India 261 for 9 (Yuvraj 62, Sehwag 59) beat South Africa 251 for 6 (Gibbs 116, Kallis 97) by 10 runs
Scorecard

An incredible match ended with a hopeless slog from Lance Klusener, which went straight down Mohammad Kaif's throat at long-off. India had, against all odds, sneaked a win in a contest that seemed far beyond them.

After 36 overs of their run-chase, South Africa needed only 71 from 84 balls with nine wickets in hand – an asking rate of five an over. Herschelle Gibbs had powered a hundred, Jacques Kallis was batting with a sedate half-century, and their partnership had put together 177. Surely, India had no hope.

Then, it all unravelled for South Africa. In the 37th over, Gibbs retired hurt for 116 with an attack of cramp in both hands, after he had asked for a runner five overs earlier. A couple of quiet overs followed, before Harbhajan Singh brought India back into the contest with a double strike in the 39th over.

First, he had Jonty Rhodes (1) caught by Yuvraj Singh – an outstanding one-handed diving catch to pluck a top-edged sweep at full stretch – and three balls later, Boeta Dippenaar holed out to Anil Kumble for a duck (194 for 3). The asking rate had suddenly soared to over six, and with Kallis refusing to take any risks, India sensed a comeback.

Then came Sourav Ganguly's master-stroke. He tossed the ball to Virender Sehwag. His five-over spell ensured that India won the match, and Sehwag grabbed the Man of the Match award.

Bowling with superb control and denying the batsmen easy hits, Sehwag choked the runs at a time when the asking rate had climbed to eight. Mark Boucher skied a slog-sweep for 10 (213 for 4), while Klusener struggled to get the ball off the square. The Indians were excellent at the death, but South Africa were strangely listless. Kallis didn't attempt to get more than a single until the last over – when he slog-swept Sehwag for six – and Klusener stroked the ball straight to the fielders with amazing consistency.

The 47th over, by Sachin Tendulkar, went for nine, but India immediately pulled it back, with only nine more coming from the next two overs, from Sehwag and Zaheer.

The last over began with 21 required, and Kallis caused Indian hearts to flutter with a sweep for six off the first delivery. But Sehwag hit back next ball, when another similar stroke lobbed off the pads for Dravid to take an easy catch. Kallis's 97 had taken all of 133 balls, and in the final analysis his reluctance to take charge might have cost the match.

South Africa were rarely troubled in the first 35 overs of their run-chase. After Graeme Smith left for 4 to an amazing catch at point by Yuvraj (14 for 1), Gibbs and Kallis tucked into the Indian attack with gusto. Gibbs was sublime with his cover-drives and pulls, while Kallis played the supporting act to perfection. The Indian spinners, expected to be effective on a pitch which afforded assistance, were toothless as both batsmen swept them to distraction.

The only chance came when Kallis, then on 31, edged Kumble to VVS Laxman at slip. The catch was spilled, and the pair never looked back. Gibbs motored to his century off 98 balls – it was only the third time in his last eight innings that he had passed 15, and all three times he went on to make a hundred. It seemed all too easy, till a combination of cramp, Harbhajan, Sehwag and nerves struck. South Africa had no answer to this deadly mix.

Earlier, India seemed to have fallen 20 runs short after winning the toss and opting to bat. Sehwag continued where he had left off against England, creaming five fours in Shaun Pollock's first three overs on the way to a 58-ball 59, as India raced past 100 in the 16th over.

A total around 300 was likely, but India stuttered in mid-innings, losing Laxman (22), Sehwag and Tendulkar (16), who was run out by Rhodes attempting a suicidal single.

It was again left to the lower-middle order to resurrect the innings. Dravid (49) and Yuvraj (72) put together a fine stand of 72, mostly through cleverly placed singles and twos. Yuvraj smashed a couple of breathtaking pull-shots off Allan Donald, but fell in the 49th over, from Pollock. Pollock picked two more wickets in the over, as India ended on a disappointing note.

Three-quarters of the way into the run-chase, it seemed all over for India. Then, the incredible revival began.

S Rajesh is sub editor of Wisden.com in India.

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