- 21st Jan 2007, 17 Years ago on this Day
- India vs West Indies at Nagpur
- Pepsi Cup 1st ODI
Staying away from Oneday Cricket for 16 Months, Sourav Ganguly made a remarkable entry in ODI Cricket with a Great Knock. Things were not easy for him as he had to face a lot of Troubles during that tenure. Team Management was against him including the Coach. Just 2 months before the World Cup and there were lots of confusion in the Team about the Top 11. Rather that Sourav Ganguly’s inclusion in the World Cup 2007 Team was also in confusion. But, he already made comeback in Test in December 2006, where he had a Great Tour of South Africa where he was the Leading Run-getter in that Series for India.
That was the First ODI Match between India & West Indies at Nagpur and that was the First ODI Match in the Year 2007. The entire nation were waiting for Sourav Ganguly to make a comeback. Ganguly smashed 98 (110 Balls 11 Fours 3 Sixer) and announced his re-arrival in ODI. Gautam Gambhir in spectacular form as well, the new opening combination put a rollicking 144 for the opening wicket which was the first century partnership for India in ODIs for close to nine months. Finally Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rahul Dravid provided a lustrous polish at the end of the innings, pillaging 119 off the last 11.5 overs and India managed to score 338/3 in 50 Overs.
The way he played it never seemed that he was playing an ODI game after a Long Gap. But the Great Innings was overshadowed by a stunning unbeaten 149 by Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
- WI 324/8 (50)
- India 338/3 (50)
- India won by 14 Runs