India beat West Indies by 80 runs in their World Cup Group B match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday.Score | Photos
They will now play Australia for a place in the semi-finals on Friday. Chasing 269, West Indies were bundled out for 188 in 43 overs with Man-of-the-Match Yuvraj Singh delivering an all-round performance.Yuvraj Singh scored his maiden World Cup ton and finished with figures of 4-0-18-2 to help India win.
The West Indies openers Devon Smith and Krik Edwards had batted for a few minutes when R Ashwin justified his inclusion by scalping debutant batsman Edwards. But the off-spinner had to take the help of the review to get his man after umpire had turned down his appeal. Edwards fell for 17 and West Indies lost their first wicket on 34/1 in the 7th over.
Post that wicket, the other opener Devon Smith and Darren Bravo put 57 runs for the second wicket before Suresh Raina decided to break their stand in the 17th over. Bravo played an unnecessary pull shot dragging the ball from the off and ended up giving a catch to Harbhajan Singh on 22. West Indies lost their second wicket on 91.
However, Smith was still at the crease and he along with Ramnaresh Sarwan went ahead with another timely partnership.
Eventually, Zaheer Khan got the better of Smith with his slower ball that pitched on the off and curved in to uproot his off stump. That brought an end to their 63-run partnership and Smith's innings of 81 runs. The Windies lost their third wicket on 154.
Zaheer got the much-needed breakthrough and things started falling in place for India as big-hitter Kieron Pollard too fell. He hooled out on Harbhajan Singh's ball and ended up getting caught in the deep by Yusuf Pathan on 157/4.
Next the man who performed with the bat and came around to showcase his bowling prowess. Yuvraj Singh claimed Devon Thomas in the 35th over to reduce the opposition to 160/5.
Two more wickets -- skipper Darreny Sammy and Andre Russell -- and the Windies tail was out. And when the tail-enders come to bat things get easy for the bowlers. And they did as India wrapped up the opposition on 188 with seven overs to spare.
India innings
Yuvraj Singh scored his first World Cup century as India posted 268 after a dismal start that saw Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir walk back on partly scores.
Ravi Rampaul scalped Sachin Tendulkar on two. The ball had extra bounce to it and rose to Tendulkar's throat; even as he tried to defend it the ball took the edge of his bat and keeper Devon Thomas took a clean catch. India fell to 8/1 after winning the toss.
There was more to come as a few minutes later, the other opener Gautam Gambhir, opening in place of Virender Sehwag, too fell on a Rampaul delivery. Gambhir went for a big hit but ended up giving a catch to Andre Russell in the deep. He fell for 22 and India fell to 51/2.
But, Yuvraj Singh, who has been performing well in the tournament, and Virat Kohli took the Windies bowling head on forging a partnership. However, the two had batted for over an hour that Rampaul struck again to break their 122-run partnership in the 33rd over.
The ball dipped in sharply after pitching to crash against his stumps even as Kohli tired to sweep it away. He missed and fell for 59 when the India total was 173.
But, Yuvraj Singh was still at the crease and he went on to score his first World Cup century. His ton came off 112 balls and included 10 fours and one six. But, the batsman at the other end, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has not been in form for long, soon departed with leggie Devendra Bishoo claiming his wicket in the next over on 218/4. He could only manage to put 22 runs on board.
Post Dhoni's wicket, new man Suresh Raina too fell with skipper Darren Sammy claiming his wicket 232/5. He could only increase the team total by four runs.
Finally Yuvraj Singh too fell after scoring a fine 113 off 123 balls. He wanted to smash Kieron Pollard across the fence but miss-timed the ball to Pollard who made no mistake in taking the big wicket for the day. And India were reduced to 240/6 in the 45th over.
Big-hitter Yusuf Pathan too had a brief stay at the crease and departed in the face of Rampaul's pace. India were 251/7 at the stage. Harbhajan Singh was the next to fall with Pollard taking a fine catch to dismiss him off Andre Russell's ball.
Later, Rampaul struck back to send tail-ender Zaheer Khan packing and ending with a fiver. Then Russell claimed the last man Munaf Patel to end India's innings on 268/10 on the first ball of the 50th over.
No comments:
Post a Comment