My all time favorites (in no specific order):
1) The 1998 Independence Cup Final between India and Pakistan - the one where Hrishikesh Kanitkar scored the winning runs to help India beat Pakistan! My first memory of an India-Pakistan thriller. Exceptional match and the scenes after the win in my household were epic)
2) The 1999 Chennai test between India and Pakistan - that entire test match was one wild ride! From Sachin's back breaking hundred to the stunning collapse in the end to Pakistan taking laps around the stadium (at the peak of Kargil) and the Chennai crowd astonishingly rising in applause for the Pakistan team!! Though India lost that game, it was epic for many reasons
3) The 2001 Eden Gardens test between India and Australia - DUH! Many cricket fans worldwide will fondly remember this game. The Laxman double century (highest of that time), the VVS-Dravid partnership, the turnaround after a horrid first innings, bowling Australia out in 2 innings, the Harbhajan hat trick, the Tendulkar leg spin twist....
4) 2002 Natwest Final between India vs England - Another DUH! After a huge total and India losing 5 wickets (including Sachin) for almost nothing, nobody (including Kaif's own parents, who apparently switched off the game and went for a movie in a theatre) believed that India could win. But Kaif proved everyone including his own parents wrong. The celebrations (including the famous "shirt off" by Ganguly) made it really epic!
5) 2007 T20 WC Final - Was all hyped up for this game and the way it ended up was astonishing! India started off well and looked heading for a win, when Misbah turned things on its head. But the final act of Harbhajan bailing out and Dhoni throwing the ball to Joginder Sharma is part of Indian cricket folklore... And the birth of a captain who continues to inspire (and annoy, due to everyone giving him all the credits) fans!
