On This Day: Sourav Ganguly's surprising 5-wicket spell during India vs Pakistan match in 1997

On September 18, 1997, Sourav Ganguly scored only 2 runs in the first innings in Toronto against archrival Pakistan but helped India to win by his inspiring bowling performance. Ganguly took 5 wickets and bundled Pakistan out for 37 runs in the second innings.

India, despite scoring a low score, won the match by 34 runs. Thanks to the accurate bowling from the Kolkata-born, who by then was assigned as the skipper of Team India. During India's visit to Canada, they met with Pakistan.

On that day, India went to bat first and produced a cold start. Ganguly, Saba Karim, and Sachin Tendulkar, then India's captain, all went back to the pavilion cheaply. Pakistan got a smooth start as Azhar Mahmood, Aaqib Javed, and Mohammad Akram were on song with a ball in hand. Mohammad Azharuddin batted brilliantly on the tricky track and scored a half century in the process. During his 67-run innings, he got significant support from Robin Singh (32) and Ajay Jadeja (20). In 50 overs and for the exchange of 6 wickets, India somehow managed to score only 182 runs.

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Ganguly, with his bowling shifted the momentum of the match 

The target was chaseable, and Pakistan had the firepower to do that. Ganguly single-handedly damaged Pakistan's middle order after Debasis Mohanty, Abey Kuruvilla, and Harvinder Singh took the top order down on the floor. Pakistan's opening partnership of Saeed Anwar (22) and Shahid Afridi (44) provided the stage Pakistan required to get the target runs.

After the dismissal of these two batters, when Pakistan looked under control, Ganguly stunned everyone. One by one, he took the wickets of Ijaz Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Hasan Raza, Moin Khan, and Aaqib Javed. Pakistan lost their 10th wicket on 148 runs, and India won the match.