguly actually heads the Indian Cricket Control Board (BCCI).