[ad_1]
The last time Australia had not reached the semifinal of the World Cup was, ironically, in their own backyard in 1992. They came into the 2011 edition as the three-time defending champions, unbeaten during their title runs in 2003 and 2007. Pakistan ended their winning streak in their final Group A tie in Colombo, but Ricky Ponting’s side was equal favourite when it lined up against India in the quarterfinal in Ahmedabad.
India’s campaign had gathered momentum after an iffy start, but they had their task cut out when Ponting and Mahendra Singh Dhoni walked out for the toss at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera on March 24. Ponting did his side a good turn by calling right and promptly opted to bat on a dry surface where both spin and reverse-swing would be significant factors. India had to showcase discipline with the ball and flair with the bat if they were to keep their hopes of a second World Cup title alive.
Australia’s innings revolved primarily around their indomitable captain. At his best, Ponting was a force of nature, an attacking batter who picked gaps with consummate ease and dealt in boundaries. But Ponting seldom was at his best in India, defeated by the slowness of surfaces, the sluggishness with which the ball came on to the bat, and by Harbhajan Singh, the excellent off-spinner who seemed to have his number.
As the ball softened, Ponting cast his ego aside and focused on building an innings. But apart from opener Brad Haddin, who weighed in with 53, he didn’t find any support worth the name as Zaheer Khan used the knuckle ball and reverse with telling effect and was well supported by the spin trio of Harbhajan, R Ashwin and Yuvraj Singh.
David Hussey struck significant blows in the final fifth of the innings while adding 55 for the sixth wicket with Ponting, whose measured 104 only contained seven fours and a six. Australia’s innings ground to a halt at 260 for six, par for the course given the conditions and the strength of India’s batting.
Like he had done all tournament long, Sachin Tendulkar got off to a blazing beginning, picking off boundaries at will off Brett Lee and Shaun Tait. Gautam Gambhir was a willing ally and the two half-centurions appeared to be taking the game away but, typically, Australia fought back, chipping away at the middle order. When Dhoni was caught at point by Michael Clarke cutting Lee, India still needed 74 for victory with Suresh Raina, the last of the recognised batters at No. 7, striding out to join Yuvraj.
Raina had only been roped in from the previous match against West Indies and was immediately confronted by a crisis, but he stood his ground when the Aussie pacers understandably peppered him with the short ball. India eked out the occasional boundary to ensure the chase didn’t get out of hand; seated in the press box, one could palpably sense the shift in momentum when Yuvraj smashed the fiery Tait over point for a majestic four. It oozed class, power, purpose and intent. There still was much work ahead of the sixth-wicket pair, but with that one stroke, the balance of power tilted India’s way.
The next over from Lee confirmed that belief. Three fours, the second courtesy wonderful improvisation from Yuvraj who got down low to squeeze an excellent yorker to the third-man fence, roused the full house into deep-throated approbation and Australian shoulders dropped, not just metaphorically.
Yuvraj batted with the calmness and composure that characterised his entire tournament whereas Raina was cheeky and brazen, taking the odd calculated risk to keep Australia on the back foot. The packed gathering started counting down the runs as the clock began to run out on Australia’s grip on the title. Yuvraj, the Player of the Match, fittingly finished the chase off in style, backing away and thrashing Lee through the covers with 14 deliveries to spare to power India to their first World Cup win over Australia since 1987. He slumped mid-pitch, arms akimbo, waving his bat furiously. The mighty Aussies had been conquered, a new champion would be crowned after 12 long years.
Brief scores: Australia: 260 for six in 50 overs (Shane Watson 25, Brad Haddin 53, Ricky Ponting 104, David Hussey 38 n.o.; R Ashwin 2-52, Zaheer Khan 2-53, Yuvraj Singh 2-44) lost to India: 261 for five in 47.4 overs (Sachin Tendulkar 53, Gautam Gambhir 50, Yuvraj Singh 57 n.o., Suresh Raina 34 n.o.) by five wickets. Player of the Match: Yuvraj Singh.
[ad_2]
Source link