2004 Champions Trophy Final: Winning it the Calypso way

Lara’s captaincy was also the raging topic of debate with many questioning his captaincy skills. In a world where Lara symbolised élan, he was just as suddenly made out to be a pariah. Thus it was only justified that the West Indian run-chase and subsequent victory was as significant for Lara as it was overwhelming for the entire West Indian cricketing outfit.

The term ‘overwhelming’ quite described the West Indian run-chase. When the West Indies’ top order crumbled – in a manner not so dissimilar to the English – England seemed to have accomplished the task. Wavell Hinds was the first to be dispatched at 19, followed by Sarwan at 35. Soon, Gayle and Lara followed the openers, leaving behind Chanderpaul to come up with an act emulating Trescothick, with only the tail-enders to support him.

The unexpected loss of Chanderpaul’s wicket however, at 147, clearly caused the game to change in England’s favour. Victory seemed at hand for England with just two wickets to go, and 71-runs still required. A partnership developing at this late stage too seemed unlikely. After all, what could two bowlers do to fight-back when more seasoned batsmen had failed before them?

Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw however, did just that. Defying expectations, and overcoming visibility problems due to the absence of floodlights, these two bowlers stood tall in the face of the English bowlers, snatching away all possibilities of victory that England may have harboured. Their ninth wicket stand netted them the victory in the 49th over even as England wondered about their loss of hold on the match.

A comprehensive win with the right amount of audaciousness, the moment when the West Indians held the Champions Trophy came to be etched in the minds forever. The tournament’s scheduling may have been wrong with the most ill-suited venue hosting the finals. But in the end none of that mattered. West Indies had conquered it all, in spite of all the odds stacked against them from the very start of the tournament.