Top 10 cricket matches at Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Almost every country is associated in the cricketing world with an iconic stadium. They endear to the fans and the players as well who are usually eager to make a mark at the venue with their performances. If it is Lord’s for England and MCG for Australia, Eden Gardens in Kolkata tops the list for India. The Eden Gardens played host to its very first Test way back in 1934 and went on to become only the second venue in the world to host a World Cup final in 1987.
Previously, the Eden Gardens had a seating capacity of over 100,000 which was then trimmed down to 66,000 following renovation before the 2011 World Cup. Despite the move, Eden Gardens is still the largest cricket stadium in the country and the second-largest in the world just behind MCG. It is currently the home venue for IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. Over the years, the stadium has witnessed some classic encounters across all formats of the game which will stand the test of time. We pick the best ten here:
Also read: Top 10 cricket matches at Wankhede Stadium
#10 India vs Pakistan - 2004 ODI
Another high-octane India-Pakistan clash at the Eden Gardens, another loss for India! This one-off platinum jubilee ODI in 2004 will be best remembered for Salman Butt's excellent composure at the age of 20 in just his sixth ODI against his side's biggest rivals.
Chasing a daunting 293 for victory, Butt began in positive fashion fetching boundaries at regular intervals. His partnership with Shoaib Malik almost took the game away from India at the halfway mark before the hosts managed to dismiss Malik for a well-made 61. Few overs later, luck was smiling on their side as Butt retired hurt on 68 as the match was once again back in balance.
Skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq though had other plans as he struck a majestic 75 and he had Butt for company, as the left-hander returned to the crease after Mohammad Yousuf's wicket to complete his century. Pakistan comfortably won with one over to spare.
Yuvraj Singh's belligerent 62-ball 78 earlier in the evening went in vain for India. There were also contributions from Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman and hometown hero Sourav Ganguly as India posted 292 on the board, which proved to be a touch short in the end.