Aggressive Yusuf Pathan takes India to thrilling 5-wicket win over New Zealand at Bangalore
Indian all-rounder Yusuf Pathan played the innings of his life to take his team to a thrilling win over New Zealand in the fourth match of the five-match ODI series.
The match played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore was a run fest with more than 600 runs scored as the Black Caps finally put in a good batting effort; one, unfortunately for them, that was eventually neutralized by the
brutality of Yusuf Pathan who tonked as many as 7 sixes in his maiden ODI hundred.
Yusuf Pathan, who recently had his contract taken away from the Board of Control for Cricket in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750, replied in the best possible way by smashing one of the great hundreds of all time.
His power-packed hitting was absolutely astonishing, with one of his sixes landing on the roof of the stadium.
Pathan shared an unbroken sixth wicket stand with Saurabh Tiwary worth 133 runs as the Indians hunted down the steep target with more than an over to spare.
The home-fans were elated as they finally got to see a closely-fought match after the mauling that Daniel Vettori’s men received in the first three matches of the series.
Earlier, the tourists posted a formidable total courtesy a second successive half century by all-rounder James Franklin.
Franklin was unlucky to miss out on a hundred as he remained undefeated on 98; he took as many as 22 runs off the last over of the innings bowled by left armer http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ashish-Nehra-c46293.
He hit two sixes in that over; one of them was almost as big as the one by Yusuf Pathan; in all he faced 69 balls, hit 12 fours and 3 sixes in his belligerent effort. Other than him, Scott Styris, Ross http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Taylor-c92915 and wicketkeeper-batsman
Brendon McCullum made vital contributions, yet all of them perished in the 40s.
The Indians started their chase positively with Captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Gautam-Gambhir-c58623 carrying on his sparkling form; however he was sent packing for 27 runs (that came off 24 balls).
Wicket-keeper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Parthiv-Patel-c2159, who was making a comeback to international cricket after years in the wilderness, reminded everyone of his talent by posting his maiden half-century.
There was a mid-innings slump as Verat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh and Patel perished in quick succession. The Indians were under the pump when the fifth wicket fell, yet Yusuf Pathan had other ideas as he fashioned
out an incredible win along with Tiwary.
At the post-match ceremony, Gambhir heaped praise of Pathan calling his innings one of the best ever in the limited overs format.
He said "I have never seen something like this. I have always said Yusuf can finish games on his own, and that's what he did today. I always felt till the time Yusuf was there we would win the game." [Yusuf
couldn’t stop smiling as Gautam praised him].
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 skipper conceded that it was Pathan who stole the game from his team; he gave credit to his team for putting a much-improved show after the battering they received in the first three games.
"It's a great game of cricket. We were in the game, but Yusuf Pathan was pretty amazing. James played exceptionally well too to give us a formidable, but like I said Yusuf took the game away. That break should
have favoured us actually, but it didn't work out that way. The outfield wasn't that bad after that rain. We just didn't get it right," said Vettori.
Tags: