New Delhi: Two young teams, two young captains—both chasing their first-ever Champions Trophy title.
What followed was a final packed with twists, exceptional performances, and a thrilling chase that ended in New Zealand’s first major ICC triumph on 15 October, 2000 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Twenty-five years on, the two sides are set to lock horns once again in another high-stakes final Sunday at the Dubai International Stadium.
India, aiming for its third Champions Trophy title after victories in 2002 and 2013, will look to extend its dominance, while New Zealand will hope to take its fans on a nostalgic trip back to 2000, when the Champions Trophy was called the ICC KnockOut Trophy.
Strong start for India
Winning the toss, India had elected to bat first, a decision that seemed promising given their batting firepower.
The opening duo of Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar got off to a brisk start, with both batters capitalising on the fielding restrictions. Tendulkar, who had been in sublime form throughout the tournament, played some trademark strokes before perishing for 69 runs off 83 balls, giving India a strong platform.
However, the star of the Indian innings was Sourav Ganguly, who formed a crucial 141-run partnership with Tendulkar. Ganguly went on to score a magnificent 117 off 130 balls, studded with nine fours and four sixes.
Despite being on the backfoot, New Zealand bowlers did not lose their composure. Chris Harris and Scott Styris kept things tight towards the end, restricting India to 264.
NZ’s man in shining armour
When New Zealand came in to bat, their top order crumbled under pressure. Indian right-arm medium-fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad struck early, removing Craig Spearman and skipper Stephen Fleming, with the Black Caps struggling at 37/2.
With three wickets down and the required run rate creeping up, Chris Cairns walked in to rescue New Zealand.
Cairns, already carrying an injury, played one of the most defining innings in Champions Trophy history. He took calculated risks against the Indian bowlers, capitalising on anything short or overpitched, and hitting boundaries at regular intervals.
Even as wickets kept falling at the other end, Cairns stood firm.
When New Zealand required 54 off the last 10 overs, Cairns found support from Harris (46 off 64 balls) on the non-striker’s end.
Eventually, it came down to four runs needed off four balls. Ganguly handed the ball to Venkatesh Prasad, hoping for a last-minute miracle. But Cairns lofted the ball over mid-on for a boundary, sealing a historic and thrilling four-wicket victory for New Zealand.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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