Cricket Classics - Part XXiii : India vs Australia – 5th ODI, Hyderabad, 2009: Tendulkar's Heroic
Hello, fellow Sports Enthusiasts,
Cricket is not just a sport between two teams; it's a battle of skills, strategy, and capitalizing on clutch moments. Although the game has transformed over the decades, it has never failed to impress or leave us with unforgettable moments.
So, through this series, I will present some of the most iconic cricket matches that have made fans jump out of their seats. Let's remember those legendary games once a week. I am with another iconic match.
Who is the GOAT batsman in Cricket? Well, he is Sachin Tendulkar. Scoring 34,000+ international runs, 100 centuries, and being known as the God of Cricket is not everyone's cup of tea. Well, little master did it, setting new standards for the gentlemen's game. So, let me present you with one of the greatest innings of Sachin Tendulkar against the mighty Australians in 2009. Even though it ended up on the losing side, with a heartbreak, the inning was special, rewarding him with the man of the match award.
Australia toured India for a 7-match ODI series in 2009/10. The series was level at 2–2, and the 5th ODI in Hyderabad turned out as a thrilling encounter.
The experienced Ricky Ponting led the Australian team with Shane Watson, Shaun Marsh, and Michael Hussey, and a few new ballers. Well, it's not their strongest squad, but they looked great. India, led by MS Dhoni, had a powerful setup with Sachin, Sehwag, Gambhir, Raina, Yuvraj, etc. Both teams were anticipating a win to stay ahead in the series.
It was on November 05, 2009, at Hyderabad. After winning the toss, Australia chose to bat first. Shaun Marsh and Shane Watson got the perfect start, playing for 25 overs and adding 145 for the first wicket. Shane Watson scored 93 (89 balls) runs, while Shaun Marsh anchored the inning with 112 runs (112 balls), and played till the end.
Then Ricky Ponting, White, and Michael Hussey played cameos to put in a mammoth total of 350 runs on the board.
Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag started the chase, and as usual, Sehwag was fired up, smashing boundaries. But when he fell at the 9th over when the score was 66, everything was scattered. From there, Gambhir, Yuvraj, and Dhoni got out for a few runs. But Tendulkar kept fighting, and Raina gave him some small support.
Tendulkar reached his fifty in 47 deliveries, the hundred in just 81 deliveries. He kept fighting, and it was aggressive. India reached 200/4 in the 30th over, and the target was gettable. Raina got out for 59 runs in the 43rd over. But still, just 52 runs needed in 7 overs with 5 wickets remaining.
Tendulkar single-handedly kept the chase alive with a masterclass inning of pure timing, pulling off a wonderful chase. But when he got out, India still needed 19 runs off 17 balls with 3 wickets in hand. Sachin scored 175 runs in just 141 balls, including 19 boundaries and four sixes.
But his effort went in vain, as the lower order couldn't pull that off as India collapsed from 331/6 to 347/10. They just lost the match by 3 runs, with just 2 balls remaining. Australia held their nerve in that tense situation to pull that off.
Anyway, that's one of the top innings from Tendulkar.
See you at the next episode!! You can always suggest a match to discuss in the next episode.
src - espncricinfo
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