Venue: Motera, Ahmedabad
A high octane clash between three time defending champs Australia and favourites India. The fading Aussies vs the emerging Indians.
With a place in the semi-finals at stake, Australian captain #RickyPonting won the toss and elected to bat. Openers #BradHaddin and #ShaneWatson got them off to a steady start. #RaviAshwin broke through Watson's defence to get India their first breakthrough.
Captain Ponting (had never scored a century in India in ODIs until this day) walked in to join Haddin. Both of them steadied the ship and began to step on the gas as they crossed 100 run mark around the 22nd over. Quick wickets of Haddin, Clarke and Mike Hussey slowed things down for them. #YuvrajSingh once again delivering wickets for his captain at crucial times.
Ponting took upon himself to push the run-rate up through some exquisite strokes and boundaries. He found an able ally in #DavidHussey who cut loose to contribute 38 in just 26 balls. Meanwhile Ponting completed a memorable one day hundred for himself and was the last Aussie wicket to fall towards close of their innings. Australia compiled a respectable 250 for 6 in 50 overs.
Was this enough? Runs on the board in big games are so important.
Will the Aussie pacers put pressure on the vaunted Indian batting line up and pull off a victory to march further towards their bid for a fourth consecutive #CricketWorldCup?
Indian innings began with trademark boundaries from #SachinTendulkar and #VirenderSehwag. But, Watson got Sehwag to pull off an awkward length to get caught at square leg.
That brought #GautamGambir at the crease and he along with Sachin started pushing the innings forward. Sachin Tendulkar hit a spate of boundaries to reach yet another 50 in one day cricket.
But soon after, #ShaunTait got him to nick one behind for 53. India 94 for 2. Just like the Aussie innings, India lost their way a bit by losing wickets at regular intervals (including Virat Kohli, Gambhir and MS Dhoni). At 187 for 5, they were certainly in a spot of bother.
The Aussies sensed opportunity and planned to go for the kill. They are masters of that approach. However, today they ran into an amazingly in-form Yuvraj Singh. With #SureshRaina with him, both chipped away at the Aussie total through aggressive strokeplay.
The Australian bowlers threw everything they had at the duo but a superb cover drive off #BrettLee brought India a glorious victory and entry into the World Cup semi finals against #Pakistan.
A dejected Australian camp, their world cup juggernaut (note they had one all three world cups 1999, 2003 and 2007) but the day belonged to an emerging Indian team.
MOM: Yuvraj Singh...
Check video below to watch highlights from the match
