Thrill-a-minute

1. Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, 1998
After a series of practice and non-competition matches, the inaugural Wills International Cup began at Dhaka with the most thrilling of one-day internationals. Bolstered by Alastair Campbell's third ODI hundred, and a brisk 77 from Andy Flower, Zimbabwe set New Zealand a target of 259. New Zealand were reduced to 32 for 2 after 10 overs, and though Stephen Fleming played a steady hand, his slow 96 left them needing 55 runs from the last 31 balls.

Enter Chris Harris. Three fours off Neil Johnson - two to the leg side and one skied through the covers - left New Zealand needing 22 off the last two overs. Seven came from the eventful 49th over bowled by Heath Streak which featured some verbal taunts from the bowler and a close call when the third umpire ruled what seemed a six a four.

In a move that would later be criticised, Campbell tossed the ball to the rookie, Johnson, for the last over. He started with a no-ball and Harris stole a single. Debutant Alex Tait slashed a four off the second, and two singles and a bye followed. Harris dispatched the final ball imperiously through the covers for four, sealing a sensational win.

"One day cricket is a lottery," Campbell remarked, nonplussed, after the match.
New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by five wickets

2. Gymkhana Club Ground, Nairobi, 2000

This is a match remembered for the arrival of two exciting new Indian talents when other replacements were looking ragged. In the quarter-finals of the ICC KnockOut, India were off the blocks quickly thanks to Sachin Tendulkar, who mounted a breathtaking assault on Glenn McGrath, which included three sixes, and unusually, also some verbals. India had lost three quick wickets when Yuvraj Singh, all of 19 and batting for the first time at the international level, stunned the top dogs with a scintillating 84 from 80 deliveries. Fine shots all scorched the Gymkhana Club Ground as Yuvraj's innings - noted by Steve Waugh as "excellent" - carried India to 265 from 50 overs.

If Australia thought they had seen the best, they were mistaken as India turned in one of their finest fielding displays. First, Yuvraj pulled off a blinder to dismiss Ian Harvey and then, with Australia needing 107 from more than 21 overs, and with seven wickets in hand, the outstanding Robin Singh snared Ricky Ponting - top-scorer with 46 - and turned the game conclusively India's way. Yuvraj added a sublime pick-and-throw to run out Michael Bevan, a direct hit from Sourav Ganguly got Shane Lee, and then Zaheer Khan, another promising newcomer, yorked Waugh with a snorter that fans still remember today.
India beat Australia by 20 runs

3. Gymkhana Club Ground, Nairobi
This one will always be remembered as Chris Cairns's match. Playing with a dodgy right knee, he sent down 10 overs for 40 and then heroically steered New Zealand to their first limited-overs title with an innings for the ages.

An opening stand of 141 in 26.3 overs between Ganguly and Tendulkar had set India up for a total of at least 300, but Cairns helped keep things under control with an economical spell in the middle overs. Then when New Zealand themselves stuttered in their reply, Cairns took the bull by the horns and produced an unbeaten 102 in a nerve-jangling final-overs scramble. His trademarks shots were there: a straight six off Tendulkar, a bigger one off Anil Kumble, a cheeky glance down past third man. After he lost Harris, with whom he had added 122 for the sixth wicket, with nine deliveries left in the match, Cairns kept his cool to seal the win with two to spare.

"This is the greatest ever," Cairns said afterwards. "I've been playing for a few years now - getting pretty old - and this is far and away the greatest moment of my New Zealand career. New Zealand's never got to a final before, let alone won it. so this is just the best."

Thanks for the memory, big guy.
New Zealand beat India by four wickets

India v South Africa
4. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, 2002

Herschelle Gibbs: too much pressure? © Getty Images

India dodged a bullet with this one. Or rather, South Africa committed suicide. Chasing 262 for a place in the finals, South Africa were 192 for 1 after 37 overs when Herschelle Gibbs (116) retired due to dehydration and body cramps. From here South Africa, not for the first time, choked.

Just two runs later, Jonty Rhodes was brilliantly caught at leg gully by Yuvraj, Boeta Dippenaar swept Harbhajan Singh straight to fine leg, and Mark Boucher perished sweeping too - top-edging an easy catch to Yuvraj. What was normally the most productive shot against spin for the South Africans proved their downfall.

The air was thick with tension and could have been cut with the proverbial butter knife. South Africa needed 21 off the last over. Jacques Kallis nonchalantly launched Virender Sehwag into the midwicket stands, but fell trying to repeat the stroke next ball. Lance Klusener could not free his arms and managed just four more runs off the over before offering a catch off the last ball.
India beat South Africa by 10 runs

5. The Oval, 2004
In an awesome display of spirit, Ian Bradshaw and Courtney Browne, two unlikely heroes if ever there were two, stole a jaw-dropping win in the final. At 147 for 8 in pursuit of 218, West Indies looked down and out and England on their way to their first significant ODI win.

Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff had combined to skittle out the big guns, and no one would have bet on Browne, at the end of his career, and Bradshaw, no spring chicken himself, to turn the tables. But they survived, keeping the good balls out, and knocking single after single. Harmison bounced and yorked, Flintoff hustled in, but Browne and Bradshaw held on. With five overs to go, a befuddled Michael Vaughan, who had not bowled Ashley Giles all game, decided on Paul Collingwood and Alex Wharf. A boundary apiece to each batsman saw West Indies thunder home to victory with an over to spare and leave England shell-shocked. Bradshaw and Browne's football-style celebrations, skidding in on bended knee, and later walking, arms over shoulders, towards their jubilated team-mates, left hardly a dry eye in the house.
West Indies beat England by two wickets