India vs Australia, 2nd Quarter-Final at Ahmedabad, Mar 24 2011, ICC Cricket World Cup

RESULT
2nd Quarter-Final (D/N), Ahmedabad, March 24, 2011, ICC Cricket World Cup
(47.4/50 ov, T:261) 261/5

India won by 5 wickets (with 14 balls remaining)

Player Of The Match
57* (65) & 2/44
yuvraj-singh
Match centre 
Scores: Sanjay Murari | Comms: Nitin Sundar
Scorecard summary
Australia 260/6(50 overs)
104 (118)
2/44 (10)
India 261/5(47.4 overs)
57* (65)
1/19 (5)
1/45 (8.4)

On behalf of Abhishek and the rest of the gang, this is Nitin Sundar signing off. Join us tomorrow for another Mirpur magnifico - South Africa v New Zealand. Ta!

Sriram Veera's bulletin on the game is here. Stay glued to the site, there will be a lot of analysis from Sambit Bal, Sharda Ugra, Brydon Coverdale, Nagraj Gollapudi and everyone else coming in.

After hurtling through the group stages unconvincingly, India have put up their best performance of the World Cup against the defending champions. This was by no means a flawless show, the mid-innings freeze and the mad running will have to be addressed. The pressure will be more in the semis, where Afridi's boys will be waiting. But, for the first time in the World Cup, India looked like a side that's deserving of the title.

For the sixth time on the trot, there will be at least one Asian team in the World Cup final. Will Sri Lanka make it as well?

Manjunaath: "Well, Facebook & Twitter better brace themselves with powerful servers on whats to come on the 30th!!" Not to forget, ourselves!

Kalyan: "Though India won, this match will be remembered for Ponting's magnificent innings."

Presentations

Yuvraj has made a good habit of winning the Man of the Match. Fourth time in the World Cup: "I don't know about hitting any purple patch, but the pressure today, playing Australia, it was something else. When Dhoni got out, I knew we still had Raina to come, and thought if we added 40 odd runs it would be good. I told Gautam (after the run-out) I am not Virender Sehwag, I can't run like that ... Well, may be it was my fault. I have gone through a tough year, but coming into the World Cup, getting that 50 against England, it was good. 260 was a good score, Ponting batted outstandingly but we chased well."

Dhoni: "70-odd runs needed with the last batting pair, it basically meant if we played 50 overs with Yuvraj and Raina, we would make it. There was pressure, and it was about handling it. Yusuf at No. 7 was going for the runs, but Raina is technically better and we were keen on batting 50 overs. That's why we went with Raina, but we know Yusuf can be dangerous. I'd have been satisfied keeping them to 250, we had our best fielding unit today. I think we saved around 15 runs that we hence did not need to chase. India v Pakistan semi-finals - it doesn't get better. The pressure will be big, but in reality it makes no difference to us."

Ahmedabad does itself a disservice by booing Ponting: "We needed more wickets in the middle of the innings. With 15 overs to go, it was touch and go, but Yuvraj and Raina played really well. It's disappointing to bow out, we are a better team than we have played."

August: "When was the last time India won 5 games in a World Cup and none has Tendulkar as 'Man of the Match', even after scoring two centuries and one '50' :)" Is the answer August? ;-)

Sanjib: "Ponting the tragic hero, scored a Century in his very last innings of the World Cup Cricket. GREATEST EXIT, hats off for you." Indeed. Reminds me of Saeed Anwar's sparkling exit in 2003.

Hemant: "Yuvi reminded me Mohindar Amarnath in 1983 World cup."

NV: "This is a last and final call for all passengers travelling non stop to Australia on Air Quantas!"

Sai: "Buh-Bye! Restroom here i come!!"

Sumesh: "Congrats to ourselves! I was not looking away from the screen since Dhoni got out and it worked! :-)"

Kedar: "This innings ranks at the very top for Yuvraj... a gem of an innings under immense pressure, what a transformation!"

Priyadarshini: "The last time Australia hadn't played the world cup final was 1992. Things changes and I am loving it."

But above all, contemplate all that Yuvraj has been through in the last year. He lost his form. He lost his fans. He lost his fitness with an injury. Controversy followed him like a faithful pet. He lost his Test spot. He almost lost his limited-overs spots. He hung in there. And he's taking India past every hurdle in this World Cup. With bat, with ball, and on the field. Yuvraj, take a bow.

A day for champions. Ponting may have played his last World Cup game. But don't forget what he accomplished today. He overcame poor form, in tough conditions and played a top-class innings. Don't forget Lee, charging in like his life depended on it, spilling blood in an attempt to save four, but running in at 155+ kph and making India sweat all the way. And I don't need to remind you not to forget Sachin, who played among the most fluent innings Lee-Johnson-Tait would have ever seen.

47.4
4
Lee to Yuvraj, FOUR runs

a poetic moment for the Indian fans. Australia's reign has ended. The crowd has lost it. Yuvraj is on the turf, mid-pitch, arms aloft, looking up at the sky and then waving his bat away in a frenzy of emotions. And just as well. We will have new World Champions, for the first time since 1999. Length ball on off stump, Yuvraj wanted to do it at one go, he backed away marginally and caned it through the covers. Everything is a blur. Australia are out. India will play Pakistan in Mohali.

47.3
Lee to Yuvraj, no run

another yorker, marginally off-line, ends up on the toes and Yuvraj could have flicked through backward square leg but couldn't get it away.

47.2
Lee to Yuvraj, no run

another yorker on middle and leg, Yuvraj can't get anything under it as he drives straight to mid off

47.1
Lee to Yuvraj, no run

Lee is still not giving up. Yorker at 139 kph on off stump, Yuvraj looks to deflect it to third man but finds point

India are a shot away.

end of over 4711 runs
IND: 257/5CRR: 5.46 RRR: 1.33
Suresh Raina34 (28b 2x4 1x6)
Yuvraj Singh53 (61b 7x4)
Mitchell Johnson 8-0-41-0
Brett Lee 8-1-41-1
46.6
2
Johnson to Raina, 2 runs

another Raina dink through the leg side. Mitch drops a short ball on the pads and Raina will keep tucking them there all day if he has to. There are no fielders there. Easy couple to India. The parties have started in the stands, says Ravi Shastri.

46.5
1
Johnson to Yuvraj, 1 run

slow and back of a length outside off, Yuvraj looks to guide backward of point and he gets an inside edge onto the pads for a single into the off side.

46.5
1w
Johnson to Yuvraj, 1 wide

the crowd is delirious. Mitch slants another wide down the leg side. Ponting looks gutted. India are taking this away.

46.4
1
Johnson to Raina, 1 run

Raina backs away a touch, but Mitch follows him and Raina steers a short ball to deep backward point for a single

46.3
1lb
Johnson to Yuvraj, 1 leg bye

slanting into the pads, Yuvraj gets some pad on it as he looks to flick. Leg bye. India get closer.

46.2
1
Johnson to Raina, 1 run

short and fast outside off, Raina has things under control now. He opens the face of the bat and runs it down to third man for a single

Md Akhtar: "I am not moving from my place, old Indian trick. Fingers crossed. :-)"

46.1
4
Johnson to Raina, FOUR runs

India are running home in a hurry. Johnson sends a bouncer down, but misses the line by a fraction. That's exactly what Raina is playing for when he hops inside the line to a bouncer. This one ends up to the right of his body and he glances it along, using Mitch's pace, and it screams away to fine leg.

end of over 467 runs
IND: 246/5CRR: 5.34 RRR: 3.75
Yuvraj Singh52 (59b 7x4)
Suresh Raina26 (24b 1x4 1x6)
Brett Lee 8-1-41-1
Shane Watson 7-0-37-1
45.6
Lee to Yuvraj, no run

back of a length to end the over, Yuvraj is completely focused - no pressure on him despite playing four successive dot balls. He works it to the leg side of the pitch and stays put in the crease.

45.5
Lee to Yuvraj, no run

Lee has not given up. He sends down a skidding yorker, and Yuvraj plays forward to it and ends up meeting it on the full. Just as well, the outside edge takes it away from the stumps and then it thuds into the turf on the way to Haddin.

45.4
Lee to Yuvraj, no run

another short ball, at 143 kph and targetted at the body. Yuvraj stays put on the crease and defends down the track

45.3
Lee to Yuvraj, no run

bouncer at 146.9 kph, he does his best to hustle Yuvraj into the corner, but Yuvraj leaps back in the crease and defends towards point. He had that under complete control.

45.2
1
Lee to Raina, 1 run

back of a length and coming into the pads, Raina dabs through square leg for a single

45.1
6
Lee to Raina, SIX runs

Raina has smeared him over long on. Lee lands one on the length, in Raina's business area. Mid on is inside the circle. Raina needs no more incentive to go over the top, he gets the front foot into line and mows it a long way. Huge moment.

India's biggest nemesis comes on. The Batting Powerplay. They can't delay it anymore. Lee, the champion, has the ball. 22 off 30. Slip in place. Round the wicket.

end of over 457 runs
IND: 239/5CRR: 5.31 RRR: 4.40
Suresh Raina19 (22b 1x4)
Yuvraj Singh52 (55b 7x4)
Shane Watson 7-0-37-1
Jason Krejza 9-0-45-0
44.6
1
Watson to Raina, 1 run

Raina gets one more, stays on the back foot but whips in front of square easily for a single.

44.5
1
Watson to Yuvraj, 1 run

he's doing it easily at the moment. This is top-notch one-day batting on display. Length ball angling across him, Yuvraj opens the face of the bat as he dabs to third man for one more

44.4
2
Watson to Yuvraj, 2 runs

Fifty to Yuvraj. Each run has come under immense pressure. Fourth fifty of the World Cup. Length ball on the pads, Yuvraj is inside the line and hops onto the back foot as he nudges to deep backward square leg for a couple.

Best performances - batters
Spike Graph
Wagon Zone
RT Ponting
104 runs (118)
7 fours1 six
Productive shot
leg glance
31 runs
1 four0 six
Control
86%
Yuvraj Singh
57 runs (65)
8 fours0 six
Productive shot
leg glance
17 runs
1 four0 six
Control
68%
Best performances - bowlers
Yuvraj Singh
O
10
M
0
R
44
W
2
ECO
4.4
R Ashwin
O
10
M
0
R
52
W
2
ECO
5.2
Match details
Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad
TossAustralia, elected to bat first
Series
Season2010/11
Player Of The Match
Series resultIndia advanced
Match numberODI no. 3143
Hours of play (local time)14.30 start, First Session 14.30-18.00, Interval 18.00-18.45, Second Session 18.45-22.15
Match days24 March 2011 - daynight (50-over match)
Umpires
TV Umpire
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
AskESPNcricinfo Logo
Instant answers to T20 questions
India Innings
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ICC Cricket World Cup

Group A
TEAMMWLPTNRR
PAK651100.758
SL64192.582
AUS64191.123
NZ64281.135
ZIM62440.030
CAN6152-1.987
KENYA6060-3.042
Group B
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SA651102.026
IND64190.900
ENG63270.072
WI63361.066
BAN6336-1.361
IRE6244-0.696
NED6060-2.045