Australia vs India, Final at Sharjah, Apr 24 1998 - Ball by Ball Commentary

down the wicket again, and Kanitkar hits it over point to end a second final with a boundary. India have beaten Australia for the first time in a tournament final. Australia's six-match winning streak comes to an end

Kanitkar down the wicket, pushes this to cover, and they steal a single. Plus the overthrow

short of a length, just outside off, pushed in front of point, and they take a single

short of a length, outside off, opens the face on it, takes the single and keeps the strike

straight length ball, hit to mid-on, and he says no to the single as Australia are looking to cut the singles out

swing and a miss outside off as Jadeja looks to seal the deal here

slower ball, too full, whipped into the leg side, and he comes back for the second. They have gone up to the third umpire. It is Bevan's throw in from deep square leg, and he has made it just in time

full and swinging down leg, dug out into a hole into the leg side and they come back for a couple. Under 10 required now

short of a length, runs off the outside edge as he opens the face on this

wide down the leg side. Oh it is not. He has been given out. I am rubbing my eyes here. India are not playing Australia here. They are playing Umpire Akhtar, and coming up short. This is a big wide down the leg side, and apropos of nothing, Akhtar raises his finger to give him out caught behind

slower ball outside off, hits his inside edge and goes to short midwicket

tries another whip across the line. Six feet either side of that midwicket, and the target would have been under 10 by now. This one he has drilled it straight to the fielder

full, middle and leg, worked away into the leg side. Another run ticked off

flicked to leg, wide enough of mid-on for them to get the single

nobody is kicking anything here except Azhar. He takes a length ball and uses his wrists to swat it over midwicket for four that should release all the pressure

Fleming is kicking the ground as Bucknor rules not out on this lbw appeal. And his kick comes pretty close to where Azhar is running. This ball has nipped back in from just outside off, and hit him on the knee roll in front of middle and leg. It is a good shout, but he is not dead plumb. The umpire - with a reputation of being a not-outer - shakes his head. And Fleming's kick nearly gets Azhar, who is calm and changes his direction. Imagine someone like Aamer Sohail or Navjot Sidhu. This could have got ugly. Azhar, though, has his eyes set on the bigger prize: the win

swinging down leg, but they steal the leg-bye here as the ball goes towards short midwicket

soft hands to a length ball outside off, gets a single in front of point

full and straight, dug out to mid-on for a single

wristy square-drive, square of deep cover, comes back for two. No they have kept the two fastest Indian runners down to one. Good fielding