• This was the 2004th match in One-Day International cricket history.
• Abhijit Kale (right handed batsman & off-break bowler) was making his international debut for India. He became 152nd Indian to play ODI cricket.
• Virender Sehwag was captaining India for the first time in his 71st match. He became 18th Indian to captain India in a match.
• At 24 years 178 days, Sehwag became the third youngest Indian to lead a side after Sachin Tendulkar (23 years 126 days v Sri Lanka at Colombo RPS on 28-08-1996) and Kapil Dev (23 years 249 days v Sri Lanka at Amritsar on 12-09-1982.
• The second wicket partnership of 34 runs between Mahrab Hossain and Habibul Bashar was Bangladesh’s best for this wicket against India. This obliterated the previous record stand of 31 between Athar Ali Khan and Minhajul Abedin at Mohali on 14-05-1998.
• The seventh wicket partnership of 24 runs between Akram Khan and Khaled Mahmud was Bangladesh’s best against India bettering the 13-run stand between Aminul Islam and Khalded Masud at Dhaka on 10-01-1998.
• The tenth wicket partnership of 25 runs between Tapash Baisya and Tareq Aziz equalled Bangladesh’s highest for last wicket against India. Anisur Rahman and Saiful Islam had also added 25 runs at Sharjah on 05-04-1995.
• The sixth wicket partnership of 26 runs between Yuvraj Singh and debutant Kale was India’s best for this wicket against Bangladesh obliterating the previous best of 23 between Robin Singh and Hrishikesh Kanitkar at the same ground on 10-01-1998.
• Gautam Gambhir won his maiden MoM award in his third match.

(Article: Copyright © 2003 Rajneesh Gupta)