karan316
State Vice-Captain
Its just about 1 match and not the whole series where a batsman's effort went in vain, but I really want to share it with you people as its my 1st day on cricketweb.
I remember Yusuf Pathan playing some brutal cricket against South Africa in South Africa,
He was not considered in the first 2 matches because of the bowling pitches in South Africa
even though he had just scored a century and won a game against New Zealand which was almost
lost, he was picked in the last 3 matches and he scored a 59 and a 105.
This might not sound too big, but in both his innings he was hit on the body quite a few
times by the hostile South African bowlers, it was on bouncy South African wickets against
the in form South African attack of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel,Lonwabo Tsotsotbe and Johan
Botha. And to add to it, there was always the pressure of the increasing run rate when he came in to bat.
He was hit twice at Cape Town, and at Centurion, another delivery got him in the shoulder,
after which he had to get some treatment. His response was to ask for a Powerplay, which he
was denied. Bad shoulder, no Powerplay, smack back-to-back sixes over the deep fielders'
heads.
His 59 in the 3rd ODI won us the game, his innings of 105 came when the series was
levelled(2-2) and India were 60 for 5, and were soon reduced to 98 for 7, Yusuf was still
confident of winning the series for India, even though the other Indian batsmen were jumping
up and down against the South African fast bowlers. Yusuf didn't play negatively like
others, he just dealt with equal fire against all the bowlers. He hit 8 sixes and 8 fours to
score a 70 ball 105. At one point it looked liked India would be allout under 120 runs but
Yusuf took India to a respectable total of 234 runs and almost won us the game.
He was in despair when he was caught on 105. Never mind, he is a hero.
Yusuf's century off 68 balls, the sixth-fastest by an Indian, and the second-fastest outside
the subcontinent, didn't win India the match: it was too much of a climb after the hole the
top order had dug. When he walked back after his dismissal, not one person in the sold-out
SuperSport Park was sitting, they gave him a standing ovation. They knew they had seen
something special: one of the best exhibitions of hitting in a losing cause. They let Yusuf
know that. They were thanking Yusuf for rescuing the last day of what has been a thoroughly
enjoyable tour for them.
It was just one match, but that match can never be erased from the memories of people who
were at the Centurion that day, people who didn't turn off the tv and expected some fight
till Yusuf was there, people who really think that the match is not over till the last ball.
Yusuf is yet to prove himself at the international level, but if you talk about attitude, very few can match Yusuf. He has always played for the team's cause, unlike the other soft Indian youngsters who just try to cement their place in the team and play selfish cricket.
I remember Yusuf Pathan playing some brutal cricket against South Africa in South Africa,
He was not considered in the first 2 matches because of the bowling pitches in South Africa
even though he had just scored a century and won a game against New Zealand which was almost
lost, he was picked in the last 3 matches and he scored a 59 and a 105.
This might not sound too big, but in both his innings he was hit on the body quite a few
times by the hostile South African bowlers, it was on bouncy South African wickets against
the in form South African attack of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel,Lonwabo Tsotsotbe and Johan
Botha. And to add to it, there was always the pressure of the increasing run rate when he came in to bat.
He was hit twice at Cape Town, and at Centurion, another delivery got him in the shoulder,
after which he had to get some treatment. His response was to ask for a Powerplay, which he
was denied. Bad shoulder, no Powerplay, smack back-to-back sixes over the deep fielders'
heads.
His 59 in the 3rd ODI won us the game, his innings of 105 came when the series was
levelled(2-2) and India were 60 for 5, and were soon reduced to 98 for 7, Yusuf was still
confident of winning the series for India, even though the other Indian batsmen were jumping
up and down against the South African fast bowlers. Yusuf didn't play negatively like
others, he just dealt with equal fire against all the bowlers. He hit 8 sixes and 8 fours to
score a 70 ball 105. At one point it looked liked India would be allout under 120 runs but
Yusuf took India to a respectable total of 234 runs and almost won us the game.
He was in despair when he was caught on 105. Never mind, he is a hero.
Yusuf's century off 68 balls, the sixth-fastest by an Indian, and the second-fastest outside
the subcontinent, didn't win India the match: it was too much of a climb after the hole the
top order had dug. When he walked back after his dismissal, not one person in the sold-out
SuperSport Park was sitting, they gave him a standing ovation. They knew they had seen
something special: one of the best exhibitions of hitting in a losing cause. They let Yusuf
know that. They were thanking Yusuf for rescuing the last day of what has been a thoroughly
enjoyable tour for them.
It was just one match, but that match can never be erased from the memories of people who
were at the Centurion that day, people who didn't turn off the tv and expected some fight
till Yusuf was there, people who really think that the match is not over till the last ball.
Yusuf is yet to prove himself at the international level, but if you talk about attitude, very few can match Yusuf. He has always played for the team's cause, unlike the other soft Indian youngsters who just try to cement their place in the team and play selfish cricket.
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