NEW DEHLI:
India will play defending champions Australia in a mouthwatering World Cup quarter-final clash after the hosts battled back to beat the West Indies comfortably.
India scored 268 courtesy largely to a century by in-form Yuvraj Singh but lost their last six wickets for just 36 runs, raising fresh concerns over their ability to make the most of strong starts by their powerful top order.
West Indies crumble
But the West Indies, who had made a strong start to their reply in Chennai thanks largely to 81 from Devon Smith, crumbled alarmingly from a promising position of 154 for two to 188 all out, handing India victory by 80 runs. West Indies’ last seven batsmen mustered a feeble 15 runs between them with a top score of six as they were bowled out with seven overs remaining. Zaheer Khan was the pick of the Indian bowlers, with three for 26. Yuvraj took two for 18.
Their disastrous collapse echoed a speedy demise against England, adding to growing doubts over the ability of the West Indies to perform under pressure. They have not beaten a major nation in a One-Day International since 2009.
Man-of-the-match Yuvraj’s maiden World Cup century helped revive a 38,000-capacity crowd at Chidambaram Stadium who had been stunned into silence by the early loss of Sachin Tendulkar. With the pressure of having to win to qualify off for both teams, many hoped to witness cricket history by seeing Tendulkar score his 100th international century in the concluding Group B match.
But Ravi Rampaul, who took five wickets, had him caught behind for just two off the last ball of the first over. Australian umpire Steve Davis rejected Rampaul’s raucous appeal but a sporting Tendulkar walked off anyway.
Sammy to bring out A-game
West Indies captain Darren Sammy admitted that his men will need a radical improvement against Pakistan.
“We are in the knockout stages and that was our first objective,” said Sammy.
“But we need to bring our A-game against Pakistan. We will have to pick things up.”
India fired up for Aussie challenge
India captain MS Dhoni vowed his team will be at their best when they face defending champions Australia in the World Cup quarter-finals.
While India will tackle Australia in Ahmedabad on Thursday, the West Indies take on in-form Pakistan in Dhaka on Wednesday in the opening quarter-final tie.
“We will be at our best for the quarter-finals,” said Dhoni.
“Australia are a very strong side and very impressive on the field. But it’s about how we prepare for the game to achieve what we want.
“In the process, we hope to give our best.”
Dhoni praised strike-bowler Zaheer Khan, whose three wickets included the key dismissal of opener Devon Smith who had made 81 when he was clean-bowled, a wicket which precipitated the West Indies collapse.
“He changed the game. He got the breakthrough by getting rid of Smith. Once we got his wicket, we were able to put pressure on all the batsmen at both ends.”
All-rounder Yuvraj was man of the match as he overcame illness to help his team to victory and doubled-up in pain during his innings.
“I had stomach cramps and I was struggling in the morning but I was just worried about the match and the team,” said Yuvraj.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2011.
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