Yuvraj onslaught overwhelms England
Friday, 21 September 2007
DURBAN, South Africa, Sept 20 (Cricinfo): Yuvraj Singh did a Garry Sobers on his way to an astonishing 12-ball half-century as India's batsmen eviscerated the English bowling at Kingsmead. England's response was a hard-hitting one, but with no one able emulate Yuvraj, India held on for an 18-run victory that kept alive their hopes of a place in the semi-finals. Vikram Solanki, Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood tilted at the windmill for a while, but a fine spell from Irfan Pathan ensured that England went home with no wins in the Super Eights.
India finished with 218 for 4, with Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir also making fifties, but everything that went before was eclipsed by the penultimate over in which Yuvraj came out swinging against a hapless Stuart Broad. There had been an altercation of sorts with Andrew Flintoff at the end of the previous over, and Yuvraj took out his ire on the white ball. The first ball was sent soaring over midwicket and nearly out of the ground, and the second flicked behind square. After an effortless loft over extra-cover and another biff behind point off a poor full toss, you could sense the frisson of excitement around the ground.
Paul Collingwood and Broad had a chat, but it didn't help, as an on-bended-knee effort over midwicket was followed by another huge swipe over wide mid-on. Six balls, six sixes, 36 runs, and utter humiliation for an English team that had already exited the tournament.
They hadn't started badly, with James Anderson, Flintoff and Broad bowling tidily early on as India struggled to force the pace. There was one majestic pull for six by Gambhir off Broad's bowling and the singles came along often enough though, but it was the introduction of the lesser bowlers that precipitated a ruthless assault.
India 218 for 4 (Sehwag 68, Yuvraj 58) beat England 200 for 6 (Collingwood 28, Pathan 3-33) by 18 runs
India finished with 218 for 4, with Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir also making fifties, but everything that went before was eclipsed by the penultimate over in which Yuvraj came out swinging against a hapless Stuart Broad. There had been an altercation of sorts with Andrew Flintoff at the end of the previous over, and Yuvraj took out his ire on the white ball. The first ball was sent soaring over midwicket and nearly out of the ground, and the second flicked behind square. After an effortless loft over extra-cover and another biff behind point off a poor full toss, you could sense the frisson of excitement around the ground.
Paul Collingwood and Broad had a chat, but it didn't help, as an on-bended-knee effort over midwicket was followed by another huge swipe over wide mid-on. Six balls, six sixes, 36 runs, and utter humiliation for an English team that had already exited the tournament.
They hadn't started badly, with James Anderson, Flintoff and Broad bowling tidily early on as India struggled to force the pace. There was one majestic pull for six by Gambhir off Broad's bowling and the singles came along often enough though, but it was the introduction of the lesser bowlers that precipitated a ruthless assault.
India 218 for 4 (Sehwag 68, Yuvraj 58) beat England 200 for 6 (Collingwood 28, Pathan 3-33) by 18 runs