Sunday, March 6, 2011

World Cup 2011 : India vs Ireland...

India took on giant killers Ireland at Bangalore today. It was a packed stadium, after the Irish team's stupendous victory over England. Having won the toss, Dhoni chose to field.
Zaheer started the proceedings for India, & got immediate purchase from the pitch, as he forced Porterfield to nick one to slip in the very 3rd delivery of the match. Yusuf Pathan missed the catch, as the first run came on board. However, Zaheer, coming full steam bowled Stirling, in the very next delivery, as the crowd roared to life. In the 3rd over, Zaheer, had Joyce nicking one again, & Dhoni made no mistake behind, the score reading 9 for 2. Ireland looked in trouble, but did not give up. Porterfield along with Neil O'Brien, started to build a partnership & took the score past 100 in the 23rd over. Neil however, fell prey to a brilliant run out by Kohli for a well made 46, in the 27th over & the score at 122 for 3. With spin introduced, runs were difficult to come by, & Yuvi with his spin cast a spell over the Irish batsmen. Hero of the last match, Kevin O'Brien fell to a return catch to Yuvi, failing to control the shot, & the slide started. From a situation, where 250 looked well on the cards, the Ireland innings ended at 207, in the 48th over. Captain Porterfield contributed with a valiant 75. Most of the wickets fell to soft dismissals, as the Indian bowling lacked punch. It was Yuvi with a record haul of 5 for 31 along with Zaheer with 3 for 30, that tamed the Irish batters. These two had saved India, from an otherwise ordinary bowling effort.

Indian reply was hard fought, as Sehwag & Gambhir failed at the top. Tendulkar too got LBW playing a sweep shot, & the score read 87 for 3 in the 21st over. The Irish fielders were livewire on the ground, & runs were hard to come by. Kohli got run out needlessly, after a misunderstanding with Yuvi, & the score was 100 for 4 in the 24th over....match on. However, Yuvi along with Dhoni & later with Yusuf Pathan got India home, victorious. Pathan, actually eased the pressure with 3 massive sixes, as Yuvi patiently completed a well deserved half century. In the end, target was achieved in the 46th over, & India had won the game by 5 wickets. Yuvi became the first ever player to claim 5 wickets, his career best effort in ODIs, & score fifty runs in one match, in a World Cup encounter. Viv Richards & Paul Collingwood are the only two players, who have claimed 5 wickets & have scored a century in World Cup.

Man of the Match : Yuvraj Singh was the obvious choice with 5 wickets haul & a half century.

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