85 days to move: When Pakistan dropped Sachin and likely the World Cup
He had an lbw decision overturned on 23, changed into dropped on 27, however, on 45. And then two times extra. Having didn’t lift the World Cup trophy in 5 preceding attempts, Sachin Tendulkar became due for some good fortune, and he rode it with glee in the semifinal towards Pakistan in 2011.
The clash between the arch-rivals at Mohali turned into the ‘suit of the tournament’ for fans on both sides of the border. India desired to move 5-0 up in World Cup clashes among the two facets, while Pakistan wanted to pull one again and spoil the jinx.
Harbhajan defined as ‘nearly like a final’ started out with India prevailing the toss and electing to bat first. Out got here the crack commencing pair of Virender Sehwag and Tendulkar to tackle Pakistan’s deadly attack that blanketed Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, and Umar Gul. Speedster Shoaib Akhtar, but overlooked out as he turned into dropped.
Sehwag gave India a breezy start, scoring a 38 laced with 9 limitations – 4 of them off Umar Gul’s 2d over. The swashbuckling opener has become Wahab Riaz’s first sufferer, with India having reached forty-eight in only 5.5 overs. Sachin cast a 68-run partnership with Gautam Gambhir for the second wicket. But while Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh fell off successive deliveries to Wahab Riaz, India has been in a tight spot.
Sachin continued to maintain the fort, leading to a knock studded with eleven hits to the fence. The ‘little grasp’ performed all the strokes within the textbook – the leg looks off Gul, sweep off Ajmal, cover power off Abdur Razzaq.
Pakistan was subsequently ordinary, the fifth risk supplied with the aid of Sachin when Afridi snapped him up at cowl off Saeed Ajmal, however, no longer before he had made a patient a hundred and fifteen-ball eighty-five on a sluggish Mohali deck.
Pakistan began the chase of 261 slowly and stored dropping wickets at regular intervals, with every Indian bowler choosing wickets apiece. They subsequently folded for 231 while veteran Misbah ul-Haq holed out for fifty-six, handing India a 29-run win.
The dream of lifting the trophy at domestic became ultimately fulfilled as India beat Sri Lanka within the very last, prevailing the coveted prize after 28 years. It became the appropriate ship off to Tendulkar, who scored centuries inside the tournament and still holds the report for most runs in the World Cup, with a tally of 2278 at a mean of 56.95.
