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SPORTS JULY 21, 2023 | The Indian Eye 41

ODI WORLD CUP 2023

Looking back at the southpaw magic of

Sourav Ganguly at World Cup stages

OUR BUREAU
Mumbai
ourav Ganguly, one of India
and world cricket’s greatest
Sentertainers and a bold cap-
tain under whose leadership Men in
Blue instilled in themselves a nev-
er-seen-before winning mentality,
turned 51 on Saturday.
While Ganguly has scored
18,575 runs across 424 international
cricket matches, including over 7,000
runs in Tests, his stronger format was
ODIs. He represented India in 311
ODIs, scoring 11,363 runs at an av-
erage of 41.02. He has scored 22 cen-
turies and 72 half-centuries in 300
innings with the best score of 183.
He is the ninth-highest run-scorer
in ODI cricket and the third-highest
run-scorer for India in ODIs. Gan-
guly is the fourth-fastest to 7,000
(174 innings), 8,000 (200 innings)
and 9,000 ODI runs (228 innings)
and third-fastest to 10,000 ODI runs
(263 innings). Sourav Ganguly in action at 1999 World Cup (File photo)
While Ganguly has played nu-
merous match-winning knocks in
various bilateral series, Ganguly was 1998 ICC Knockout fifty. Ganguly started off with a flu- 58.12, with three centuries.
India’s ultimate clutch player in ICC India managed a semifinal po- ent 66 in pre-quarters against Kenya, In the semifinal against Kenya,
tournaments. sition in this knockout event. In the but could score only 24 against Aus- Ganguly struck a match-winning 111*.
He has played 21 Cricket World third QF against Australia, he could tralia in QFs. Then he managed 141 In the final, he scored just 24 runs.
Cup matches, in which he has scored score just one run. He had a better against South Africa in the semis and
1,006 runs at an average of 55.88. outing against West Indies in semi- 117 against New Zealand in final, in 2004 ICC Champions Trophy
He has four centuries and three finals, scoring a commendable 83, a losing effort. In the 2004 Champions Trophy,
half-centuries, with the best score though in a losing effort. So in two India did not make it to the semi-
of 183. Ganguly has also played 13 matches, he scored 84 runs at an av- 2002 ICC Champions Trophy finals. He scored 90 runs in two in-
matches for India in the Champions erage of 47.00, with one fifty. ICC Knockout underwent a nings at an average of 45.00, with
Trophy, scoring 665 runs at an av- change in format and name in 2002. best score of 90.
erage of 73.88, with three tons and 1999 Cricket World Cup Ganguly scored 143 in three innings
three fifties in 11 innings and best This WC marked Ganguly’s de- in five matches at an average of 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup
score of 141*. but at the biggest stage of them all. 71.50, with one century. In the semi- This tournament marked Gan-
In all, he has played 34 ICC The ‘Prince of Kolkata’ emerged as final against South Africa, he scored guly’s final WC appearance and In-
tournament matches for India, scor- the third-highest run-scorer for India 13 and in the final against Sri Lanka, dia failed to give one of its best ser-
ing 1,671 runs at an average of 61.88 in the tournament, scoring 379 runs in he did not bat as rain washed out the vants the farewell he deserved. India
across 32 innings. He has scored sev- seven innings at an average of 54.14, game and both teams shared trophies. was out in round one itself and Gan-
en centuries and six half-centuries at with one century and one fifty. His best guly scored 162 runs in three matches
ICC tournaments, with a best score score was 183. India failed to qualify 2003 Cricket World Cup at an average of 54.00, with two fifties
of 183. for knockout stages of the tournament. This World Cup was Ganguly’s and the best score of 89.
Beneath all these statistics, an un- peak as a batter and he took India to Now, talking about the knock-
derrated aspect of Ganguly’s game is 2000 ICC Knockout the finals of the tournament, where out stage matches, Ganguly played in
his brilliant record in knockout stage Ganguly was the top-run scorer they lost to Australia. But Ganguly nine innings, scoring 580 runs which
matches at ICC events. Here is a look in this tournament. He scored 348 emerged as the second-highest scor- came at an average of 82.85, with
at how he has fared in the ICC tour- runs in four matches at an average er in the tournament, scoring 465 three centuries and two fifties and a
naments and its knockout matches. of 116.00, with two centuries and a runs in 11 matches at an average of best score of 141*.

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