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July 12, 2002 | 1105 IST

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Tennis legend Pete Sampras once gave away the secret to his success. He said, his coach, the late Tim Gullikson, had once told him not to bother much about what happens during the match; 'just win the last point'.

If only someone passes on the same message to the Indian cricketer team, Sourav Ganguly's boys could break the jinx of losing one-day tournament finals when they take on England at Lord's on Saturday.

Since the 1999 World Cup in England, India and Zimbabwe are the only Test teams who have failed to win a one-day tournament with two or more teams involved.

If that piece of information is appalling and distressing, here is more: Before Australia won the 1999 edition of the World Cup, it was tied with India for the maximum one-day tournament titles - 17 each.

Since then, India has appeared in seven tournament finals and lost all (India lost two finals against Pakistan before the World Cup in England).

Despite four convincing wins in the league phase of the NatWest Tri-Series, India seems a tad jittery about the final, a fact made apparent by Ganguly, who called for a best-of-three final after India had made sure of a place in it.

Ganguly knows the pain of losing, having led India in five of the last nine final reverses.

His first final was a game that went to script, against the New Zealand, a team that had until then never won a limited-overs tournament -- in the ICC knock-out final in Kenya.

India, batting first, piled an imposing 264, with a century by the skipper and a half-century by star batsman Sachin Tendulkar. But Kiwi all-rounder Chris Cairns played the innings of his life to snatch the game away and earn New Zealand it's maiden one-day title.

Tendulkar has a rather unflattering record in finals. In the last six finals he played in, he managed to muster up just 131 runs, at an average of 21, while Rahul Dravid, who played in all nine finals, tops the averages, scoring 337 runs at 42.

Anil Kumble, who played six of the finals, managed to pick only 5 wickets, at the rate of 42 runs per wicket.

Javagal Srinath, who played in three of the finals, managed only a single wicket, at an average of 145.

Numerous analysis and previews will fall flat on their faces when comparing the strengths of both India and England. In the end, the final will all boil down to which team manages to channelise it’s potential and possess the stomach for a fight.

England, on home turf, under the watchful eyes of coach Duncan Fletcher and skipper Nasser Hussain, is another commodity.

For India, the law of averages might just catch up and solve the finals jigsaw it is caught in.

A look at India's performance in the nine finals they have played.

  • How the top guns fared in the past 9 finals
  • Top performances for India during the past 9 finals
  • Tournaments results since 1999 World Cup
  • Country-wise breakup of tournaments won since 1999
  • India vs Pakistan

    Match report
    Pepsi Cup, Bangalore - 4/04/99
    Pak won by 123 runs

    Pakistan 8/291
    Inzamam-ul-Haq 91, Shahid Afridi 65, Moin Khan 35
    SC Ganguly 2/35, BKV Prasad 2/37, AB Agarkar 1/63
    India 168
    AD Jadeja 41, NR Mongia 27*, RS Dravid 25
    Azhar Mahmood 5/38, Shoaib Akhtar 2/22


    Captains: Wasim Akram, AD Jadeja
    Toss: Pakistan
    Umpires: S Venkataraghavan, KA Parthasarathi
    Man of the match: Azhar Mahmood (Pak)


    India vs Pakistan

    Match report
    Coca Cola Cup, Sharjah - 16/04/99
    Pak won by 8 wickets

    India 125
    SC Ganguly 50, AB Agarkar 20, RR Singh 15
    Wasim Akram 3/11, Azhar Mahmood 2/31, Arshad Khan 1/24
    Pakistan 2/129
    Inzamam-ul-Haq 39*, Saeed Anwar 30, Shahid Afridi 24
    A Kumble 2/28


    Captains: M Azharuddin, Wasim Akram
    Toss: India
    Umpires: KT Francis, DB Hair
    Man of the match: Wasim Akram (Pak)


    India vs West Indies

    Coca Cola Cup, Kallang - 7/09/99
    No result

    India
    6/149 SR Tendulkar 40, RS Dravid 29, SC Ganguly 23
    RD King 3/25, CA Walsh 1/21, M Dillon 1/38

    Captains: SR Tendulkar, BC Lara
    Toss: India
    Umpires: DB Hair, RE Koertzen
    Match was abandoned after rain stopped play and replayed the next day


    India vs West Indies

    Coca Cola Cup, Kallang - 8/09/99
    WI won by 4 wickets

    India 6/254
    RS Dravid 103*, N Chopra 61, SC Ganguly 46
    NO Perry 3/65, CA Walsh 1/19, RD King 1/44
    West Indies 6/255
    RL Powell 124, NO Perry 38*, JC Adams 21
    DS Mohanty 3/33, N Chopra 2/43, A Kumble 1/51


    Captains: SR Tendulkar, BC Lara
    Toss: West Indies
    Umpires: DB Hair, RE Koertzen
    Man of the match: RL Powell (WI)


    India vs South Africa

    Match report
    LG Cup, Nairobi (Gym) - 3/10/99
    SA won by 26 runs

    South Africa 9/235
    HH Gibbs 84, WJ Cronje 39, DN Crookes 25 R Vijay Bharadwaj 3/34, BKV Prasad 2/21, DS Mohanty 2/36
    India 209
    MSK Prasad 63, RS Dravid 30, AD Jadeja 30
    DN Crookes 3/47, SM Pollock 2/28, L Klusener 2/33


    Captains: WJ Cronje, AD Jadeja
    Toss: India
    Umpires: EA Nicholls, G Sharp
    Man of the match: HH Gibbs (SA)


    India vs New Zealand

    Match report
    ICC Knockout, Nairobi (Gym) - 15/10/00
    NZ won by 4 wickets

    India 6/264
    SC Ganguly 117, SR Tendulkar 69, RS Dravid 22
    SB Styris 2/53, NJ Astle 1/46, GI Allott 1/54
    New Zealand 6/265
    CL Cairns 102*, CZ Harris 46, NJ Astle 37
    BKV Prasad 3/27, A Kumble 2/55, SR Tendulkar 1/38


    Captains: SC Ganguly, SP Fleming
    Toss: New Zealand
    Umpires: SA Bucknor, DR Shepherd
    Man of the match: CL Cairns (NZ)


    India vs Sri Lanka

    Match report
    Champions Trophy, Sharjah - 29/10/00
    SL won by 245 runs

    Sri Lanka 5/299
    ST Jayasuriya 189, RP Arnold 52*, RS Kaluwitharana 15
    SC Ganguly 1/15, SR Tendulkar 1/28, SB Joshi 1/33
    India 54
    RR Singh 11, HK Badani 9, SR Tendulkar 5
    WPUJ Vaas 5/14, M Muralitharan 3/6, DNT Zoysa 1/21


    Captains: ST Jayasuriya, SC Ganguly
    Toss: Sri Lanka
    Umpires: DJ Harper, G Sharp
    Man of the match: ST Jayasuriya (SL)


    India vs West Indies

    Match report
    Coca Cola Cup, Harare - 7/07/01
    WI won by 16 runs

    West Indies 6/290
    D Ganga 71, CL Hooper 66, S Chanderpaul 50
    RS Sodhi 2/31, A Nehra 2/60, Harbhajan Singh 1/35
    India 8/274
    SS Dighe 94*, RS Sodhi 67, RS Dravid 30
    CD Collymore 4/49, CH Gayle 2/54, M Dillon 1/31


    Captains: CL Hooper, SC Ganguly
    Toss: India
    Umpires: ID Robinson, RB Tiffin
    Man of the match: CD Collymore (WI)


    Sri Lanka vs India

    Match report
    Coca Cola Series, Khettarama - 5/08/01
    SL won by 121 runs

    Sri Lanka 5/295
    ST Jayasuriya 99, DPM Jayawardene 57, RP Arnold 52
    Harbhajan Singh 2/29, V Sehwag 2/58, Zaheer Khan 1/58
    India 174
    VVS Laxman 37, SS Dighe 23, HK Badani 22
    CRD Fernando 2/32, M Muralitharan 2/32, WPUJ Vaas 2/41

    Captains: ST Jayasuriya, SC Ganguly
    Toss: Sri Lanka
    Umpires: EAR de Silva, TH Wijewardene
    Man of the match: ST Jayasuriya (SL)


    South Africa vs India

    Match report
    Standard Bank, Kingsmead - 26/10/01
    SA won by 6 wickets

    India 183
    RS Dravid 77, V Sehwag 34, RS Sodhi 22
    JM Kemp 3/20, SM Pollock 2/19, M Hayward 2/38
    South Africa 4/187
    G Kirsten 87, JH Kallis 39, HH Gibbs 21
    SR Tendulkar 2/27, Harbhajan Singh 2/48


    Captains: SC Ganguly, SM Pollock
    Toss: South Africa
    Umpires: IL Howell, DL Orchard
    Man of the match: SM Pollock (SA)

    Average India:
    India's average score in the last 9 finals - 189.44
    Opposition's average scores in last 9 finals - 249.55
    India's average score batting first - 206.50
    India's average score batting second - 175.80
    Average wickets taken by India - 5.66
    Average wickets taken by opposition - 8.88
    Toss won by India - 3 (Batted first once, batted second twice)

    How the top guns fared in the past 9 finals
    Batsman M Runs Avg
    SR Tendulkar 6 131 21.83
    RS Dravid 9 337 42.13
    SC Ganguly 10 300 30.00
    Bowler M Wkts Avg
    A Kumble 6 5 42.80
    J Srinath 3 1 145.00
    Harbhajan Singh 3 5 22.40
    (Includes the final washed out by rain and replayed the next day vs WI at the Kallang (7-9-99))

    Top performances for India during the past 9 finals
    Batsman Runs Vs M No. Series Venue
    SR Tendulkar 124* Zim 7 1998-99 Sharjah
    SC Ganguly 117 NZ 10 2000-01 Nairobi (Gym)
    RS Dravid 103* WI 5 1999-00 Kallang
    SS Dighe 94* WI 7 2001 Harare
    RS Dravid 77 SA 10 2001-02 Kingsmead
    SR Tendulkar 69 NZ 10 2000-01 Nairobi (Gym)
    RS Sodhi 67 WI 7 2001 Harare
    SC Ganguly 63* Zim 7 1998-99 Sharjah
    MSK Prasad 63 SA 7 1999-00 Nairobi (Gym)
    N Chopra 61 WI 5 1999-00 Kallang
    SC Ganguly 50 Pak 7 1998-99 Sharjah
    Bowler Wkts B Series Venue
    BKV Prasad 3-27 42 2000-01 Nairobi (Gym)
    DS Mohanty 3-33 52 1999-00 Kallang
    R Vijay Bharadwaj 3-34 48 1999-00 Nairobi (Gym)
    J Srinath 3-40 60 1998-99 Sharjah

    Results since the 1999 World Cup
    Season Tournament Participating teams M Won by
    1999 World Cup Aus, Ban, Eng, Ind, Ken, NZ, Pak, Sco, SA, SL, WI 42 Aus
    1999-00 Aiwa Cup Aus,Ind,SL 7 SL
    1999-00 Coca Cola Cup Ind,WI,Zim 5 WI
    1999-00 LG Cup Ind,Ken,SA,Zim 7 SA
    1999-00 Champions Trophy Pak,SL,WI 7 Pak
    1999-00 Carlton & United Aus,Ind,Pak 14 Aus
    1999-00 Standard Bank Eng,SA,Zim 9 SA
    1999-00 Coca Cola Series Ind,Pak,SA 7 Pak
    1999-00 Cable & Wireless Pak,WI,Zim 9 Pak
    1999-00 Asia Cup Ban,Ind,Pak,SL 7 Pak
    2000-01 Singer Cup Pak,SA,SL 7 SL
    2000 NatWest Eng,WI,Zim 10 Eng
    2000-01 Three Nations NZ,Pak,SA 4 SA
    2000-01 ICC Knockout Aus, Ban, Eng, Ind, Ken, NZ, Pak, SA, SL, WI, Zim 10 NZ
    2000-01 Champions Trophy Ind,SL,Zim 7 SL
    2000-01 Carlton & United Aus,WI,Zim 14 Aus
    2000-01 ARY Gold Cup NZ,Pak,SL 7 SL
    2001 NatWest Aus,Eng,Pak 9 Aus
    2001 Coca Cola Cup Ind,WI,Zim 7 WI
    2001 Coca Cola Series Ind,NZ,SL 10 SL
    2001-02 Standard Bank Ind,Ken,SA 10 SA
    2001-02 Khaleej Pak,SL,Zim 7 Pak
    2001-02 LG Cup SL,WI,Zim 7 SL
    2001-02 Carlton & United Aus,NZ,SA 14 SA
    2001-02 Sharjah Cup NZ,Pak,SL 7 Pak
    2002 NatWest Eng,Ind,SL 8 *

    Country-wise breakup of tournaments won since 1999
    Country Won
    Sri Lanka 6
    Pakistan 6
    South Africa 5
    Australia 4 - including World Cup
    West Indies 2
    New Zealand 1
    England 1
    India none

    Statistics: Mohandas Menon

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