Ever since Sourav Ganguly took over as the skipper of the Indian team, he not only led from the front with the bat, but also injected a lot of aggression into his players.
While the Prince of Kolkata gave Indian fans numerous moments to cherish for a lifetime, one that stands apart, is his shirt-waving celebration at Lord's balcony after Men in Blue stunned hosts England on their home soil.
Chasing a mammoth total of 326, India held on to their nerves after a middle-order collapse to register an emphatic win.
Virender Sehwag (45) and Ganguly (60) provided a solid 103-run stand for the opening wicket, but after the latter was bowled by Alex Tudor, it triggered a sudden collapse as the visitors were left wobbling at 146/5 in no time.
The Indian fans had started to walk back when Mohammad Kaif walked to the crease. Much to the shock of the local fans, Kaif (87), along with Yuvraj Singh (69), launched an incredible counter-attack as the duo stitched a match-winning 121-run partnership for sixth wicket to bring India back in game.
Kaif remained unbeaten on 87 off 75 balls and became Indian team's new hero overnight.
The moment the winning runs were scored, Ganguly took off his shirt and waved from the Lord's balcony – which was a reply to a similar celebration by Andrew Flintoff in one of the matches when England toured India.
Kaif, who was adjudged the Man of the Match for his stupendous knock, posted an emotional message on Twitter on Thursday recalling the triumph.
"15 years ago #OnThisDay , I lived a dream, a dream of a lifetime. We won the Natwest series Finals against England chasing 326 #87NotOut," he tweeted.
15 years ago #OnThisDay , I lived a dream, a dream of a lifetime. We won the Natwest series Finals against England chasing 326 #87NotOut
While Ganguly's shirt-waving celebration was a delight to watch for the fans, many senior players, including Indian cricketers, said that the gesture was uncalled for.
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