Yuvraj, Dhoni take India to victory

Abhaya Srivastava

Yuvraj Singh and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit impressive half-centuries to steer India to a six-wicket victory in the third one-day international against Australia here on Saturday.

Yuvraj top-scored with 78 while Dhoni hit an unbeaten 71 as India surpassed the 230-run target with 10 balls to spare in the day-night encounter at the Ferozeshah Kotla stadium.

The duo put on 148 runs for the fourth wicket off 173 balls on a challenging track to pull India out of trouble after they were reeling at 53-3 in the 16th over. Yuvraj, named man of the match, smashed eight fours and two sixes in his 96-ball knock before being trapped leg-before by one-day debutant Moises Henriques in the 44th over.

Dhoni then guided his side to victory and a 2-1 lead in the seven-match series.

“India definitely outplayed us today,” Australian captain Ricky Ponting said.

“We were in a good position when we reduced them to 53 for 3. We needed to take a couple of wickets in the middle of the innings but Yuvraj and Dhoni were superb. We had our moments but did not capitalise.”

Led by left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (2-41), India’s slow bowlers did well to restrict the world champions to 229-5, built around a fine 82-ball 81 by middle-order batsman Michael Hussey.

Ponting, opening the innings, scored 59 while Shane Watson contributed 41 at the top of the order.

“On this wicket, I think everybody bowled well,” said Dhoni. “If there was no dew, 220-230 could have been difficult to chase.

“But with Yuvraj at the other end it is always easy. We wanted to play out their best bowlers and go after their part-timers. All in all, it was a great team effort.”

Australia began their defence on a promising note, dismissing Virender Sehwag (11), Sachin Tendulkar (32) and Gautam Gambhir (six) inside 16 overs but lost their way thereafter. Sehwag was bowled through the gates off left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson (1-43) after he was hit on the foot in the previous over by fast bowler Peter Siddle.

Tendulkar (32) was run out by a direct throw from Johnson from mid-off while Gambhir fell to off-spinner Nathan Hauritz (1-48).

Earlier, Hussey hit his third half-century of the series and shared 56 runs with Ponting after the world champions won the toss and elected to bat.

Watson made up for his disappointing batting in the first two matches, stroking a fine 41 off 59 balls with five fours and sharing 72 runs for the opening wicket with Ponting off 98 balls.

The Australian captain, taking the opener’s role for only the second time in his 327-match one-day cricket career, completed his 72nd one-day half-century off 74 balls before falling to Jadeja.

Ponting tried to clip the spinner across the line but the ball hit the base of the pads right in front of the stumps. He hit four fours in his measured 92-ball knock.

Hussey, who scored 73 at Vadodara and followed it up with a 53-run knock at Nagpur, accumulated his runs through some hard running between the wickets. He hit just three fours and one six, that too in the 50th over.

The fourth match will be played in Mohali on Monday.

NEW DELHI, Sunday AFP