After more than twenty years of exclusion from international sports due to its apartheid policies, South Africa made its return to international cricket towards the end of 1991, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India playing a pivotal role in facilitating this comeback. In November 1991, during their inaugural One-Day International series, South Africa demonstrated impressive skills and strategic acumen, proving that cricket remained vibrant and active in the nation despite its prolonged absence from the international arena.

India secured a narrow 2-1 victory in that series; however, South Africa did not extend any leniency four months later during their first World Cup appearance in 1992. Under the leadership of Kepler Wessels, a former Australian player, South Africa achieved a comfortable six-wicket win in a rain-affected match in Adelaide, maintaining their unbeaten streak against India in global tournaments with another straightforward four-wicket victory in Hove during the 1999 World Cup.

As the two teams prepared for their semifinal clash in the ICC KnockOut Trophy in Nairobi on 13 October 2000, they were acutely aware of their shared objective of restoring credibility and regaining the trust of their supporters. Hansie Cronje, South Africa’s long-time and charismatic captain, had been expelled from the sport in disgrace a few months prior due to his involvement in the match-fixing scandal, which had repercussions that resonated throughout South Africa, mirroring the turmoil faced by India during that period.

India's victory in the quarterfinals against Australia, spearheaded by the young talents Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan, had somewhat alleviated the nation's earlier despondency. However, in the semifinals, the seasoned players asserted their dominance, eliminating the defending champions from the tournament. It is often overlooked that South Africa, despite their unfortunate history in World Cups across both the 50- and 20-over formats, had claimed the inaugural ICC KnockOut Trophy in Bangladesh in 1998, where they triumphed over the West Indies by four wickets, with Hansie Cronje leading a successful chase of 246 runs, scoring an unbeaten 61.

Two years later, although Cronje was absent, the team, led by Shaun Pollock and featuring a wealth of all-round talent such as Jacques Kallis and Lance Klusener, had decisively defeated England in the quarterfinals. However, they encountered a different challenge against India when Sourav Ganguly chose to set a target. Ganguly initially played a supporting role to his former opening partner Sachin Tendulkar during a partnership of 66 runs, but soon asserted his dominance, reaffirming his status as one of the greatest openers in One Day Internationals.

At their peak, Tendulkar and Ganguly formed an indomitable partnership, which Pollock and Roger Telemachus experienced firsthand. Following Tendulkar's dismissal by Kallis, Ganguly unleashed a barrage of boundaries, with only the exceptional Allan Donald and Klusener managing to contain him slightly. Meanwhile, Rahul Dravid was beginning to unlock the secrets of One Day cricket, contributing a vital 58 runs in a second-wicket partnership of 145 with his captain. A third successful partnership developed between the left-handed Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh, who had recently dazzled with an impressive 84 against Australia in the quarterfinals. They added 82 runs in just 59 balls, culminating in a spectacular finish, and as the innings concluded, Ganguly remained unbeaten on 141 runs (142 balls, 11 fours, 6 sixes), leading his team to a total of 295 for six.

The target set was substantial, requiring a significant effort to overcome a revitalized and sharp Indian bowling attack characterized by a commendable mix of youthful energy and seasoned experience. Zaheer Khan, one of the standout performers in the quarterfinal rout of Australia, made an immediate impact in his opening spell by dismissing opener Andrew Hall and Boeta Dippenaar in the third and fifth overs, respectively, during South Africa's innings. The run-out of Gary Kirsten, occurring between Zaheer's two wickets, severely unsettled South Africa, which struggled to establish any partnerships or gain momentum as the required run rate continued to rise.

Zaheer's early aggression was further enhanced by the skill and experience of Anil Kumble, who effectively contained the middle order and had the dangerous Lance Klusener caught behind. Additionally, Sachin Tendulkar showcased his brilliance, taking wickets with his captivating classical leg-spin. Jonty Rhodes managed a brief resistance with 32 runs, while Mark Boucher, batting at No. 6, was the top scorer with 60 before falling to Ganguly. However, no other batsman managed to reach 30 runs. As a result, South Africa collapsed to a total of 200, with nine overs remaining, marking India's first entry into the final of a global tournament since their victory in the 1985 World Championship of Cricket in Australia.

Brief scores: India: 295/6 in 50 overs (Sourav Ganguly 141 n.o., Sachin Tendulkar 39, Rahul Dravid 58, Yuvraj Singh 41; Allan Donald 2-34, Jacques Kallis 2-71) defeated South Africa: 200 all out in 41 overs (Jonty Rhodes 32, Mark Boucher 60, Lance Klusener 29; Zaheer Khan 2-27, Anil Kumble 2-28, Sachin Tendulkar 2-32) by 95 runs. Player of the Match: Sourav Ganguly.

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