Top 5 International Innings in a Tournament Final in a Losing Cause

3. Nasir Hussain 115 & Marcus Trescothik 109 vs India (NatWest Series, 2002):

England’s innings of 325 for five, their fourth-highest in this form of the game, had inspired drama of its own. In his 72nd innings, Hussain reached his first one-day international century, a dogged but scratchy innings, full of miscues and failed reverse sweeps.
When he reached three figures, from 118 balls, he embarked on an impassioned series of gestures to the press box, where several commentators – “ex-players”, Hussain later said – had questioned his position in the batting order. Hussain held up three fingers and gesticulated angrily to the No. 3 on the back of his shirt. It was pure theatre, and almost overshadowed an outstanding display from Trescothik, who added a joyous 185 for the second wicket with Hussain in just 177 balls. Trescothik moved to a 40-ball half-century, his most memorable shot a flick for six over mid-wicket off Zaheer, and motored to his third one-day century in 89 balls with some hammer-on-anvil cover-drives. Flintoff bullied 40 off 32, and England had rewarded Hussain’s decision to make first use of a belter.

Four senior Indian batsmen were all back in the pavilion early in the chase, and only Yuvraj Singh, aged 20, and Mohammad Kaif, 21, stood between England’s bowlers and the tail.

But Yuvraj played some punishing strokes off the back foot, Kaif was all wrists through mid-wicket, and the pair added 121 in less than 18 overs. When Yuvraj top-edged a sweep to short fine leg, Harbhajan helped add a quick 47 with Kaif to take India to the brink, but Flintoff tilted the balance once more with two wickets in the 48th over.

Even so, India needed just 11 runs off 12 balls. Kaif thick-edged Gough to the third-man boundary to reduce the target to two off six, and Zaheer Khan stole the winning runs with three balls remaining courtesy of an overthrow. As England’s players wandered off in a daze, the Indians celebrated in style.