India v West Indies

At Vadodara (formerly Baroda), November 18, 2002. West Indies won by five wickets. Toss: West Indies. One-day international debut: L. Balaji.

This was no day to be a ball. Both sides battered the leather at the start, consolidated, and then hiccoughed before accelerating at the end. The side that knew the target won. Sehwag mauled the bowling, helping India gain 290 even though two overs had been lost to dew. Like the Indian openers, Gayle and Hinds set off at eight an over. Hinds pummelled five sixes in a 61-ball 80, one hitting a female spectator (she reappeared, bandaged but waving cheerfully), and Gayle hustled his third hundred in four games. The bowlers might as well have been spectators, too, bar Kartik, who flighted the ball generously and was the only man to go for less than four an over.

Man of the Match: W. W. Hinds.