Despite final loss against Australia, 2003 World Cup is still special for Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly recalled Team India's ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 campaign. The eighth edition of the quadrennial event was held in South Africa. The Men In Blue had won nine of their 11 matches and co-incidentally lost their two matches to the then mighty Australians in the league stage and then in the all-important final.

'2003 World Cup has a special place': Sourav Ganguly

While interacting with Indian Test opener Mayank Agarwal in a video posted on the official handle of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Dada went on to say that the campaign in 2003 holds a special place as the side dominated every other team apart from Australia.

"2003 World Cup has a special place, we got smashed by Australia in the finals, they were the best team in that generation as I have said before, beating every team in the tournament except for Australia, I thought it was a great achievement," Ganguly said.

 

When Ponting & Martyn shattered the great Indian dream

India had made it to their first-ever World Cup final after a long wait of 20 years. The Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly won the toss and elected to bowl first. His decision eventually backfired as the Aussies scored 15 runs in the first over bowled by Zaheer Khan and then there was no looking back as destructive openers Matthew Hayden (37) and Adam Gilchrist (57) added 105 runs for the opening wicket. Skipper  Ricky Ponting (140*) and Damien Martyn (88) put on 234 runs for the third-wicket stand to bat India out of the contest as the Aussies ended up scoring a mammoth 359/2 in their 50 overs. 

In reply, India lost the prized wicket of Sachin Tendulkar in the very first over when he was caught & bowled off Glenn McGrath. Virender Sehwag (82) and the then vice-captain Rahul Dravid (47) gave some hope with an 88-run stand. But once Sehwag was run out and Dravid was bowled, it was only a matter of time before the Aussies ran through the Indian middle and lower order to bundle the 1983 winners out for 234 in 39.2 overs. 

READ: Sourav Ganguly Picks Virat Kohli And Rohit Sharma In His 2003 World Cup Squad

(Image Courtesy: AP)