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| Maharana Chhatrasinhji of Rajpipla driving his Wolseley 6 hp 1903-04 car, with Governor of Bombay Lord Lamington seated beside in 1905. |
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| Maharaja Vijaysinhji of Rajpipla driving through a forest, with Lady Willingdon seated beside and Governor of Bombay Lord Willingdon at the back in 1917. |
Speedy, key element in England’s victory trail of 2019
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| Jofra Archer was England’s highest wicket-taker in the 2019 World Cup with 20 scalps, and 5 three-wicket hauls. |
Virat Kohli observed about Archer
before the 2019 World Cup, "I think he is probably going to be their
X-Factor because he holds a skillset which is probably different from everybody
else. He can generate a lot of pace which can be intimidating. You don't expect
that because of his run-up but the way he is built...he is a great athlete.”
The English batsmen flayed the South
African attack to post 311 for eight in the opening faceoff of the 2019 World
Cup. Archer caused early damage, hitting Hashim Amla on the grill of the helmet
with a vicious bouncer, forcing him to retire hurt. Not long after, he had the
new batsman Aiden Markram caught at slip. Soon, he sent back skipper Faf du
Plessis with another bumper, edged into the hands of fine-leg. He returned
later to end a fighting knock from Rassie van der Dussen (50), having him
caught at mid-on. The Proteas were on the ropes at 167 for six, and eventually
bowled out for 207 in under 40 overs. Archer returned with a bag of three for 27
from 7 overs. It was a fiery World Cup debut.
The Pakistani top-order was in prime
form. It was a sobering experience for Archer as he finished with none for 79
in a total of 348 for eight. It was a tall order for England, and battle as
they might, ended up 14 runs short of the opponents’ total.
There was a course correction as they
took on Bangladesh. The opening pair of Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow that
served them so well in this tournament strung together a century stand. It
enabled them to post their highest World Cup total of 386 for six. Archer
bowled a beauty to Soumya Sarkar that sent the off bail flying. He returned
later and got Mehidy Hasan Miraj to nick into the gloves of Bairstow. In the
same over, he bowled a fierce short one to last-man Mustafizur Rahman who did
not have the wherewithal to survive it. He fended and the ball lobbed to
Bairstow. Bangladesh were sent packing for 280. Archer had three for 29 this
time off 8.5 overs.
The English bowlers put the West
Indies batting under pressure right from the start. Archer dug one in to
top-scorer Nicholas Pooran (63), and had him nicking into the gloves of Jos
Buttler. Next ball, he trapped Sheldon Cottrell leg-before. Soon, he had Carlos
Brathwaite edging for Buttler to snap up another one. West Indies were gasping
at 211 for nine, and were all out a run later. Archer walked off with three for
30 off 9 overs. England breezed to an eight-wicket win.
With Eoin Morgan leading the
annihilation of the Afghan bowlers with his 148 in 71 deliveries, England
recorded their highest total in the World Cup of 397 for six. Archer was once
again relentless. Noor Ali Zadran played him on to the stumps for a duck. He
castled top scorer Hashmatullah Shahidi (76). Finally he had Rashid Khan caught
in the covers. Afghanistan finished on 247 for eight. Archer captured three for
52 in 10 overs.
Archer once again made an early
breakthrough, getting the Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne to edge to
Buttler behind the sticks. Later, he deceived Dhananjaya de Silva with a slower
one and had him caught at mid-on. In his next over, he had Thisara Perera
caught at third-man with a short one. Sri Lanka posted 232 for nine. Archer
again had an analysis of three for 52 in 10 overs. England made heavy weather
of the chase, and despite Ben Stokes’ unbeaten 82, lost by 20 runs.
The Australian openers Aaron Finch
and David Warner put on a century stand. Archer picked up centurion Finch,
caught hooking at fine-leg. That was his solitary wicket, conceding 56 runs in
9 overs. Australia posted 285 for seven. Once again, Ben Stokes played a heroic
innings of 89, but England were bowled out for 221.
The English batsmen made amends by
putting up 337 for seven on the board off the Indian bowling. It was a spirited
chase by their batsmen with Rohit Sharma hitting his third hundred of the
tournament and Virat Kohli his fifth successive half-century. They denied
Archer a wicket as he expended 45 runs in 10 overs. But India finished 31 runs
short of the English score.
With openers Jason Roy and Jonny
Bairstow continuing their great form, England logged up 305 for eight against
New Zealand. After Chris Woakes had dismissed Henry Nicholls, Martin Guptill
glanced Archer, and Buttler took a brilliant catch. New Zealand were struggling
at 14 for two after 5.2 overs. They eventually folded up for 186. Archer had a
return of one for 17 off 7 overs.
Archer struck a stunning blow in the
semi-final, trapping Finch leg-before first-ball, bringing it in sharply. With
Glenn Maxwell on the attack, Archer had him caught in the covers with a slower
one. Australia were dismissed for 223. Archer gave away 32 runs for his two
wickets in 10 overs. England coasted to an eight-wicket triumph.
In the dramatic final, Archer knocked off the furniture of last-man Matt Henry. New Zealand ended on 241 for eight. This wicket cost Archer 42 runs in 10 overs. England were also bowled out for 241 off the last ball of their 50th over. Defending 15 runs in the Super Over, Archer conceded the same number. The Super Over was also tied. England won the title on higher boundary count.
Archer played a vital part in England’s victory trail of 2019. He was their highest wicket-taker with 20 scalps at 23.05 apiece and an economy-rate of 4.57. He had 5 three-wicket hauls, four of them in a row. Whenever in need of a breakthrough, his side turned to him, and more often than not he delivered.
Belligerent and jovial southpaw opener
How
much India missed Shikhar Dhawan in the 2019 semi-final, we will never know,
had injury not forced him out of the tournament after a brilliant century.
Shikhar Dhawan has been Rohit Sharma’s long-time opening partner in One-day Internationals. A study in contrast, they complement each other well. Apart from the obvious left-right combination, while one is belligerent and forthright, the other has a silken touch and is seemingly laidback. Ever ready to break into a smile, the slap on the thigh after taking a catch has become as much of a hallmark as the salute by Sheldon Cottrell after taking a wicket. There is always a sense of fun when Dhawan is around, and he can score serious runs too.
Walking out with Rohit, facing Pakistan on World Cup debut in 2015, it was a quiet start. The partnership did not go further than 34 off 7.3 overs. Rohit fell for 15. There was steady progress with the arrival of Virat Kohli, the fifty of the partnership coming up in 10.1 overs. With the increase in tempo, Dhawan went to his half-century off 54 deliveries. The century of the stand was raised in 18.3 overs. Unfortunately, Dhawan was run out. His splendid 73 had come off 76 balls, having struck a six and 7 fours. The partnership yielded 129 runs in 22.2 overs. There was another century stand between Kohli (107) and Suresh Raina (74). India scored a round 300 for the loss of seven wickets. Pakistan were slow to begin with, then lost quick wickets, and were finally all out for 224.
It was Rohit’s turn to be run out and that, tragically, for a duck as A.B. de Villiers’ throw from the covers hit the stumps. It was again Kohli in tandem with Dhawan. Gradually, they picked up momentum in the face of steady bowling by the Proteas. The fifty of the partnership was posted in 11.5 overs. Dhawan raised his half-century off 70 balls. Dhawan struck Wayne Parnell for two consecutive fours bringing up the century stand in 20.3 overs, a successive one between the pair. Kohli pulled a short one from Imran Tahir into the hands of mid-wicket. His 46 had come off 60 deliveries with the aid of three boundaries. The partnership had realised 127 runs in 24.2 overs. As the new man Ajinkya Rahane got into his stride, Dhawan glided Parnell to the ropes at point to raise his maiden World Cup hundred off 122 balls. Soon the fifty of the partnership was up in 8.1 overs. With runs flowing freely, the century stand in 13.4 overs and Rahane’s half-century off just 40 deliveries came off successive balls. Dhawan was caught at long-leg off Parnell. His 137 was the highest score against South Africa in the World Cup, spanning 146 balls and studded with 2 sixes and 14 fours. It was a 125-run association from 16.3 overs. Rahane scored 79, having faced 60 balls and struck 3 sixes and 7 fours. India, this time, posted 307 for seven. South Africa did not put up much resistance, being bowled out for 177. Dhawan bagged the man-of-the-match prize.
India trounced United Arab Republic by nine wickets but Dhawan was caught at backward-point for 14.
Both Dhawan (9) and Rohit (7) fell early as India made heavy weather of a target of 183 set by the West Indies. They eventually pulled off a six-wicket win.
They were both due for runs, and they duly got them. Ireland scored 259 runs, being bowled out in 49 overs. India’s batting was brilliant. The fifty was registered off 8.2 overs. The century was raised in 14.1 overs. Dhawan was first to his fifty off 54 balls. Rohit hoisted his half-century in style, having faced 49 deliveries. The 150 was up off 20.1 overs. Dhawan was speeding away. Rohit, though, played on to his stumps. His 64 came off 66 balls, having hit 3 sixes and 3 fours. The partnership realised 174 runs, record for India for the first wicket in the World Cup. Dhawan breezed to his century from just 84 deliveries. But he was caught in the covers off the very next ball that he faced, having blasted 5 sixes and 11 fours. Kohli (44 not out) and Rahane (33 not out) carried India to an eight-wicket victory off only 36.5 overs with an unbroken stand of 70. Dhawan won another man-of-the-match award.
A superb century by skipper Brendan Taylor, a consecutive one to boot, enabled Zimbabwe to post a challenging total of 287. India lost four wickets for 92 in 22.4 overs, including Rohit (16) and Dhawan (4), both to Tinashe Panyangara. But a tremendous unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 196 in 26 overs between Suresh Raina (110 not out) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (85 not out) carried India to a four-wicket triumph with 8 balls to spare. It was India’s highest partnership in a run-chase, bettering the 174-run stand between Dhawan and Rohit against Ireland in the previous match. India’s score of 288 was their highest batting second in the World Cup, and they joined New Zealand as the only teams to win all their six pool matches.
Boundaries came regularly at the start in the quarter-final face-off with Bangladesh. Rohit and Dhawan raised the fifty in 9.3 overs. They were cantering along when Dhawan stepped out at the sight of Shakib Al Hasan, was deceived in the air and stumped by Mushfiqur Rahim. His 30 had come off 50 balls with the aid of 3 fours. The partnership had realised 75 runs in 16.3 overs. The platform had been built. Rohit went on to score a brilliant 137 (126 balls, 3 sixes, 14 fours). His fourth-wicket stand of 122 in 15.5 overs with Suresh Raina spurred India to a formidable total of 302 for six. Bangladesh were hardly in the picture with a series of cameos and finally folded up for 193.
A superb century by Steve Smith and his defining 182-run second-wicket partnership with Aaron Finch seized the initiative for Australia. A total of 328 for seven assumes gigantic proportions in a World Cup knock-out encounter. As long as Rohit and Dhawan were together, it looked as though they were making a fight of it. After a cautious start, they picked up pace. They raised the fifty off 9.5 overs. It was all going well, and it all went wrong! Dhawan was caught in the covers off Josh Hazlewood. His 45 was scored off 41 balls with the aid of a six and 6 fours. The stand was worth 76 in 12.5 overs. Wickets began tumbling, Kohli for 1, Rohit for 34, Raina for 7. In the blink of an eye, India were 108 for four in 23 overs. Rahane (44) and Dhoni (65) did put on 70 in 13.2 overs but the momentum had been lost, and too many wickets had fallen. India folded up for 233. A golden streak of 11 consecutive World Cup wins had ended.
It was a fine tournament for Dhawan. He became the fourth Indian to score 400-plus runs in a single World Cup, the others being Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid. His 412 runs in 8 matches came at an average of 51.50, and strike-rate of 91.75, with 2 centuries and a half-century.
It was a fine start for India in 2019, restricting South Africa to 227 for nine. Dhawan, though, was caught behind off Kagiso Rabada for 8. Rohit went on to score a splendid 122 (144 balls, 2 sixes, 13 fours), and India sailed to a six-wicket triumph.
Batting first against Australia, Rohit and Dhawan were off to a steady start. A boundary each off Adam Zampa took the score past 50 in 11.3 overs. The boundaries kept coming. Dhawan raised his fifty off 53 balls. The hundred of the innings was up in 19 overs. Rohit was caught at the wicket off Coulter-Nile for 57, having faced 70 balls and hit a six and 3 fours. The partnership had realised 127 runs in 22.3 overs. Joined by Kohli, Dhawan blazed on. The fifty of their stand arrived in 8.3 overs. Dhawan raised his hundred from 94 balls. Trying to hit Mitchell Starc over mid-wicket, he was caught near the ropes. It was a fine 117, spanning 109 deliveries and studded with 16 boundaries. The stand fell short of 100 by just 7 runs, having lasted 14.3 overs. Kohli scored 82, and India piled up 352 for five. It was a tall task, the Aussies were in hot pursuit but produced no really big innings. They finished on 316.
Just as India were celebrating a glorious win over the reigning champions, and complimenting Dhawan for his terrific century, came the sobering news that he had injured his thumb during that innings, and was ruled out of the rest of the tournament. Sachin Tendulkar tweeted, “Feel for you Shikhar. You were playing well & to be injured in the middle of such an important tournament is heartbreaking. I’m sure you’ll come back stronger than ever.” How much his injury affected India’s chances, we will never know. Maybe his presence in the semi-final might have helped, but that broad smile was certainly missed. Dhawan has 537 runs in his 10-match stint in the World Cup with an average of 53.70 and strike-rate of 94.21 runs per 100 balls, with 3 hundreds and a fifty. The combination of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma provided many a memorable moment at the top of the order.
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With the festival season approaching in October and November, people are on the lookout for a gift that is unique and classy. This year the cricket World Cup is coinciding with the festivals of Dussehra and Diwali
Would it not be a great idea to present business associates, clients, relatives and friends a set of two volumes of collector's edition books on all the cricket World Cup tournaments from 1975 to 2019, with a preview of the World Cup 2023. You could present this panorama of the One-day cricket World Cup along with your personalised bookmark at a time when cricket frenzy will be at its height in India. The size of the bookmark will be 2 inches x 5.8 inches with colour printing on both sides.
The details of the books are as under:
Volume 1: Cricket World Cup Odyssey
1975-2007
(edition 2 of ‘The Big Book of World
Cup Cricket’ with some modifications)
Contents:
Section 1 - Cricket World Cup: A
Great Spectacle. This is a snapshot of each of the first nine tournaments
played all round the globe, including review, the commercial aspect,
sponsorship and prize money.
Section 2 - Classic Matches. 49 of
the most exciting matches.
Section 3 - Memorable Performances.
51 brilliant individual feats by different players in various matches.
Section 4 - Hall of Fame.
Match-by-match World Cup performances of 75 top players who appeared in these
nine tournaments, from Clive Lloyd to Sourav Ganguly, and also comprising
interviews with Cup-winning captains Kapil Dev, Steve Waugh and Ricky
Ponting.
Section 5 - Scorecards of all the 303
matches in World Cup 1975 to 2007.
Section 6 - Tailenders: sidelights,
lighter moments and trivia.
The piece-de-resistance is a
handwritten letter of Sir Donald Bradman received by the author in 1999.
There will be around 225 photographs from the world’s best photographers and agencies. It will be a book of about 424 pages, A-4 size, on art paper with hard cover and jacket.
Volume 2: Cricket World Cup Hat-trick
of Home Wins
India 2011 # Australia 2015 # England
2019
Contents:
Section 1 - Cricket World Cup: A
Great Spectacle. This is a snapshot of each of the last three tournaments, all
won by the host nations India, Australia and England respectively, including
review, the commercial aspect, sponsorship and prize money, and a look ahead to
the World Cup 2023.
Section 2 - Classic Matches. 28 of
the most exciting matches.
Section 3 - Memorable Performances.
36 brilliant individual feats by different players in various matches.
Section 4 - Hall of Fame.
Match-by-match World Cup performances of 75 top players who appeared in these
three and earlier tournaments, from Sachin Tendulkar to Ben Stokes.
Section 5 - Statistics and Records of
all the 12 World Cup tournaments from 1975 to 2019.
Section 6 - Scorecards of all the 146
matches in World Cup 2011, 2015 and 2019.
Section 7 - Batting and Bowling
Averages, and Fielding Records, of all the 1147 players who appeared in the
World Cup from 1975 to 2019.
Section 8 - Tailenders: sidelights, lighter
moments and trivia.
There will be around 150 photographs from the world’s best photographers and agencies. It will be a book of about 516 pages, A-4 size, on art paper with hard cover and jacket.
These books are available in batches of 50 sets of two volumes. The cost of these is Rs. 4,375 per set, totalling Rs. 2,18,750 (Rupees Two Lakhs Eighteen Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty) for 50 sets. Cost of transportation of the books beyond Delhi-NCR will be extra.
There are limited number of sets available, so please hurry. If you are interested, please email me at singh_iv@hotmail.com.
Nonchalant strokeplay, record five hundreds in a single World Cup
What does one say about a man who scores three double centuries in One-day Internationals (ODIs) with a record 264, by a long way, to his name, and one who hits up five hundreds in a single World Cup. Just ten double hundreds have been scored in over half a century of ODIs, all since 2010, and no one else has managed more than one. Suddenly, in 2019 Rohit equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record six hundreds in the World Cup. There was always something special about Rohit. His sublime strokeplay, almost casual, David Gower like, endeared him to everyone. His lofted pull became his hallmark, earning him loads of sixes with the occasional dismissal. For what seemed ages, his innate God-given abilities did not translate into results expected of them. Then, like Tendulkar, he was given a spot at the top of the order and he flowered. Still, someone with his flair and natural gifts was not making headway at the Test level. Again, he was given the opener’s role, and he was off the blocks. A hugely successful IPL captain, Rohit Sharma found his way to the helm of the national side. He finally settled where he was always ordained.
His World Cup debut was the high intensity contest with Pakistan. Rohit raised 34 with Shikhar Dhawan in 7.3 overs. But on 15 he attempted his favourite pull shot off Sohail Khan; this time he miscued and the ball went sailing into the hands of mid-off. Virat Kohli (107) was associated in two century stands with Dhawan (73) and Suresh Raina (74). India set up a challenging 300 for seven. Pakistan were not up to it, and folded up for 224.
Disaster struck as Rohit was run out for a duck by a direct hit from A.B. de Villiers. This time Dhawan (137) conjured hundred partnerships with Kohli (46) and Ajinkya Rahane (79). India hit up 377. South Africa could muster only 177.
There was no challenge from the United Arab Emirates. They collapsed to 102 all out. After the early departure of Dhawan, Rohit and Kohli brought up victory with an unbroken stand of 75. Rohit was on the attack. They raised the half-century of the partnership in 8.2 overs. Rohit got to his maiden World Cup fifty in 48 balls. They cruised on, and finally Rohit clubbed a four to reach the target in 18.5 overs. He returned with 57 runs to his name off 55 deliveries, having struck a six and 10 fours. Kohli scored 33 in 41 balls with five boundaries.
Had it not been for skipper Jason Holder’s 57 at no. 9, West Indies would have been in far worse plight than they eventually were. Coming in at 85 for seven, he was last out with his side’s total on 182. But their bowlers hit back. Rohit was caught at the wicket, trying to drive, with his score on just 7. Wickets fell regularly, and at one stage they found themselves at 134 for six. An unbroken half-century stand between skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin saw them home.
Ireland did well to post 259. But the Indian openers made light of it. Rohit and Dhawan took turns in hitting boundaries. The fifty of the stand came in the 9th over. They accelerated, the century partnership being registered in 14.1 overs. Dhawan reached his fifty from 54 balls. Rohit raised his own half-century off 49 deliveries with a six high over covers. With more fireworks, the 150 was on the board in just 20.1 overs. Dhawan was racing away; Rohit, though, played on to his stumps. His 64 came off 66 balls with the aid of 3 sixes and 3 fours. The stand realised 174 runs, the highest for India for the first wicket in the World Cup, in only 23.2 overs. Shikhar Dhawan brought up his hundred off just 84 balls. He was caught in the covers off the very next delivery that he faced, having slammed 5 sixes and 11 fours. Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane carried India to victory with an unbroken stand of 70.
A tremendous hundred by skipper Brendan Taylor (138 runs, 110 balls) and his fifth-wicket century partnership with Craig Ervine were instrumental in Zimbabwe posting a total of 287. India slumped to 92 for four in 22.4 overs, Rohit being caught in the covers for 16. Then came a superb unbroken stand of 196 in 26 overs between Suresh Raina (110 not out, 104 balls) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (85 not out, 76 balls). They took India home with 8 deliveries to spare. India joined New Zealand as the only teams to win all their six pool matches.
The silken touch of Rohit Sharma was in full evidence in the quarter-final as they took on Bangladesh. He drove the first ball of the match from Mashrafe Mortaza to the cover-point fence. With both he and Dhawan finding the boundary regularly, the fifty came up in 9.3 overs. Dhawan was stumped for 30. The partnership yielded 75 runs off 16.3 overs. Rohit got to his half-century off 70 deliveries. Suresh Raina joined forces for the fourth-wicket. He raised the fifty of the stand in style, lofting Shakib Al Hasan over long-on for a six. It came off 8.1 overs. Rohit was cruising serenely, the singles interrupted by the intermittent boundary. Raina reached his half-century in 46 balls. In the same over, the hundred of the partnership was posted off only 13 overs. Soon, Rohit raised his century, his first in the World Cup, from 108 deliveries. Raina hit out at Mashrafe, but the ball gained only height, no distance, and when it came down, it settled in Mushfiqur Rahim’s gloves. His 65 had come off 57 balls, studded with a six and 7 fours. It was a splendid 122-run stand that spanned 15.5 overs. Rohit raised the tempo. He finally edged on to the stumps. It was a delightful innings, 137 runs from 126 balls, embellished with 3 sixes and 14 fours. India hoisted 302 for six. Bangladesh did not offer much resistance, being bowled out for 193. Rohit was man-of-the-match.
Australia posted a daunting 328 for seven in the semi-final, courtesy Steve Smith’s brilliant century and his 182-run second-wicket partnership with Aaron Finch. Rohit and Dhawan began steadily, and then raised the tempo. That brought up the fifty in 9.5 overs. Just as it seemed that India’s innings had taken off well, Dhawan was caught in the covers off Josh Hazlewood. His 45 had come off 41 balls with the aid of a six and 6 fours. Kohli fell for 1. Then Rohit pulled Johnson for a six. Johnson pitched the next one up and brought it in sharply. Rohit edged it on to the stumps. He was gone for 34, having faced 48 deliveries and hit 2 sixes and a four. From then on, India were fading despite a 70-run stand between Rahane and Dhoni. The reigning champions were all out for 233, bowing out of the tournament.
Without being brilliant, it was a successful foray in the World Cup by Rohit. He hit a characteristically sublime century in the quarter-final and a couple of other fifties. His 330 runs in 8 matches came at an average of 47.14 and strike-rate of 91.66. It was another impressive chapter in the opening duet with Dhawan.
Rohit was in an entirely different zone in the 2019 tournament. South Africa continued to struggle in this event and were able to put up just 227 for nine. While Rohit played a resolute knock, there were only cameos at the other end. Dhawan was caught behind early off Kagiso Rabada. Rohit was in full flow but Kohli too parted ways after a brief stay. K.L. Rahul dug in. Rohit raised his half-century from 70 deliveries. He was now in control. Soon they brought up the fifty of the stand in 10.5 overs. Rahul holed out at mid-off off Rabada for 26. The partnership was worth 85 in 16 overs. With Dhoni having joined in, Rohit hoisted his hundred off 128 balls. The half-century of the partnership arrived in 11.2 overs. Dhoni left after scoring 34, the fourth-wicket stand yielding 74 runs from 14.4 overs. Victory was ushered in the company of a trigger-happy Hardik Pandya. Man-of-the-match Rohit was unbeaten with 122, having been at the crease for 144 deliveries and fired 2 sixes and 13 fours.
It was a superb showing by India in the face-off with the holders, Australia. Rohit and Dhawan were off to a cautious start before the latter broke free. They raised the half-century in 11.3 overs. Dhawan went to his own fifty off 53 balls. The hundred partnership was posted in 19 overs. A square-cut to the fence took Rohit to his half-century from 61 deliveries. He nicked one from Coulter-Nile that took off and was caught at the wicket by Alex Carey. Hit 57 occupied 70 balls and comprised a six and 3 fours. It was a splendid stand of 127 runs in 22.3 overs. Dhawan went on to hit up 117 (109 balls, 16 fours). India piled up 352 for five. There were a number of fine knocks from the Aussies but no really big one. The target was far too huge, and they were all out for 316 off the last delivery of the innings.
The match with New Zealand was washed out. After the massive build-up, the face-off with Pakistan was a tame affair. Dhawan’s fine century against Australia turned into a bitter-sweet one. During that knock he suffered a thumb injury, which unfortunately put him out of the tournament. It was K.L. Rahul who now opened with Rohit. The fifty came up in 10 overs. Rohit darted to his own half-century off 34 deliveries. The hundred was raised from 17.3 overs. Rahul brought up his fifty in 69 balls. As they were pressing on, Rahul was caught in the covers. His 57 occupied 78 deliveries, hitting 2 sixes and 3 fours. The partnership of 136 runs in 23.5 overs had set up the match nicely for India. Joined by Kohli, Rohit hoisted his century off 85 deliveries. The fifty of the partnership arrived in 8 overs. Rohit was caught at short fine-leg off Hasan Ali for 140. His superb innings spanned 113 balls, embellished with 3 sixes and 14 fours. The stand was worth 98 in 14.3 overs. Kohli scored 77 (65 balls, 7 fours) as India logged up 336 for five. With rain playing a part, Pakistan’s target was 302 from 40 overs. All they could manage was 212 for six.
Rohit was bowled by Mujeeb Ur Rahman for just 1, as Afghanistan restricted India to 224 for eight. Afghanistan were dismissed for 213, with Mohammed Shami taking a hat-trick.
Kemar Roach brought one in, which took a fine inside-edge of Rohit’s bat on the way to Shai Hope. This time he scored 18. India posted 268. West Indies crumbled to 143 all out.
Hosts England put up a formidable 337 for seven. India’s task became difficult with Rahul dismissed without scoring. Kohli, though, was an able ally. The progress was slow, considering the task before them. The half-century of the partnership took 13.5 overs. Kohli was first to his fifty, having faced 59 deliveries. Rohit got to his half-century in 65 balls. The hundred partnership arrived 20.4 overs. The two matched each other stroke-for-stroke. Kohli was caught at backward point. His 66 came off 76 balls with the aid of 7 fours. With Rishabh Pant for company, Rohit raised his third century of the tournament, having taken on 106 deliveries. But after facing three more balls, he was caught behind by Jos Buttler off Chris Woakes for 102, having carved out 15 boundaries. There were rapid-fire cameos from Pant, Hardik Pandya and Dhoni, but India could get only as far as 306 for five, a fine effort but in vain.
If evidence were required that Rohit was in supreme form, it came in the first over of the encounter with Bangladesh. He pulled Mashrafe Mortaza for a six beyond square-leg. Rahul too was stroking well. They raised the fifty in 8.2 overs. In the following over, both took turns in hammering boundaries off Mortaza. Rohit soon breezed to his half-century from 45 deliveries. The hundred came up in 17.2 overs. A straight six by Rohit posted the 150 off 23.1 overs. Crashing Shakib through the off-side to the pickets, Rohit went to his fourth hundred in this World Cup, emulating Kumar Sangakkara’s feat of 2015. He had faced 90 deliveries. It was a consecutive ton, following his 102 against England. Soon, he was caught in the covers, his 104 composed of 5 sixes and 7 fours. The 180-run partnership spanned 29.2 overs. Rahul scored 77 (92 balls, 1 six, 6 fours). India hit up 314 for nine. There was a spirited chase by Bangladesh but they were all out for 286. Rohit won the man-of-the-match award.
A fine partnership of 124 runs for the fifth wicket between Angelo Mathews (113) and Lahiru Thirimanne (53) enabled Sri Lanka to score 264 for seven. Rohit and Rahul seemed inseparable. The half-century was posted in a matter of 6.5 overs. The first of two sixes took Rohit past fifty off 48 deliveries. The hundred of the innings was up in 18.1 overs. Rahul brought up his half-century in 67 balls. The 150 was reached in 24.4 overs. Rohit hoisted an unprecedented fifth century in a World Cup, being at the crease for 92 deliveries. It was his third successive hundred, and it equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record six tons in all the World Cup tournaments put together. It was a tremendous show by Rohit Sharma, to the jubilation of his teammates and the Indian supporters. He was out soon, driving into the hands of mid-off. His 103 spanned 94 balls, punctuated by 2 sixes and 14 fours. The partnership yielded 189 runs in 30.1 overs. Rahul went on to score 111 (118 balls, 1 six, 11 fours; India cantered to a seven-wicket victory. Rohit bagged a consecutive man-of-the-match prize, fourth in this World Cup, equalling the feats of Aravinda de Silva in 1996, Lance Klusener in 1999 and Yuvraj Singh in 2011. India topped the ten-team table, edging reigning champions Australia to second place.
New Zealand posted 239 for eight in the semi-final. India’s fond hopes were dashed by the Kiwi pacemen. Rohit, Kohli and Rahul were dismissed for 1 run each by Matt Henry and Trent Boult. The stunned silence in the dressing room turned into dismay as India found themselves six down in 30.3 overs. There was a fighting partnership of 116 runs in 17.2 overs for the seventh wicket between Mahendra Singh Dhoni (50 off 72 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja (77 off 59 balls) but there was just too much to do from the precarious position they had found themselves in. India were bowled out for 221, bowing out of the World Cup in the semi-final for the second time in a row. “We failed to deliver as a team when it mattered, 30 minutes of poor cricket yesterday & that snatched away our chance for the cup,” tweeted a dejected Rohit.
Quiet and classy, one of New Zealand’s greats
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| Player-of-the-tournament in the 2019 World Cup, skipper Kane Williamson’s valiant New Zealand team was runner-up in a photo finish. |
ONE-DAY WORLD CUP BATTING: Matches 23, Innings 22, Not Out 6, Highest Score 148, Runs 911, Average 56.93, Strike-rate 78.33, 100s 2, 50s 3, Catches 9
Calm, under-stated, dignified, arguably the greatest New Zealand batsman ahead of the likes of Martin Crowe, Stephen Fleming and Bert Sutcliffe, Kane Williamson is one of the contemporary greats. Impressive as they are, mere statistics do not do complete justice to his technically correct batsmanship bereft of histrionics. In a sense he is a throwback to an era long gone, though in a modern avatar.
Still not 21 years old in the 2011 World Cup, Williamson appeared late in the tournament, coming in at no. 6 against lowly-rated Canada. He put on 59 for the sixth wicket with Scott Styris in 5.5 overs, and an unbroken 40 in just two overs with a belligerent James Franklin. Williamson was unbeaten with 34 off 27 deliveries with four boundaries. New Zealand piled up 358 for six. Canada gave a good account of themselves, finishing on 261 for nine.
Sri Lanka posted a formidable 265 for nine. The wily Muttiah Muralitharan beat Williamson off a straighter one and had him stumped by Kumar Sangakkara for 5. The Kiwis packed up for 153.
There was course correction in the quarter-final against the Proteas, Williamson added 32 for the sixth wicket with Nathan McCullum in 6.4 overs, and returned with 38 not out to his name, having squared up to 41 deliveries and hit a six and a four. New Zealand totalled 221 for eight but all that South Africa could manage was 172.
The Lankans were too good once again in the semi-final. New Zealand could only muster 217. Williamson hit up 22 off 16 balls punctuated with 3 fours in a 31-run stand with Styris in 4.2 overs. Sri Lanka won by five wickets with 13 deliveries to spare.
Williamson’s 99 runs in four matches came at an average of 49.50 with a strike-rate of 107.60. There was not much else a youngster could do batting at four down.
The opportunity of redemption in the premier event came very quickly, in the opening fixture of the very next edition, on home soil of Christchurch, in 2015. Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum carted the Sri Lankan attack to all parts of Hagley Oval, raising 111 in 15.5 overs. Now batting at no. 3, Williamson added 57 for the third wicket with Ross Taylor in 11.1 overs. Having cruised steadily, Williamson stepped on the accelerator. He brought up his fifty off 59 deliveries. He was brilliantly caught by Dimuth Karunaratne in the long-on region off Jeevan Mendis for 57, having faced 70 balls, embellished with a six and five boundaries. New Zealand hoisted 331 for six. Sri Lanka could manage just 233.
The Kiwis struggled to overhaul a modest Scottish total of 142. Williamson was joined by Grant Elliott at 66 for three. They put on 40 in 7.1 overs before Williamson was caught behind off the inner edge. His 38 came off 45 deliveries, having struck six boundaries. Wickets continued to tumble, and New Zealand were able to clinch victory by just three wickets.
There was an easy win as Tim Southee ran through the English line-up with a haul of seven for 33, the third-best figures in the World Cup. England capsized for 123. There was not much left for others after scintillating hitting by skipper Brendon McCullum. He smashed the fastest fifty in the World Cup off just 18 balls, and third fastest ever in One-day Internationals. His 77 off 25 deliveries contained 7 sixes and 8 fours. Williamson was unbeaten on 9 as New Zealand coasted to an eight-wicket win.
The Aussies too could put up just 151, this time Trent Boult bagging five for 27. McCullum played another blistering innings, racing to his fifty off just 21 balls, the joint third-fastest in the showpiece event. Williamson put on 38 in 3.5 overs for the second wicket with McCullum, and 52 in 11.2 overs for the fifth wicket with Corey Anderson. As Williamson stood steadfast, wickets tumbled at the other end, Mitchell Starc ripping out six for 28. With six runs still remaining, last man Trent Boult had the unenviable task of staving off a hat-trick by Starc. He saw off two deliveries. Immediately soothing frayed nerves, Williamson slammed Pat Cummins for a six over long-on. He emerged on top in a high-tension battle, returning unconquered with 45, having taken on 42 deliveries and struck 5 fours in addition to the winning six. It was a dramatic one-wicket win, the sixth such instance in the World Cup.
Chasing Afghanistan’s 186, McCullum was once again on the rampage. He blasted 42 off 19 deliveries. Williamson then got together in a 58-run partnership in 12.5 overs for the second wicket with Guptill. Williamson was caught at mid-wicket for 33 off 45 balls, having stroked four boundaries. New Zealand carved out a six-wicket victory.
The last pool match brought Williamson his first failure of the tournament. After Bangladesh had hoisted a formidable 288 for seven, Shakib Al Hasan snared him for just 1, dismissed for a single-digit score for the first time in 24 innings in One-day Internationals. Spurred by a century by Guptill, New Zealand pulled off a three-wicket triumph with seven balls to spare. They had won all their six pool matches.
The quarter-final against the West Indies was dominated by Guptill’s astonishing unbeaten 237, the highest score in the World Cup. He and Williamson put on 62 in 11.4 overs for the second wicket. Williamson was caught in the covers for 33, having squared up to 35 balls and hit five boundaries. There was a huge 143-run win for New Zealand.
In a high-scoring rain-interrupted semi-final, New Zealand edged out South Africa with just one ball remaining, entering their first World Cup final. Williamson, though, played on to his stumps for just 6.
The final was a one-sided affair, Australia cruising to a seven-wicket triumph. Williamson was caught and bowled for just 12.
After a consistent run through most of the tournament, though bereft of tall scores, Williamson had a lean trot towards the end. His 234 runs in 9 matches came at an average of 33.42 and strike-rate of 78. It may not have been a brilliant performance but he played a vital role at no. 3 after the histrionics of McCullum and the prolific shows of Guptill.
The opening face-off in 2019 was again with Sri Lanka, and once more the Kiwis trounced them, this time by 10 wickets.
Now at the helm, Williamson steered his team to a narrow two-wicket win over a spirited Bangladesh side. Facing a target of 245, Williamson allied with Ross Taylor (82 runs, 91 balls, 9 fours) in a 105-run third-wicket stand in 21.1 overs. After Williamson departed for a painstaking 42, complied in 72 deliveries with just one boundary, there was a steady fall of wickets as New Zealand trudged home with 17 deliveries to spare.
There were no surprises from the Afghans who were bowled out for 172. Williamson was in early as Guptill was dismissed first ball. He saw his side to an easy seven-wicket victory, aided by useful stands with Colin Munro, Ross Taylor and Tom Latham. Williamson’s unbeaten 79 came off 99 balls studded with 9 fours.
With the game against India washed out, New Zealand edged out South Africa in a rain-hit match by four wickets with just three deliveries remaining. Chasing South Africa’s 241 for six in the allotted 49 overs, Williamson played a stellar knock. He added 60 with Guptill in 12.5 overs. Having given himself time to settle in, Williamson raised his fifty off 72 deliveries. There was a 57-run fifth-wicket stand in 14.1 overs with James Neesham, and another for the next wicket with a belligerent Colin de Grandhomme yielding 91 runs in 14.5 overs. With 5 balls remaining, and Williamson on 96 with 7 runs still required, he slammed Andile Phehlukwayo high over mid-wicket for a six. He then dabbed the next to the backward point boundary. It was a classy display, his 106 spanning 138 deliveries embellished with nine boundaries in addition to the six. There was no other contender for the man-of-the-match award.
The masterclass continued as Williamson crafted a superb 148 off the Caribbean attack. New Zealand lurched with Guptill bagging another first-ball duck, and Munro also dismissed for nought, by Sheldon Cottrell in the first over. Williamson resurrected the innings with Ross Taylor. The duo put on 160 in 33.4 overs, matching each other run for run, bringing up their half-centuries within a delivery of each other. Taylor fell for 69 but Williamson cruised blissfully. A pull to the fine-leg fence took him to a consecutive hundred, compiled over 124 balls. He shifted gears, putting the bowling to the sword. Finally top-edging one to be taken by the keeper, his delightful essay spread over 154 balls contained a six and 14 fours. New Zealand hoisted 291 for eight. A swashbuckling 122-run stand between Chris Gayle and Shimron Hetmyer and a scintillating century by Carlos Brathwaite turned it into an edge-of-the-seat thriller. With six required, Brathwaite was brilliantly caught by Trent Boult on the long-on boundary off the last ball of the 49th over. It was a successive man-of-the-match prize for the jubilant Williamson.
The first reverse in the tournament came at the hands of Pakistan. Wickets tumbled regularly, and soon New Zealand found themselves in a strife at 46 for four in the 13th over. Williamson found an able ally in Neesham. They added 37 in 13.5 overs before Williamson was caught behind for 41. He had squared up to 69 deliveries and struck 4 fours. Neesham and de Grandhomme added 132 to carry the side to a respectable 237 for six. That was not enough as an unbeaten century by Babar Azam took Pakistan to a six-wicket victory with five balls to spare.
The downturn continued as the Aussies handed out another defeat. After posting 243 for nine, disrupted by a Trent Boult hat-trick, their bowlers kept a stranglehold on the Kiwis. Williamson partnered with Ross Taylor in a 55-run third-wicket stand in 12.3 overs. He was caught at the wicket once again as Mitchell Starc angled one away to bag the first of his five wickets. Williamson top-scored with 40 off 51 deliveries punctuated by 2 fours and a six over mid-wicket. New Zealand were bowled out for 157.
A consecutive hundred by Jonny Bairstow powered England to a formidable 305 for eight. After the two openers left with just 14 on the board, Williamson and Taylor tried to resurrect the innings. They added 47 before tragedy struck as both were run out after playing cameos. Williamson was desperately unlucky to be caught out of his crease at the non-striker’s end, having scored 27 off 40 balls and hit three boundaries. Soon Taylor fell short going for a non-existent second. New Zealand could manage only 186.
They managed to qualify for the semi-finals, edging out Pakistan on run-rate. The firm of Williamson and Taylor were once again in business, putting on 65 for the third wicket in 17 overs. Williamson holed out for 67, having squared up to 95 deliveries and crafted six boundaries. On 74, Taylor was unfortunate to be run out for a second successive time, victim of a brilliant direct strike by the irrepressible Ravindra Jadeja. New Zealand put up 239 for eight. The Indian top-order was rocked, slumping to 5 for three. From there they hardly looked in the hunt despite some scintillating hitting by Jadeja. They were bowled out for 221.
The final was the stuff of legend, a thriller that kept everybody on tenterhooks with incredible twists and turns. Just as New Zealand seemed to have the match under control, an overthrow ricocheting to the boundary off a diving Ben Stokes’ bat, turned it around. The game was tied, so was the super over. A boundary countback gave the title to England. For the record, Williamson and Henry Nicholls put on 74 for the second wicket in 16.2 overs. Williamson was snapped up by the keeper, having scored 30 off 53 balls with two boundaries. Nicholls scored a half-century and New Zealand clocked 241 for eight. Stokes was unbeaten with 84 as nos. 10 and 11 were run out off the last two deliveries. The super over produced 15 runs each. Stokes was man-of-the-match, and the consistent Williamson was pronounced player-of-the-series for his 578 runs and inspirational captaincy that almost clinched the Cup for his country.
An average of 82.57, strike-rate of almost 75, two hundreds and two fifties made for a fine show, in keeping with his stature as one of the top contemporary batsmen. In all, Williamson is just 89 runs short of the 1,000 runs mark in the World Cup at 56.93 per innings and 78.33 runs per 100 balls.
Unassuming as a man, touch of class with the bat, Kane Williamson bids fair to make a mark as a legend of New Zealand cricket, having already led his team to the first World Test Championship in 2021. “He took the Blackcaps to unprecedented success, he brought so much consistency of high performance to that side, right throughout all forms of the game he’s achieved so much,” was his former skipper Brendon McCullum’s glowing accolade for Williamson on Senz Mornings radio show. Doubtlessly, there is still so much more for him to accomplish.
(Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s forthcoming book ‘Cricket World Cup: Hat-trick of Home Wins’).
Inspirational captain, one of the greats of modern cricket
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| Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a winner all the way. ONE-DAY WORLD CUP BATTING AND WICKETKEEPING:
Matches 29, Innings 25, Not Out 7, Highest Score 91*, Runs 780, Average 43.33,
Strike-rate 89.96, 50s 5, Catches 34, Stumpings 8 |
From a blazing-hot long-haired top-order striker, the metamorphosis of Mahendra Singh Dhoni along the way to a canny finisher, Captain Cool to adoring millions, was remarkable. His place as an all-time great wicketkeeper-batsman is secure, as is his slot among the most successful leaders in all formats of the game. He led India to the title in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007, saw the side climb to no. 1 spot in Test matches, and won the 2011 One-day World Cup. No legend of the sport is as unassuming and matter-of-fact about his fabulous achievements as is MS. Success rests lightly on his shoulders. True to type, his departure from the international scene was as subtle, and with no flourish, as the man himself. Though he was out for a duck in the
upset by Bangladesh on first appearance in the 2007 World Cup, Dhoni caught
Tamim Iqbal, and stumped Shakib Al Hasan and the captain Habibul Bashar. As
India made merry off the friendly Bermuda bowling, Dhoni hit 29 off 25
deliveries and took a catch to send back the burly Dwayne Leverock. With the
side struggling to stay in the competition, Dhoni caught three Sri Lankan
batsmen but was dismissed for another duck. It was a disastrous tournament for
India, knocked out in the first stage. The tide had turned at home in 2011. Dhoni had risen rapidly to assume captaincy, and India were one of the strong favourites. India piled up 370 for four off the Bangla attack, with Dhoni not getting his turn to bat. Though the Bangladesh batsmen put up strong resistance, the target was far beyond their reach. Dhoni had a stumping to his name. Once again, after a magnificent 111 (101 balls, 3 sixes, 8 fours) by Tendulkar, the lower-order capsized against South Africa. Dhoni was a bystander as the last five wickets crashed for 16 runs in 5.4 overs, with another 1.2 overs remaining. He returned in disbelief, 12 not out against his name as Dale Steyn did the damage with five for 50 in 9.4 overs. In fact, when Tendulkar was out, the score was 267 for two in 39.4 overs. From there India collapsed to 296 all out in 48.4 overs. The Proteas were solid through the order and broke away to register an exciting three-wicket victory with just two deliveries to spare. If only the lower half of the Indian batting had held out a bit longer! Dhoni registered a catch, a run out and a stumping. India needed to regroup. Spurred by a fine hundred by Yuvraj (113 runs, 123 balls, 2 sixes, 10 fours), India posted 268 but again being bowled out inside the 50 overs. Dhoni and Yuvraj put on 45 for the fourth wicket in 9.2 overs. Dhoni scored 22 off 30 deliveries. West Indies were dismissed for 188, with Dhoni having a stumping to his name. The quarter-final was a battle of prestige as Australia looked for their fourth straight title, their long unbeaten streak going back to 1999 already breached by Pakistan in their previous match. A hundred of sheer class by skipper Ricky Ponting (104 runs, 118 balls, 1 six, 7 fours), enabled the Aussies to post 260 for six. Some determined batting through the order by India saw them home by five wickets with 14 balls to spare. Dhoni, though, was dismissed for 7. The sizzling, red-hot semi-final against Pakistan was played on a dodgy Mohali pitch. Sachin Tendulkar scored a fortuitous 85 (115 balls, 11 fours) as India posted 260 for nine. Dhoni put together 25 runs off 42 balls, adding a valuable 46 with Tendulkar in 11.3 overs. Pakistan put up a game bid but kept falling behind on the run-rate. They were eventually bowled out for 231 in 49.5 overs with the wickets shared equally by the five bowlers. Dhoni snapped up a catch. The final at the Wankhede Stadium was a
closely-contested faceoff. A tremendous unbeaten 103 (88 balls, 13 fours) by
Mahela Jayawardene spurred Sri Lanka to hoist 274 for six. If would be the
highest winning score in a World Cup final if India were to achieve it. There
was disbelief as Virender Sehwag was trapped leg-before by Lasith Malinga off
the second delivery for a duck. Then in the seventh over, there was stunned
silence as Tendulkar edged Malinga into the gloves of skipper Kumar Sangakkara.
It was 31 for two, and Tendulkar gone for 18. Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli
put on 83 in 15.3 overs. Then there was the stirring sight of captain Dhoni striding out briskly, promoting himself ahead of Yuvraj, to join Gambhir. It was a defining moment in the match. Having settled down, they began striking the boundaries. Dhoni slammed Muttiah Muralitharan through the covers to the fence, reaching his half-century from 52 deliveries. The century partnership came up in 17.5 overs. Just when it seemed that they were sailing, Gambhir had a rush of blood. He dashed out to Thisara Perera, had a big swing, missed and was castled. His superb 97 had come off 122 balls, embellished with 9 fours. They had put on 109 in 19.4 overs. There were now 52 runs to get in 8.4 overs as Yuvraj walked in. Dhoni slashed Perera high above point for a six. They struck a four each in the 47th over off Nuwan Kulasekara. In the next over Dhoni found the pickets at square-leg off two successive deliveries from Malinga. There were now only 7 runs required from 15 balls. The roar of excitement in the stadium could be heard a long distance away. And then with 4 needed in 11 deliveries, in a moment frozen in eternity, Dhoni swung Kulasekara high over long-on for a six. Wankhede Stadium erupted, as did all of India, and all Indians around the globe. India became the first team to win the World Cup on home soil. Dhoni returned triumphant with 91 to his name, having faced just 79 balls and hammered 2 sixes and 8 fours. He was man-of-the-match. Player-of-the-tournament Yuvraj Singh was unbeaten with 21 off 24 balls, having struck 2 fours. It was an exhilarating night as Dhoni lifted the gleaming ICC Trophy. The opening clash for the defending champions in 2015 was against arch-rivals Pakistan. Virat Kohli’s hundred and his century partnerships with Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina carried India to 300 for seven. Dhoni scored 18 off 13 balls with a six and a four. Once Pakistan had lost five wickets for 103 at almost the half-way stage, they were never in the hunt. They folded up for 224. There were three catches for Dhoni. It was Dhawan’s ton against the Proteas and his three-figure stands with Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane that took India to 307 for seven. Dhoni again got 18 runs, this time from 11 deliveries containing three boundaries, South Africa were bowled out for 177. Dhoni was involved in two run outs. India skittled United Arab Emirates for 102, the lowest they dismissed a side for in the World Cup. Dhoni caught both the openers. India cruised to a nine-wicket win in 18.5 overs. West Indies were bowled out for 182. Had it not been for skipper Jason Holder’s 57 at no. 9, their plight would have been much worse. Dhoni pouched two catches. India were in some strife at 78 for four after 17.5 overs when Dhoni walked in. There were two brief partnerships with Raina and Ravindra Jadeja, and then an unbroken 51-run stand in 9.4 overs with Ravichandran Ashwin that carried the side to victory. Dhoni was unbeaten with 45, having faced 56 deliveries and struck a six off Andre Russell and 3 fours. The Irish posted a respectable 259 in 49 overs. Dhoni caught two of them. With Dhawan hitting another century, India ran away with the game, winning by eight wickets in a mere 36.5 overs. With 12 victories in World Cup matches, Dhoni overtook Kapil Dev’s mark of 11 wins as captain. Brendan Taylor’s consecutive hundred, a brilliant 138 in 110 balls with 5 sixes and 15 fours, spurred Zimbabwe to a formidable total of 287 in 48.5 overs. Dhoni was not to be left out of the action with two early catches. There was a tremendous unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 196 in 26 overs between Raina and Dhoni after India had slumped to 92 for four in 22.4 overs. Dhoni got into the groove with two successive boundaries off Solomon Mire on either side of the wicket. With the required rate climbing to almost 10, there was a spate of sixes and fours. The century stand came in 16.5 overs. Dhoni raised his half-century off 56 deliveries. Raina sped to his hundred in 94 balls. Dhoni slammed Tawanda Mupariwa for a six over long-on and a four to long-leg off successive balls. And then he banged a short one from Tinashe Panyangara over square-leg to bring up victory with eight balls to spare. It was India’s highest partnership in a run-chase, bettering the 174-run stand between Dhawan and Rohit Sharma against Ireland four days earlier. An upset seemed a distinct possibility when the pair came together. Raina hit up 110 off 104 balls, having struck 4 sixes and 9 fours. Dhoni slammed 85 from 76 deliveries, banging 2 sixes and 8 fours. India’s score of 288 for four was their highest batting second in the World Cup. The quarter-final was a no-contest with India hitting up 302 for six. Rohit Sharma struck a fine hundred and was associated in a century stand with Raina. Dhoni was dismissed for 6. Bangladesh could muster only just 193. Dhoni snapped up four catches. India bowled out their opponents for the seventh successive match, all in this tournament, the most by any team in the World Cup. They also clinched their 11th consecutive win in the World Cup beginning 20th March 2011, second after Australia’s amazing streak of 25 successive triumphs from 20th June 1999 to 25th February 2011. This was Dhoni’s 100th victory as captain in One-day Internationals, emulating the Australians Allan Border (107) and Ricky Ponting (165). India ran out of steam in the semi-final, losing by 95 runs to Australia. Chasing 329, India were 108 for four in 23 overs when Dhoni entered the arena. He put on 70 with Ajinkya Rahane in 14.2 overs. He reached his fifty off 55 deliveries with a tremendous six over the covers and smashed one more over long-off off the next ball. He was run out for a run-a-ball 65, having struck 2 sixes and 3 fours. By then it was an impossible task and India were bowled out for 233. It was a wonderful run in the tournament prior to this semi-final. Dhoni put in a fine performance with 237 runs in 6 innings at an average of 59.25 and strike-rate of 102.15, and as many as 15 catches in the 8 matches. By 2019, touching 38 years of age, Dhoni appeared a bit leaden-footed at the crease, and seemed to have lost his nimbleness. He was still his reliable and unobtrusive self behind the stumps, and as always put in a hundred percent effort to the cause of the side under a new leader, Virat Kohli. It was a clinical performance by India in their opening encounter with the Proteas. Restricting the opponents to 227 for nine, they sauntered to their target, losing just four wickets and with 2.3 overs to spare. There was a stumping by Dhoni. With the bat he allied with Rohit Sharma at 139 for three after 31.3 overs. They kept the scoreboard ticking, ahead of the required rate. Rohit brought up his century in 128 balls. The fifty partnership was raised in 11.1 overs. Dhoni was caught and bowled off a skier for 34, scored off 46 deliveries with two boundaries. The stand was worth 74 in 14.4 overs. There were now just 15 runs required from 23 balls. A few big blows by the new man Hardik Pandya were enough to bring up a comfortable win and provide India a fine start to the tournament. Rohit was unbeaten with a classy 122, having taken on 144 balls and embellished with 2 sixes and 13 fours. In a high-scoring game, India prevailed over reigning champions Australia. This time Shikhar Dhawan hit up a century. Dhoni slammed a rapid-fire 27 off 14 deliveries with a six off Mitchell Starc and three fours. He put on 37 with Kohli for the fourth wicket in 3.2 overs, being caught and bowled once again. India posted a huge 352 for five. Australia were restricted to 316, Dhoni snapping up a catch. The fixture with New Zealand was washed out. Then followed the needle encounter with Pakistan. Rohit Sharma struck his second hundred of the tournament, a superb 140 off 113 balls, studded with 3 sixes and 14 fours. India hit up 336 for five. Dhoni was caught behind for 1. With a rain interruption, Pakistan’s target was adjusted to 302 in 40 overs. They managed 212 for six. This was India’s seventh win over Pakistan in the World Cup in as many matches, going back to 1992. India made heavy weather of their game versus Afghanistan. They put up 224 for eight. Dhoni put on 57 with Kedar Jadhav for the fifth wicket in 14 overs. He was stumped off leg-spinner Rashid Khan for 28 off 52 deliveries with 3 fours. With Afghanistan at 190 for six, with 27 balls left, there was an outside chance of an upset. That was when Dhoni stumped Rashid Khan. There were 16 runs to win off the last over with three wickets left. Mohammad Nabi slammed a boundary off the first delivery, followed by a dot. Then Mohammed Shami grabbed a hat-trick to soothe the frayed Indian nerves. The scare at the hands of Afghanistan must have jolted the Indian squad. They were back to their best as they faced the West Indies. Dhoni joined Kohli at 140 for four after 28.5 overs. They added 40 in 9.3 overs. In another fine stand, Dhoni added 70 with Hardik Pandya from just 10 overs. Dhoni was on 40 when the last over began. He pulled Oshane Thomas for a six over mid-wicket. He slammed another for four at long-off to bring up his half-century in 59 deliveries. The last ball was also short, and he bludgeoned it for six over square-leg. Dhoni returned unbeaten with 56 off 61 balls, having struck 2 sixes and 3 fours. India posted a competitive 268 for seven. West Indies folded up for 143, Mohammed Shami bagging a successive four-wicket haul. England prevailed in a match of tall scores. They logged up 337 for seven, Mohammed Shami captured five for 69, his third consecutive haul of four or five wickets. He became the quickest to capture 30 wickets in the World Cup, in just 10 matches. Rohit Sharma carved out his third century of the tournament, and Kohli hit up his fifth consecutive fifty. With the required-rate already above 10 runs an over, Dhoni added 41 for the fifth wicket with Hardik Pandya in 5.4 overs, and another unfinished 39 with Kedar Jadhav in 5.1 overs, but the overs ran out with India 31 short of the English total. Dhoni was 42 not out off just 31 deliveries, having struck a six off Chris Woakes in the last over and four boundaries. Built on an opening partnership of 180 runs in 29.2 overs between Rohit and Lokesh Rahul, India hoisted 314 for nine off the Bangladesh attack. It was a consecutive hundred for Rohit, his fourth ton in this World Cup, emulating Kumar Sangakkara’s feat of 2015. Dhoni added 40 with a belligerent Rishabh Pant in 5.3 overs. Dhoni scored 35 in 33 balls with four boundaries. Bangladesh made a game bid but were bowled out for 286 in 48 overs with a catch coming Dhoni’s way. Sri Lanka put up 264 for seven. Dhoni accounted for the first four batsmen, three catches and a stumping. India’s opening partnership of 189 runs in 30.1 overs between Rahul and Rohit virtually settled the issue. Both hit up centuries, Rohit’s record fifth in this World Cup and third in succession. It was a seven-wicket triumph, with Dhoni not getting his turn to bat. India topped the league table with 15 points. In the semi-final, New Zealand put up 239 for eight, with Dhoni pouching a catch. India made a disastrous start, 5 for three, 24 for four, 71 for five in 22.5 overs when Dhoni entered the scene, and 92 for six in 30.3 overs when he was joined by Ravindra Jadeja. There were 148 more runs required in 19.3 overs at a rate of almost 7.60. It was an uphill task. Jadeja showed his intent by slamming James Neesham for a huge six over long-on off his sixth delivery. He crashed another one off Mitchell Santner. The half-century of the partnership came in 8.4 overs. There were 90 required off the last 10 overs. Jadeja crashed Santner for his third six, and blasted another one off a slower one from Lockie Ferguson. The hundred of their stand came in 15 overs. The required-rate, though, was only climbing, 12.33 at the end of the 47th over. Jadeja was caught at long-off. His brilliant 77 came off 59 balls, having struck 4 fours besides the 4 sixes. In the next over, Dhoni slashed Ferguson for a six. He was run out going for a second run, a brilliant piece of fielding by Martin Guptill. He had scored a hard-fought 50 against the odds, with just a four besides the six. The ageing legend was not able to pull it off this time. India were all out for 221 in 49.3 overs. They had come close from a hopeless situation, thanks to the stellar efforts of Jadeja and Dhoni, but had to exit at the penultimate stage for the second time in a row. In the evening of his career, Dhoni had
given his all. A tally of 273 runs in 8 innings at an average of 45.50 and
strike-rate of 87.78, and 10 dismissals were figures to be proud of. In his
World Cup career of 29 matches, Dhoni hit up 780 runs at 43.33 per innings and
89.96 runs per 100 balls, to go with his 34 catches and 8 stumpings. In the
World Cup too, he finished not only among the top wicketkeeper-batsmen but as a
leader par excellence. The 2011 triumph, and the dramatic shot to clinch it,
will forever remain etched in memory. |
