5 most riveting Series/Tournament finales played at the Wankhede

#4 India vs Australia, 2007/08 ODI Series

Zaheer was India’s unlikely hero with the bat

After the high of winning the inaugural World T20 only a month back, Indian captain MS Dhoni and his youth brigade were brought back to earth by an Australian team on the rampage. They had already lost the 7-match series 4-1 and had only pride to play for in the series finale at the Wankhede. Australia, on the other hand, were eager to hand another drubbing to the Indian team so as to stamp their authority on the 50-over format of the game.

Team India got off to the best possible start as Zaheer Khan trapped Michael Clarke in front of the wickets off the very first delivery of the match. However, Australia recovered soon thereafter as their skipper Ricky Ponting forged vital partnerships with Adam Gilchrist and Brad Hodge. At 117/2 in 19.4 overs, the Aussies seemed in complete command and looked set for a big score.

That was when Murali Kartik struck to get rid of Hodge. Soon, he spun a web around the Australian batsmen, just the way he did it in the famous 2004 Mumbai test, as one Australian batsmen after another kept falling to his trickery with the ball. Australia were dismissed for a mere 193 in 41.3 overs as Kartik finished with figures of 6/27.

Chasing small totals is always tricky and India experienced is first hand as some disciplined bowling from the Australian pace battery left them high and dry at 64/6. However, a defiant partnership of 65 between Robin Uthappa and Harbhajan Singh brought the Indians back into the game. Soon the duo were dismissed within a gap of 4 overs and it seemed as if all was lost for the chasing team.

India then found an unlikely batting hero in Zaheer Khan as the left arm seamer took his team to victory in the company of Murali Kartik as the pair added 52 runs in 62 balls. Kartik was chosen as the Man of the Match for his all-round heroics.