| December 12, 2020 at 7:47 PM
Yuvraj Singh is one of the greatest middle-order batsman and all-rounders India has had.
He was a three-dimensional player with his explosive batting, eye-catching fielding, and handy left-arm spin.
His left-arm spin, in particular, is known to irritate some top batsmen, with Kevin Pieterson calling him a pie chucker.
The former Indian All-rounder has been a part of some famous wins.
He was the man-of-the-tournament in the 2011 World Cup and India’s best player in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
His middle-order batting has changed Indian cricket with his explosive presence.
Yuvraj Singh has always been a go-to player on big occasions, and the man has achieved a lot through his career.
Along with a lot of victories in Cricket, Yuvraj Singh survived Cancer, and made his way back into the side to perform again.
While Yuvraj didn’t have a very sparkling career after Cancer, the way he fought back and the achievements he was a part of making him an Indian great.
With a lot of competition, and a gap due to Cancer, Yuvraj Singh’s momentum was affected, and he lost a significant chunk of his career during cancer treatment.
In his prime, he won the man-of-the-series award but wasn’t allowed to carry the momentum forward.
On Yuvraj Singh’s 39th birthday, let us look at some of his outstanding performances.
84 vs. Australia 2000 Knock-out Cup, Nairobi:
The quarter-final against Australia in the Knock-Out Cup remains a very famous match due to various incidents.
The famous interaction between Mcgrath and Sachin is a memorable moment, in which Sachin Tendulkar is seen sledging his opponent.
Sachin sledging, seems like a moment that can overshadow anything else that could happen in a match.
In only his second game, Yuvraj Singh walked in to bat after three wickets fell with ninety runs on the board.
After a quick start from Sachin, the batting struggled after a fast start, and India needed a miracle to keep them in the game.
Facing Australia for the first time, Yuvraj Singh absorbed all the pressure and made 84 off just 80 balls.
He announced himself on the World stage and displayed his explosive abilities against a strong Australian side.
He defied the Australian bowlers as wickets fell around him.
Despite the lack of support from others, Yuvraj Singh managed to carry the side to 265 and was the eighth man to be dismissed.
The score turned out to be enough as India won by twenty runs.
The win was a significant one as it knocked the mighty Aussies out of a multi-national tournament.
With a 19-year-old handing Australia the knockout punch, the win felt sweeter, as Yuvraj Singh won his first man-of-the-match award.
69 Vs England, NatWest Series Final, Lords, 2002:
Chasing 325 is always a daunting task.
Chasing 325 in a final back in 2002 is even more difficult.
In present times, with T20 Cricket around, high totals are usually not met with many surprises, but back in the day, they were seen as a big boost.
The chase began well, but a slump pushed India out of the game, and India were reduced to 146-5.
The game seemed over, and England may have felt the trophy is all theirs.
With the game gone, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif put together a surprising counter-attacking partnership.
They took the game deep, and the partnership allowed India to complete an unlikely victory.
Yuvraj scored 69 while Kaif made 87, as India won with three balls to spare.
5-31 and 50* Vs. Ireland, 2011 World Cup:
Yuvraj Singh has been a handy bowler throughout his career, with some beautiful figures and hat-tricks in the IPL.
The 2011 World Cup, however, allowed Yuvraj to turn a corner with his bowling.
Bowling first against Ireland, India got off to a good start, followed by a nice fight back from Ireland.
After losing some early wickets, Ireland rebuilt their innings and looked good.
Yuvraj Singh came in and started bowling his left-arm spin through the middle-overs.
He went on to take five wickets, consisting of top and middle-order batsmen, to push Ireland back.
His spell took the game away from Ireland as they were bowled out for 207.
Ireland started the second innings well, with some quick wickets, and was very spirited in the field.
Runs were not coming easy, as Ireland bowled well and looked to save every possible run.
With some thirties from Sachin, Kohli, and Dhoni, and a cameo from Pathan, Yuvraj was supported well as he scored another fifty to get India home.
His fifty allowed him to complete a rare achievement of taking five wickets and scoring a half-century in the same game.
58 Vs. England 2007 T20 World Cup, Durban:
The inaugural T20 World Cup saw the best of Yuvraj Singh.
With a shorter version of the game, Yuvraj Singh felt at home, batting aggressively throughout the tournament.
Playing England in a group match, Yuvraj came in to bat during the 17th over.
The platform had been set with Sehwag and Gambhir scoring fifties, and a charged-up Yuvi came out.
On his arrival, Yuvraj made an immediate impact with three boundaries in the 18th over.
In between overs, Andrew Flintoff and Yuvraj Singh exchanged words, firing Yuvraj up.
A charged-up Yuvraj then took on Stuart Broad in the 19th over.
He hit six sixes, completing his fifty off twelve balls.
His half-century is the fastest in T20I Cricket and joint fastest as Chris Gayle achieved the same feat.
His insane hitting took India to a good score, as they just defended it with both sides scoring more than 200.
70 Vs. Australia 2007 World Cup semi-finals:
India qualified for the Semi-finals with some stunning performances through the World Cup.
The thirty-six run over was still fresh in mind as India took on Australia.
Playing Australia in a World Cup Semi-final is never easy.
In a format India was not meant to do well in, it made the task seem even more difficult.
Batting first, Yuvraj Singh came in during the 8th over with India in a sticky situation.
The run-rate was low, and the side lost two wickets.
Yuvraj Singh played another counter-attacking knock, as he finished with 70 off just 30 balls.
Yuvraj, along with Dhoni, provided the finishing touches as India finished with 188.
The score seemed a good one in a high-pressure Semi-Final, and India’s bowling performed well, as they defended the score by just fifteen runs.
The knock was crucial in providing the momentum going into the final, as Yuvraj showed why he was India’s best player in the tournament.
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