Cricket: India Win A Thriller In Nagpur, Draw Level With Australia!
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George Bailey Ecstatic |
India beat Australia by
6 wickets in a high scoring thriller in Nagpur today and drew level in the ODI
Series. India’s much talked about batting strength clicked in the right time and
with tremendous contributions from Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli
and MS Dhoni prevented Australia from running away with a straight Series win. This was despite a record-breaking 156 by Australian captain George Bailey earlier.
Aussie skipper George
Bailey broke records during his brilliant 156 runs off just 114 balls. He
became the only Australian batsman or captain to score the highest total runs
in a bilateral series. Imagine, Bailey was selected to lead Australia just because Michael Clarke was preserved for the Ashes Series. With Watson he gave the momentum to the innings and
Australia were just unstoppable. Desperate for a win to stay alive in the
series India were facing an uphill task with Australian fast bowlers ready to
take the opportunity to do India in and win the series straight.
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Shikhar Dhawan Firing All Cylinders |
Thanks to the Indian
batting marvel, openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan started steadily and
then crafted a brilliant partnership of 178 runs in the 30th over
giving a fitting reply to the mammoth challenge. Johnson and McKay went for lot
of runs with Finch taking the surprise wicket in the form of Rohit Sharma (79
off 89). Going great guns Dhawan notched up a breathtaking century, but fell
exactly at 100 off 101 balls to Faulkner making it 234/2 in the 36th
over. The game
was still wide open as Virat Kohli who raced to his half century and Suresh
Raina went about their job. They carried on in full glory adding 50 runs in
less than six overs and kept the asking rate under control. At 289/2 in 42
overs India needed 61 runs in 48 balls which was quite manageable with
eight wickets remaining. But in the 43rd over Suresh
Raina (16 off 15) fell to Mitchell Johnson bringing the question as to why he should
come before captain Dhoni in the batting order to the fore again. More trouble
for India in that same over as Yuvraj Singh was bowled by a fired-up Johnson
for a duck making it 290/4 still needing 61 runs in 7 overs. The game was heading for an
exciting finish.
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Man of the Match Virat Kohli |
The Indian
captain and vice-captain took full charge confronting an asking rate almost
going beyond control. Virat Kohli, arguably a Tendulkar in the making, brought
up his 17th ODI hundred off just 61 balls and finally made it 20
runs in 12 balls for a victory for India. From that position India could not possibly
lose. They made it run-a-ball in the last over and achieved a magnificent and
thrilling victory over Australia by 6 wickets with 3 balls to spare. Virat
Kohli, match winner along with Shikhar Dhawan, remained unbeaten with 115 runs
in 66 balls and MS Dhoni at 25 not out off 23 balls. Now with both teams at 2-2
the last match on November 2 in Bangalore is going to be a not-to-miss
blockbuster. The Scorecard:
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