India won the toss, and Sourav Ganguly, asked Australia to bat looking to take advantage of a pitch left damp by dew and rain. At Wanderers Stadium pitch, the Australian openers took advantage of very nervous Indian opening bowlers to get off to a flying start. Adam Gilchrist (57 from 48 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) and Matthew Hayden (37 from 54 balls, 5 fours) made an opening partnership of 105 runs in 14 overs, making Dada to bring on the spinner Harbhajan Singh who broke the partnership. Ricky Ponting (140 from 121 balls, 4 fours, 8 sixes) and Damien Martyn (88 from 84 balls, 7 fours, 1 six) then completed a partnership of 234 runs in 30.1 overs. The final score of 359 (2 wickets, 50 overs).