This was an anticipated match in many ways. One, they are two teams tipped to win the quadrennial event and landed up in the same group. Two, they just played each other in a five-match one-day series which went down to the wire, SA coming out on top. The crowds were drawn simply because the encounter featured the host.
India won the toss and opted to bat. The start was sublime, setting a new mandatory powerplay best and making the hopes of a nation soar. The large opening partnership of 142 was finally broken when the timber rattled behind Sehwag off a du Plessis delivery. Tendulkar went on to complete his 99th international century, to huge applause. Gambhir arrived, put 69 on the board before departing. India still looked poised to go well past 300 when Dhoni inexplicably sent Yusuf in early. The latter came and left without scoring, triggering a collapse behind him. India, after the good start and all that, was bowled out for 297.
It is never good to score something like that and believe you're safe. Especially when there are men like Amla and Kallis in the opposite team's line-up. The aforementioned hitters scored 61 and 69 respectively, setting the tone. Some of the Indians bowled sensibly, but it wasn't enough. AB de Villiers too scored a half-century. SA were favourites throughout the chase. When wickets began to fall towards the end, the match looked like it was delicately poised and the Indians could have made it, but the Men in Blue left it too late. It boiled down to a very gettable but also very defendable 13 runs off the last over. Dhoni sent the inconsistent Ashish Nehra over Harbhajan Singh for the last over, and the former promply gave away the amount in four balls, of which three were boundaries. Dale Steyn was Man of the Match.
India would like to win their final encounter against WI at Chepauk, beacuse this is a format which requires a team to finish as high in the table as possible. I'm wishing them luck.
India won the toss and opted to bat. The start was sublime, setting a new mandatory powerplay best and making the hopes of a nation soar. The large opening partnership of 142 was finally broken when the timber rattled behind Sehwag off a du Plessis delivery. Tendulkar went on to complete his 99th international century, to huge applause. Gambhir arrived, put 69 on the board before departing. India still looked poised to go well past 300 when Dhoni inexplicably sent Yusuf in early. The latter came and left without scoring, triggering a collapse behind him. India, after the good start and all that, was bowled out for 297.
It is never good to score something like that and believe you're safe. Especially when there are men like Amla and Kallis in the opposite team's line-up. The aforementioned hitters scored 61 and 69 respectively, setting the tone. Some of the Indians bowled sensibly, but it wasn't enough. AB de Villiers too scored a half-century. SA were favourites throughout the chase. When wickets began to fall towards the end, the match looked like it was delicately poised and the Indians could have made it, but the Men in Blue left it too late. It boiled down to a very gettable but also very defendable 13 runs off the last over. Dhoni sent the inconsistent Ashish Nehra over Harbhajan Singh for the last over, and the former promply gave away the amount in four balls, of which three were boundaries. Dale Steyn was Man of the Match.
India would like to win their final encounter against WI at Chepauk, beacuse this is a format which requires a team to finish as high in the table as possible. I'm wishing them luck.
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