Cricket Classics - Part V : 2007 ICC ODI World Cup Final
Hello, fellow Sports Enthusiasts,
Cricket is not just a sport between two teams; it's a battle of skills, strategy, and capitalizing on clutch moments. Although the game has transformed over the decades, it has never failed to impress us or leave us with unforgettable moments.
So, through this series, I will present some of the most iconic cricket matches that have made fans jump out of their seats. Let's remember those legendary games once a week.
The 2007 ICC ODI World Cup was easily the best season for me. The theme song, the atmosphere in Barbados, and the competition between the teams made it unforgettable. It was in my problem-free childhood, and I remember waking up early to watch the matches.
It was the 9th edition of the ICC World Cup, hosted by West Indies from 13 March to 28 April 2007. 16 teams competed in the tournament, with 4 groups in the first round. The top two of each group advanced to the Super 8. We saw some early upsets as India and Pakistan were knocked out in the group stage. In the Super 08, each team played for 06 matches, except against the team from their group.
Top 04 from this, Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and South Africa, moved to the semis. Australia won the match against South Africa pretty easily, with 07 wickets and 111 balls remaining. And Sri Lanka sealed the other Final spot beating NZ by 81 runs, with a magnificent century from the captain Mahela. So, it was another final between Australia and Sri Lanka, after 1996, where Sri Lanka became the champions.
Anyway, this time Ricky Ponting's Australia team consists of different types of beast. They came as two-time defending champions being clear favorites. Gilchrist, Hayden, Ponting himself, Andrew Symonds, Clark, Michael Hussey, Brad Hogg, Nathan Bracken, Shaun Tait, Glenn McGrath, the whole team was a nightmare. And proving that, they came to the final with an undefeated record throughout the tournament.
And on the other hand, Sri Lanka was also a fearless team, that could attack the above team. Jayasuriya, Sangakkara, Mahela, Dilshan, Muralidharan, Vaas, Malinga & the co. came to the finals as silent killers.
Look at the final stats of the tournament. It's a battle between Sri Lanka and Australia.
The final was played on 28 April 2007 at the Kensington Oval, Barbados. But the match was delayed due to rain & reduced to 38 overs per side. With still rain becoming a huge factor, Australia won the toss and chose to bat, unfortunately, for Sri Lanka.
Then comes one of the most destructive innings in World Cup history, by Adam Gilchrist. He just destroyed our hopes scoring 149 off 104 balls including 13 fours and 8 sixes. He was out of form throughout the tournament, and later it was revealed that he used a squash ball inside his glove to improve his grip. It was not prohibited legally, but very questionable about the ethics in the gentlemen's game. They ended up scoring 281/4 in their 38 overs, after all.
It was not an easy chase against that balling attack, and weather conditions for Sri Lanka. With the rain once again, the target was revised to 269 in 36 overs according to the Duckworth-Lewis method. After losing Tharanga, the first wicket in the second over, Sangakkara and Jayasuriya carried the innings nicely. They both scored half-centuries and added 116 runs together for the second wicket.
After Sangakkara was gone, Jayasuriya carried the momentum. He was a nightmare to the ballers in that era, if something was to happen, he was the man. But unfortunately, he balled out for a very lower-bounced ball. Then the wickets started to fall regularly, and with bad light, rain, and everything we lost the match by 53 runs. We could only score 215/8 in 36 overs.
So, it was Australia’s Third Consecutive Title. They won this tournament undefeated, with 11 overall wins. Adam Gilchrist became the Player of the match and Glenn McGrath from Australia became the player of the series. So, it was clear dominance from the Aussies.
See you at the next episode!! You can always suggest a match to discuss in the next episode.
src - 2007 Cricket World Cup final
Thank you.
Best Regards!
