Bangalore, Mar 6 : Yuvraj Singh produced an impressive all-round performance as title contenders India really toiled hard in order to pull-off a five-wicket win over a spirited Ireland side in a group B encounter of the cricket World Cup, here today.
Yuvraj became the first player in the history of World Cup to take five wickets and score a half century (5/31 in 10 overs and 50 not out) as India huffed and puffed on their way to a modest victory target of 208 in 46 overs.
After restricting Ireland to a modest 207, courtesy his five-for, the southpaw batted sensibly on a slow track for his half century as it came in 75 balls and had only three fours in it. India now have five points from three matches having notched up their second win.
Put into bat after Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss,Ireland lost two early wickets before rival captain William Porterfield capitalised on an early reprieve to rescue his team.
But Yuvraj triggered a collapse that saw Ireland lose their last eight wickets for 85 runs. The giant-killers, who stunned England in their last match at the same venue, tried to make a match of it, but India maintained their composure to log full points from the tie.
When India batted, Yuvraj walked in after the hosts lost the important wicket of Sachin Tendulkar, but the left-hander was soon left to rue as a misunderstanding between him and Virat Kohli led to the latter's dismissal.When Dhoni joined Yuvraj at the halfway stage, India needed another 108 runs for victory, and Ireland seemed all pumped up, sensing another upset.
But such thoughts were soon put to rest as the two experienced campaigners added 67 runs off 99 balls for the fifth wicket to put India on course. The duo didn't take any undue risk as the asking rate was always under control and the strip didn't allow free-flowing strokeplay.
Left-arm spinner George Dockrell dimissed Dhoni with India still 41 runs shy, but Yusuf Pathan, in his customary fashion, clobbered the bowler for 16 runs in the same over to take India within sniffing distance of victory.A sequence of 0, 4, 6, 6 took the pressure off Yuvraj who spent 108 minutes en route to his 47th ODI half century.
There was no twist in the tale after that as India completed the task with four overs to spare.India's start was pretty similar to Ireland's as Virender Sehwag got a leading edge back to bowler Trent Johnston while trying to work him on the leg side in the second over.It was a big wicket for Ireland, and the occasion was apt for Johnston to break into a celebratory jig.
Gautam Gambhir was the next to go, caught brilliantly by Alex Cusack. It was an ordianry delivery pitched outside leg,but Gambhir couldn't check his shot as the ball flew towards square leg.Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli then added 63 runs for the third wicket, before the legend was trapped in front by Dockrell for 38.
Tendulkar looked comfortable at the crease and played some good shots, including a flick that raced to the square-leg boundary off the first delivery he faced.But it was meant to be Yuvraj's day as the dashing left-hander followed up his exploits with the ball with a knock that paved the way for an India victory.
The Punjab player was high on confidence after starring with the ball that also included important wickets of rival skipper Porterfield and last match' centurion Kevin O'Brien.The Ireland skipper, who was droppd by Pathan for nought in the slips, ensured that he capitalised on the life.
Porterfield (75 off 104 balls) along with Niall O'Brien (46 off 78) put on 113 runs off 148 balls for the third wicket to put his team back on track, but the skipper's dismissal at a crucial juncture allowed India to fight back into the match.During his 146-minute stay in the middle, Portefield hit six boundaries and a six, while Niall O'Brien's knock included three hits to the fence.
Alex Cusack made 24 of 30 balls, but overall, the Irish line-up found Yuvraj too difficult to handle on a track where batting never looked the most hardest thing in the world,especially in the first innings.
After the two early blows, it was more about a battle for survival for Ireland. Portefield and Niall O'Brien both showed gumption during an asociation, which not just steadied what seemed like a sinking ship a little while ago, but also yielded runs on the board.
They did the sensible thing by not taking on Zaheer, who was moving the ball both ways, but more than made up for their cautious approach against the India spearhead by milking the spinners.Runs came at a healthy pace as long as the two were in the crease. Apart from an attack that lacked bite, the Irish duo was also helped by some sloppy ground fielding by the Indians, though Virat Kohli made for his few few lapses by running out O'Brien.
But before that, for 93 minutes and 148 deliveries,Porterfield and O'Brien made the Indians sweat with some calculative batting.
The ploy was to attack Piyush Chawla, the weakest link in the Indian attack, and the moment the legspinner was introduced just before the first drinks break, Porterfield signalled his intention with a towering six over deep mid-wicket.
Using his feet regularly, Porterfield not only negated whatever turn was on offer, but also forced Chawla to err in line. The leg-spinner was guilty of bowling too many extras in his first spell, including three wides and a no ball in a single over that left the Indians frustrated for a while.Soon Porterfield reached his half-century, a well-deserved one, with a drive through extra cover after Chawla dropped one too full and in the zone.
But just when things were looking bright for Ireland,came a steback. Kohli and Dhoni effected an O'Brien run out as it triggered a mini-collapse that saw Ireland lose four wickets for 40 runs, including the important one of Portefield.Andrew White, playing in place of Gary Wilson and who came in after the fall of Niall O'Brien, edged Yuvraj to Dhoni for five.
Last match's hero, Kevin O'Brien, was greeted with much anticipation from a packed Chinnaswamy crowd, but his nine-minute stay ended when Yuvraj had him caught off his own bowling.
The associate nation was dealt its biggest blow when Yuvraj, who was turning things around for the hosts, dimissed Porterfield just after the drinks break. The Irish captain rocked back after seeing a short delivery from Yuvraj but could not clear Harbhajan at cover.As is often the case with a set batsman, the break may well have disturbed Porterfield's concentration.
India heaved a sigh of relief, thanks largely to Yuvraj.His performance with the ball might force the team management to think whethet it needs an off-colour Chawla in the XI for the matches ahead.
Earlier, barring Zaheer's opening burst during which he picked up the wickets of Paul Stirling and Ed Joyce, Dhoni kept rotating the other bowlers in the early part of the Ireland innings, with Munaf Patel being replaced twice withing the first 15 overs.
Zaheer gave India an early breakthrough when he went through Paul Stirling's half-hearted drive with a delivery that swung in off the track. The left-arm seamer struck again when Ed Joyce edged one to Dhoni after failing to read a ball that zipped inward on landing.What left the batsman foxed was that Zaheer, before that wicket-taking inswinger, were bowling away-going deliveries at will. PTI
