In the innings of his life that took India to an astonishing win, Mohammad Kaif's unbeaten 87 unfurled with calm strokeplay on both sides of the wicket. Forty-five runs were coaxed from the off side, while most of his pickings on the on side came in the midwicket region. Twenty-seven runs came in that area. Kaif battered Darren Gough, England's strike bowler and Nasser Hussain's last hope, for 27 runs off 16 balls. That KO turned the late tide effectively in India's favour. Even Virender Sehwag had managed only 12 off the 22 balls he faced from Gough.

Gough, like other England bowlers, bowled too full to Kaif in the climax and suffered. Kaif smashed 23 of his 27 from Gough while playing him on the front foot. Overall, the 22 full-length balls the English bowlers bowled to him went for 32 runs, 64 percent of the runs Kaif got playing forward. He comfortably worked away the good-length balls too, helping himself to 39 runs off 44 deliveries to ensure that the asking rate always remained achievable.

Seventy-eight percent of his shots went as intended, an exceedingly high ratio in such a cut-throat one-day match. It was controlled aggression from an exceptionally cool head taking calculated risks. Only four of his runs came with him stepping down the wicket and he had an appreciably low dot-ball count of just 33 percent.

Kaif was the only specialist batsman in the Indian side apart from Rahul Dravid (who lasted 12 balls) who did not play-and-miss even once. Fittingly, he ensured that India didn't miss in the last lunge to the target.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd