Yuvraj Singh exorcises the ghosts of ICC World T20 2014 final
Yuvraj Singh exorcises the ghosts of ICC World T20 2014 final
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Mahatma Gandhi’s saying befits Yuvraj Singh, the warrior who has not learned how to quit. Yuvraj smashed match-turning boundary and massive six in the final over of the 3rd Twenty20 International (T20I) against Australia at Sydney on Sunday to guide his team to the brink of a dramatic victory. His last innings in international cricket was not pleasing, as the maverick southpaw had an awful time in the final of the ICC World T20 2014 against Sri Lanka in Bangladesh. But Yuvraj left no stones unturned in his preparations and came out fighting to overcome the huge mental barrier and sculpt a spot in the national side. Suraj Choudhari opines that an in-form Yuvraj will be a boon to Indian side ahead of the 2016 World T20 at home. FULL SCORECARD: India vs Australia 2015-16, 3rd T20I at Sydney
The expectations rise to another level when Yuvraj comes out to bat; such is the reputation he carries with his name. With some furious records in his basket such as the fastest fifty in T20I cricket and six sixes in an over, Yuvraj is acknowledged as one of the finest players of the shortest format. With similar hopes, Yuvraj came out to bat at No. 4 in the final of the ICC World T20 2014 but did not manage to get going. He scored 11 runs from 21 deliveries, which restricted India to a meagre total. He was axed from the national side, but after a series of consistent performances in the domestic circuit over the last few months he got a national recall.
In the third T20I at Sydney, Yuvraj came out to bat when India needed 51 runs from 31 deliveries with a potent Raina at the other end. Initially he looked rusty, and was finding it difficult to get bat on ball. He scratched around for his first 9 balls, making just 5 runs and bringing back those unpleasant memories of the World T20 final. READ: Yuvraj Singh: The man who won India three World Cups
He was on strike with India needing 17 runs to win from the final over. Given the size of the target and the form Yuvraj was in, an Australian victory seemed on the cards. Andrew Tye was trusted with the responsibility to bowl the decisive over of the game by skipper Shane Watson. Tye steamed in and bowled a length ball on Yuvraj’s pads, which the latter successfully flicked towards fine leg for a priceless boundary. The pressure was eased off, but India still required 13 runs from five deliveries.
Tye, under pressure, bowled a near pin-point yorker, but Yuvraj played a trademark half-flick and clobbered the ball for a much-needed six over cow corner. Yuvraj was under immense pressure as he was making a comeback, and a foot wrong at this moment would have severely hurt his chances of a spot in India’s squad for the upcoming series. But with two high-pressure shots Yuvraj rekindled memories of his heydays, and all but guaranteed that he will keep his spot. FULL CRICKET UPDATES: India vs Australia 2015-16, 3rd T20I at Sydney
India have now played a total of eight matches in the entire tour and the win tally between both the teams is now even at 4-4. Indian fans and supporters would be happy to see Yuvraj back in form. With a few more matches to be played before the ICC World T20 2016, all Yuvraj requires is some more match practice. The world is aware of the amount of damage he can inflict on any opposition when on song. As of now, Yuvraj has showed some assurance and overcome an enormous mental hurdle to once again announce him on the big stage.
(Suraj Choudhari is a reporter with Criclife and CricketCountry. He is an avid follower of the game, and plays the sport at club level. He has a radical understanding about the subtle nuances and intricacies of cricket, and tries to express it through paper and pen.)