Showcasing its class in the newly evolved format of the game, India maintained a vice-like grip on the sole Twenty20 cricket match against Australia following the seven-one day match series to come up with a stylish 7-wicket victory at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai on Saturday, October 20, 2007. After winning the toss Australia chose to bat, perhaps looking to setup a commendable target for India to achieve but the cricketing gods had intended otherwise. After smashing three consecutive sixes, Adam Gilchrist lost his middle stump to an in-swinging yorker by RP Singh, which he failed to read.
Things seemed to be going smoothly with Hayden and Ponting looking quite comfortable on the crease before Harbhajan Singh clinically wiped out Hayden at 17. Ricky Ponting, nonetheless maintained the aggression and kept the runs coming at a steady pace looking to build up a few solid partnerships. Things went astray for Australia when Andrew Symonds got involved in a grisly mid-pitch misunderstanding with Ricky Ponting while trying for a single resulting in an excellent run-out at 20 brought about by Yuvraj's keen cricketing sense.
Soon Pathan claimed brad hodge's wicket at 2 bringing Australia to 116-4, sensing the kill, India tightened up its bowling which paid off brilliantly with Harbhajan and Murali Kartik conceding virtually drying up the runs for 5 overs. Michael Clarke chipped in very well, as Australia looked set to pace things up in the final over when Ponting was done in by Pathan on the last ball of penultimate over for a brilliant 76. In came Haddin, who was not able to contribute much and remained not out at 5 as Australia ended up with a moderate cricket score of 166/5 in 20 overs. Temperatures kept rising never to come down as Gambhir and Sehwag blazed away right from the first over but Sehwag failed yet again and went back to the pavilion after contributing a paltry 5 runs.
The apparent break for Australia proved to be a blessing in disguise for India as Robin Uthappa and Gautam Gambhir soon settled in very well to build a match-winning 82-run partnership for the 2nd wicket before taking India to an unassailable position with 101 runs off 10 overs with 9 wickets in hand. Gambhir put up yet another fiery performance and scored an excellent half-century with Uthappa providing brilliant support from the other end who gave in to Clarke at 35 in the 11th over. Yuvraj Singh stepped on the field only to setup the tempo, as India looked set for an imposing victory against mighty Australians as they tried to make some impression with Gambhir's wicket in the 16th over.
But if anything, it was too late, and the writing on the wall was only too legible to everyone including Australians. Yuvraj quickened up the mighty cruise to victory with three emphatic sixes declaring his intention to retain the titled of sixer king and sending crowd in a frenzy before MS Dhoni lapped up a six on the first ball of the 19th over leading India to another euphoric Twenty20 win. The Twenty20 champion title was not at all undeserving of for Indians, which they proved with another silky smooth win even as their cricketing potential shone through in all its glory.
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Twenty20 India vs Australia |
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