Yuvraj's all round show script India's easy win over Windies

R Eswar
Chennai, Mar 20 (PTI) Yuvraj Singh smashed his maiden
World Cup century and took two wickets as India crushed West
Indies by 80 runs in their last Group B league match to set up
a quarter-final clash against defending champions Australia,
here on Sunday.
With Sunday's win India finished second in group B with
nine points, one less than top finisher South Africa. India
will face Australia on Thursday in Ahmedabad.
Electing to bat, India suffered yet another late batting
collapse to be all out for 268 in 49.1 overs after Yuvraj
Singh's brilliant knock of 113.
Fast bowler Ravi Rampaul took five for 51 to start the
slide as India lost seven wickets for 50 runs in 7.4 overs.
India skittled out the Caribbean side for 188 with seven
overs to spare as the spinners did an outstanding job.
Like India, West Indies too suffered a batting collapse
following a strong start as they lost last seven wickets for
just 34 runs at the M A Chidambaram Stadium.
Zaheer Khan (3/26) was the most successful Indian bowler
with three wickets while Yuvraj (2/18) and R Ashwin (2/41)
took two wickets apiece.
It was not a flourishing but still a decent start to West
Indies chase with Devon Smith (81) playing the sheet anchor by
sharing three good partnerships with the top order batsmen.
He raised quick 34 runs with Kirk Edwards for the first
wicket, then stitched a 57-run stand with Darren Bravo and
followed it up with 63 run partnership for the third wicket
with Ramnaresh Sarwan (39).
Smith was taking it away from the Indians as West Indies
were placed comfortable at 154 for two in the 31st over but
once Zaheer Khan bowled Smith, the Caribbeans lost wickets in
a heap.
Harbhajan sent back hard-hitting Keiron Pollard (1) and
Yuvraj had Devon Smith (2) stumped by Dhoni. That brought
skipper Darren Sammy on to the crease but threw his wicket by
running himself out, thanks to a terrible mix up with Sarwan.
Yuvraj struck for the second time when he had Andre
Russell (zero) caught by Yusuf Pathan at point.
Zaheer ended all Windies hopes when he scalped Sarwan.
It was Ashwin, playing his first game in the tournament,
who handed India its first breakthrough by trapping Edwards
with his carrom ball.
The umpire had initially turned down the appeal but the
the decision had to be overturned after the Indians asked for
a review, which went in their favour.
Smith pulled Harbhajan Singh for a four and Bravo hit
Ashwin for a six and a four as the duo was quick to wrest the
momentum back from the Indians.
As the wicket was helping spinners, Indian captain M S
Dhoni introduced Suresh Raina, who responded with the wicket
of dangerous looking Bravo in his very first over.
Smith was going great on the other end as he raised his
half-century with a single off Raina but could not help his
his side win.
They will play Pakistan in their quarter-final on
Wednesday in Mairpur, Bangaldesh.
Earlier, coming at number four, one up from his normal
slot due to opener Virender Sehwag's absence because of an
injury, Yuvraj showed his prowess by toying with the West
Indies bowlers, though he got two reprieves, on nine and 11.
Yuvraj's 13th ODI hundred came from 123 balls and was
studded with 10 boundaries and two sixes.
Virat Kohli was the other main contributor with a 76-ball
59, which was studded with five boundaries. Gautam Gambhir,
who opened along with Sachin Tendulkar, and skipper Dhoni
contributed 22 each.
India looked like touching the 300 mark at 218 for three
in the 42nd over, but then lost seven wickets for 50 runs in
7.4 overs. India had lost nine wickets for just 29 runs in
their earlier Group B match, against South Africa.
But for the 122-run stand between Yuvraj and Kohli for
the third wicket in 23.5 overs, India's total would have been
much lower.
Yuvraj played a few breathtaking shots but the one that
stood out was the golf swing that sent a Darren Sammy delivery
over long-on. He was out in the 45th over, holing out to
Kieron Pollard at midwicket region, as India were reduced to
240 for six.
Tendulkar, who was just one ton away from scoring 100
international century, chose to walk off despite Australian
umpire Steve Davis signalling not out.
He stabbed at Ravi Rampaul's short of a length delivery
which rose above his waist and straightened outside the off by
taking the bottom hand off the handle before popping up to
wicketkeeper Devon Thomas.
The champion batsman, who had scored just two in four
balls, chose to walk back to the stunned silence of the
capacity crowd. Gambhir and Kohli then did a bit of repair
work with a 43-run stand for the second wicket and they were
particularly harsh on left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.
The introduction of fast bowler Andre Russell brought
some control but it was Rampaul again who gave West Indies the
second breakthrough with Gambhir top-edging to the
wicketkeeper while trying to slash a delivery.
Kohli fell to Rampaul in the 33rd over but India were
still looking strong to reach near 300-run mark at 212 for
three after the 40th over before the batsmen starte to perish
in self-destruction manner.
Dhoni, who looked set for a substantial score, triggered
the collapse as he stepped out of the track to hoist a
Devendra Bishoo delivery only to be beaten and stumped-out.
Dhoni's dismissal led to a competition to follow him at
the pavilion among his colleagues as five wickets fell for 28
runs as Rampaul returned to shuffle out India's tailenders.
Suresh Raina followed his skipper two overs later caught
by Rampaul off Sammy. Yusuf Pathan continued his poor run in
the tournament as he was out for just 11 in the 47th over.
Harbhajan Singh (3), Zaheer Khan (5) and Munaf Patel (1)
could not contribute much as each one of them fell in
successive overs as India folded for 268 in 49.1 overs.