India versus West Indies -- Final
Saturday, 7th July, 2001

Chris Gayle and Darren Ganga came out on speed. Both were beaten initially -- Gayle very badly, by Nehra -- but neither allowed it to get to them. Time and again, the two openers planted their front foot well forward, set themselves, and hit flamboyantly on the rise and on the up, taking on the swing and seam and negating it by the power they packed into their swings.

Colleymore has, after his initial days of wanting to be a tearaway, come back in a big way with his emphasis on line and length. Yet again in this game, he -- rather than the pacier of the Windies quicks -- made the real difference.

Dighe has been earning raves from John Wright for temperament -- today, the keeper-batsman gave the coach more reason to cheer, shifting gears from the steady accumulation he indulged in during Sodhi's tenure, into an aggressive mode once Mohanty joined him. Of the shots during this phase, a short arm jab at a Hooper delivery that blasted it over wide long on for six, immediately followed by a roundhouse swing for yet another six over wide midwicket, got the crowd cheering as India got to 246/8 after 46.

India versus West Indies Game 6
Wednesday, 4th July, 2001

Once Sourav Ganguly got the range on his shots, he began batting like his old self. And nothing could stop him. Colin Stuart, the new bowler tried out by the Windies in place of the economical Cameron Cuffy, found himself confronting a changed Indian captain, and got taken for two fours in succession in his very first over. The next over had Dillon smashed, first ball, for six by Sachin over midwicket, to bring up the 53 of the partnership off just 46 balls -- and the game at that point was as good as won.

Darren Ganga had a let off in the 31st over when some bad calling and running saw him short of his ground when Tendulkar, the bowler, took off the bails. The umpire was in no position to judge, but decided against the appeal rather than ask for the third umpire's ruling. However, in the very next over Ganga was out., Hinds played one in front on the off, looked to sneak the single and Indian keeper Dighe did well to race around, pick up and throw the stumps down before Ganga made his ground.

Zimbabwe versus West Indies Game 5
Saturday, 1st July, 2001

Heath Streak to bowl the last over with Marlon Samuels on strike. The over which would decide whether the Zimbabwe would stand a chance of reaching the finals against India. The Windies required 5 runs of the final over. Ridley Jacobs, the 'Man Friday' for the West Indies got them home high and dry with a four of the second last delivery. The final over was the hot moment of the match.

Grant Flower upped gears and took on himself the onus of run-scoring. With Guy Whittall slipping into the strike-rotator's role, Grant opened out in a blistering assault, whacking Merwyn Dillon for two big sixes and kicking the innings into high gear. His innings of 94 off 107 balls dragged Zimbabwe back from the brink and pushed it into a good position. A hot moment of the match.

India versus West Indies Game 4
Saturday, 30 June, 2001

Harvinder Singh, playing his first match of the tour, triggered things off in the second over, when he produced an awayswinger that hit line of middle and straightened, to trap Chris Gayle bang in front as the opener played defensively from the top of his crease. The very next over saw Debashish Mohanty strike. The open chested bowler has the knack of making the ball go either way, which early in an innings can cause problems. It did here, as Darren Ganga seemed unsure of whether the ball was coming or going, tried to shut the bat face and work an awayswinger to leg, got the leading edge and gave Ritender Sodhi at extra cover an easy take. The West Indies never recovered from the early setback.

Sachin Tendulkar did just what was required to keep the run-rate within reach, without ever over-reaching himself and helped guide the team past the winning post, with six wickets and as many overs in hand.

Tendulkar walked back with 81 off 110 balls to his name -- and not a false shot in there. Wonder if he thinks he's proved his point, or if this is going to be the new face of the erstwhile blaster? Truly a hot moment.

India versus Zimbabwe Game 3
Tuesday, 27 June, 2001

Ganguly took 15 deliveries for his first run. Runs, rather. But with the foot to the pitch of the ball, the sublime timing and the full face of the bat, ‘Dada’, as he is affectionately called by his teammates, found the fence. And with it his form.
A straight punch of the very next delivery with the mid-off fielder playing spectator re- confirmed the belief.

The highlight of the Dravid-Ganguly partnership was easily the over in which Ganguly reached his 50 by thumping a straight drive of his opposite number past mid-on. Shifting gears soon after with the alacrity of an F1 driver, Ganguly deposited the next ball into the stands for maximum.
With a ferocious drive to the fence off the last ball from Dravid, Whittal’s over fetched 16 runs and put India in the driver’s seat.

Grant Flower's introduction into the attack brought the hottest moments of the match. Ganguly danced down the track and lofted the ball only for Campbel to hold on to the catch and almost roll over the boundary ropes. The third umpire confirmed the catch and Ganguly was on his way back to the pavilion, compiling 85 runs of 124 balls. India were coasting at 183/3.

With the match almost in India’s pocket, Grant Flower decided to change the script and in the same over claimed Badani, who played all over the ball, yorking himself in the process for no score. India were 187/4 in the 40th over, another 48 runs away from a place in the finals.
Sehwag tried to sweep Flower, got a top-edge and was caught at deep-square leg for two. The brittle Indian batting line-up at 193/5 was rocking. Grant Flower claimed his fourth wicket when he had Dighe caught of his own bowling with India requiring another 24 runs in 27 balls.

India versus Zimbabwe Game 2
Sunday, 24 June, 2001

In the 27th over, Andy Blignaut pushed to cover, Retinder Sodhi substituting for Laxman raced in from mid off, dived, fielded and threw on the dive to knock the stumps down with skipper Heath Streak well short of his ground and Zimbabwe slumping at 82/7.

Zaheer Khan -- lately ignored in the second Test -- returned to his natural position as a lead bowler, and like Nehra, hit length and line right away. And struck, twice, in his third over, the sixth of the innings. An angled delivery lifted off length and seamed away just enough to force Stuart Carlisle, shaping to play on the up, to edge for Laxman at second slip to take a very sharp low catch. The last ball of the same over again lifted off length. And Grant Flower, captain for yesterday's game against the Windies, tried to keep it down and managed only to chop it on to his stumps.

The formalities were completed in the 27th over. Badani (52 off 85 balls) swung a four to complete his own fifty and, in the process, take India past the home side's total to complete a comprehensive 9-wicket win. The last time India had a 9-wicket win was also against the same side in Kanpur last November.