Date: February 27, 2011
Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Match: Group B, ICC Cricket World Cup
The Garden City of Bengaluru had transformed into a fortress of blue. The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, nestled in the heart of the city alongside Cubbon Park, was vibrating long before the first ball was bowled. This wasn't just a cricket match; it was a festival. The roads leading to MG Road were jammed with fans, faces painted with the tricolour, blowing vuvuzelas that emitted a drone sounding like a swarm of angry bees.
Inside the stadium, the heat was rising—not just from the sun, but from the sheer body heat of 40,000 spectators packed into the concrete stands. The small boundaries of the Chinnaswamy, notoriously cruel to bowlers and a paradise for batsmen, seemed to beckon the Indian heavyweights.
High above the sea of blue, the commentary box was a haven of air-conditioned calm, though the voices within were animated.
Nasser Hussain: "Good afternoon and welcome to Bengaluru. If you are a bowler, you might want to look away now. This is the Chinnaswamy Stadium, known for its flat pitches, lightning-fast outfield, and boundaries that feel like they are just a stone's throw away. It is a batting paradise, and today, England takes on the might of India."
Ravi Shastri: "You're spot on, Nass. The atmosphere is absolutely electric. You can't hear yourself think out there. India is coming off that mammoth victory against Bangladesh—433 runs. The confidence is sky-high. And the crowd? Well, they are expecting another run-fest."
Nasser Hussain: "England has a mountain to climb. They've had a mixed bag of form leading up to this. The bowling attack—Anderson, Broad, Bresnan, Swann—they will have to be incredibly disciplined. If you miss your length here by an inch, you are fetching the ball from the stands. And with this Indian lineup, especially with Sidanth Deva at number 3, there is no respite."
---
Sunil Gavaskar (Pitchside): "I'm standing here on the 22 yards that matter. It's a beauty. Hard, brown, devoid of any significant grass. It rings hollow when you tap it. There might be a little bit of turn later on for the spinners, but for the first 50 overs, the ball is going to come onto the bat nicely. It's a win-the-toss-and-bat-first wicket. 300 is par here; 350 is competitive."
---
MS Dhoni and Andrew Strauss walked out to the middle. The roar was deafening. Dhoni, in his sleeveless team India training kit, looked relaxed. Strauss looked focused, perhaps a bit wary of the noise.
Match Referee Roshan Mahanama watched as Dhoni spun the coin.
"Heads," Strauss called.
It came down tails.
Ravi Shastri: "MS Dhoni wins the toss yet again."
Dhoni: "We are going to bat first. It looks like a good wicket. We want to put runs on the board and put pressure on them. The outfield is fast, so we need to be careful in the field."
Shastri: "Any changes to the side, MS?"
Dhoni: "Yes, one change. Sreesanth misses out, and Piyush Chawla comes in. We feel the leg-spinner might give us a bit more variety on this track, and Chawla can bat a bit too."
Strauss: "We would have batted first as well, but now we have to bowl well. We need early wickets. You can't let this Indian lineup get away from you."
The Teams
INDIA XI:
Virender Sehwag
Sachin Tendulkar
Sidanth Deva
Virat Kohli
Yuvraj Singh
Yusuf Pathan
MS Dhoni (C & WK)
Harbhajan Singh
Piyush Chawla (In for Sreesanth)
Zaheer Khan
Munaf Patel
ENGLAND XI:
Andrew Strauss (C)
Kevin Pietersen
Jonathan Trott
Ian Bell
Paul Collingwood
Matt Prior (WK)
Michael Yardy
Tim Bresnan
Graeme Swann
Stuart Broad
James Anderson
---
The umpires, Billy Bowden and Marais Erasmus, walked out to the middle. Following them were the English team in their dark blue kits. And then, the stadium erupted.
Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag walked down the stairs. The Master Blaster, looking focused, adjusted his gloves. Sehwag, the butcher of Najafgarh, swung his bat loosely, humming a tune.
Over 1
James Anderson took the new ball. He had to be accurate.
Sachin took strike.
0.1: Anderson to Sachin. Good length, outside off. Sachin let it go.
0.2: Anderson to Sachin. Tucked off the hips. Two runs. The crowd cheered the first runs of the day.
Over 2: Sehwag's First Blow
Stuart Broad took the other end. He ran in hard, tall and imposing.
1.1: Broad to Sehwag. Short of a length, wide.
Sehwag didn't move his feet. He just threw his hands at it.
CRACK.
The ball flew over point.
Commentary (David Lloyd): "Start the car! Virender Sehwag is away! Width offered, and he says thank you very much. Four runs."
Over 3 - 5
The openers were cautious but punishing. Anderson and Broad were bowling decent lines, but the margin for error was nonexistent.
Sachin played a glorious straight drive off Anderson in the 4th over that had the commentators purring.
"That is the textbook," Nasser Hussain said. "Elbow high, head over the ball. You cannot set a field for that."
Sehwag, on the other hand, was playing his own game. He slashed, he cut, he flicked.
In the 5th over, Sehwag decided to take on Anderson.
4.3: Anderson pitched it up, looking for swing.
Sehwag leaned forward and lofted it over mid-off. He didn't try to hit it too hard; just timed it.
FOUR.
India: 32/0 (5 Overs)
Over 6
Tim Bresnan replaced Stuart Broad.
5.2: Bresnan to Sehwag. Back of a length, on off stump.
Sehwag stood tall and punched it through the covers. The timing was exquisite. The ball raced across the lightning outfield.
Commentary (Shastri): "Like a tracer bullet! He barely hit that. Just a push, and it's raced away. Sehwag is looking ominous here."
5.5: Bresnan tried a bouncer.
Sehwag saw it early. He swiveled and pulled it behind square leg.
FOUR.
The crowd was finding its voice. Every boundary was met with a chaotic symphony of horns and drums.
Over 7: Sachin's Class
Graeme Swann was introduced early. A brave move by Strauss.
Sachin used his feet immediately. He danced down the track and clipped Swann against the spin through mid-wicket for FOUR.
India: 45/0.
---
Tim Bresnan was continuing his spell. He was bowling a tight line, trying to cramp Sehwag for room.
7.1: Bresnan to Sehwag. Length ball. Defended.
7.2: Sehwag tried to run it down to third man but found the fielder. Dot ball.
7.3: Short ball. Sehwag pulled, but didn't time it well. It fell short of deep square leg. Single refused.
Sehwag looked a bit restless. He wanted to keep the scoreboard ticking.
7.4: Bresnan to Sehwag. Good length, angling in.
Sehwag tried to flick it but got a leading edge. It rolled safely to cover.
7.5: WICKET BALL.
Bresnan adjusted his line. He went slightly wider of the crease and bowled a ball that was short of a good length and moving away just a fraction. It was the perfect "corridor of uncertainty."
Sehwag, perhaps frustrated by the three quiet balls, went for a lavish expansive drive on the up. His feet were nowhere near the pitch of the ball.
He threw his hands at it.
EDGE.
A thick outside edge flew fast and low to the right of the wicketkeeper.
Matt Prior dived to his right and pouched it safely in the webbing of his glove.
Commentary (Nasser Hussain):
"Got him! England has the breakthrough! Sehwag goes for the big drive, no footwork, just hands, and he nicks it through to Matt Prior. That is a massive wicket for England. The dangerous Sehwag has to depart. He made 35, looked good, but England will breathe a huge sigh of relief."
WICKET: Virender Sehwag c Prior b Bresnan 35 (26 balls)
India: 46/1 (7.5 Overs)
---
The giant screen flashed the replay of Sehwag's dismissal, but the crowd's disappointment was short-lived. As Sehwag tucked his bat under his arm and began the walk back, a murmur started in the stands. It grew into a rumble, and then into a full-throated roar that shook the camera gantries.
From the dressing room shadows, a figure emerged. He adjusted his thigh pad, rotated his shoulders, and jogged down the steps.
Sidanth Deva.
The hero of Dhaka. The man who had scored a century in 35 balls just a week ago. The Chinnaswamy crowd, knowledgeable and passionate, knew exactly who was walking in.
Commentary (Ravi Shastri):
"Listen to that noise! You would think Tendulkar just walked in, but no, it is the new sensation. Sidanth Deva. The man who tore Bangladesh apart in Mirpur. He walks in at number 3."
Commentary (Nasser Hussain):
"I've seen a lot of this lad, Ravi. He hits it 360 degrees. Well, this is a different test. This isn't Shafiul Islam and Rubel Hossain. This is Bresnan, Anderson, and Swann. The ball is doing a bit. Let's see how he handles the pressure of the Chinnaswamy."
---
Deva crossed Sehwag near the boundary rope. Sehwag didn't say much, just a nod.
Deva walked to the crease. He looked calm, chewing gum rhythmically. He looked around the field.
Strauss had a slip in place. A gully. Cover. Mid-off and Mid-on were up.
It was an attacking field.
Sachin Tendulkar walked down the pitch from the non-striker's end to greet the youngster.
"Watch the bounce," Sachin said, his voice barely audible over the chanting. "Bresnan is hitting the deck hard. Play straight initially."
Deva nodded. "Yes, Paaji."
He took his guard. 'Middle stump, please umpire.'
He marked the line with his spikes. He looked up. Tim Bresnan was walking back to his mark, tail up, confident after taking Sehwag's wicket.
Commentary (David Lloyd):
"Here we go then. The young gun against the confident bowler. India 46 for 1. The stage is set perfectly. The crowd is on its feet. Can Deva replicate the magic, or will England double strike?"
Deva tapped his bat on the ground. Tap. Tap. Tap.
He settled into his stance—balanced, head still, bat raised high.
Bresnan turned and began his run-up.
The Devil was ready to dance in the Garden City.
---
Sidanth Deva took his guard. He scratched the mark on the popping crease, looked up at Tim Bresnan, and the world seemed to slow down.
High above the chaotic sea of blue jerseys, in the air-conditioned sanctuary of the Corporate Box, the atmosphere was thick with anxiety.
Vikram Deva sat on the edge of his plush seat, his hands clasped so tightly his knuckles were white. He wore a crisp white shirt, but his collar was already damp with nervous sweat. Beside him, Sesikala clutched a small prayer bead bag, her lips moving in silent recitation of the Lalitha Sahasranama.
"Relax, Uncle," Arjun whispered, leaning forward. "He loves this. This is his stage."
"Sehwag is out, Arjun," Vikram muttered, not taking his eyes off the field. "The ball is moving. Bresnan is bowling well."
"Bresnan doesn't know what's coming," Feroz said with a grin.
Sameer, the quietest of the trio, just pointed to the screen. "Watch. First ball."
---
Over 8
Bresnan, tail up, ran in to bowl to the new man.
7.6: Bresnan to Deva. Good length, just outside off.
Deva didn't sighter. He didn't defend. He stepped forward, leaning his head over the ball, and punched it. It wasn't a slog; it was a caress. The ball pierced the gap between cover and mid-off like a laser.
FOUR.
Commentary (Nasser Hussain):
"First ball! Would you believe it? He's just punched that. No violence, just pure timing. Sidanth Deva is off the mark with a boundary. That is some way to say 'I'm here'."
Over 10
James Anderson, the swing king, came back. He tried to swing it away from Deva.
9.3: Anderson pitched it full, inviting the drive.
Deva accepted the invitation. He drove straight back past the bowler. Anderson didn't even move his hand; he just turned his head to watch it race to the fence.
FOUR.
Commentary (Ravi Shastri):
"Straight as an arrow! That is Sachin-esque. High elbow, perfect balance. You pay money to watch shots like that."
9.5: Anderson shortened his length.
Deva rocked back instantly. He rolled his wrists and pulled it along the ground through square leg. The outfield was lightning fast.
FOUR.
---
The partnership with Sachin Tendulkar began to blossom. Sachin, the master, was content to rotate the strike, watching the young prodigy at the other end.
By the 15th over, spin was introduced. Graeme Swann, the world's best off-spinner at the time, came on.
Deva's eyes lit up.
14.2: Swann to Deva. Flighted delivery.
Deva skipped down the track. He didn't look to hit it straight. He went inside-out, over extra cover.
SIX.
The ball landed ten rows back.
Commentary (David Lloyd):
"He's danced down the track and walloped him! That is against the spin, over the off-side. That is a high-risk shot played with absolute disdain. This lad is special."
14.4: Swann fired it in flat.
Deva waited and played a late cut, finer than fine.
FOUR.
---
In the 18th over, Paul Collingwood was bowling his military medium pace.
Deva was on 46.
17.3: Collingwood bowled a slower ball.
Deva picked it early. He stepped across and flicked it effortlessly over mid-wicket. One bounce, over the rope.
FOUR.
50 Runs in 30 Balls.
The stadium rose as one. The noise was deafening.
Commentary (Ravi Shastri):
"There it is! Fifty for Sidanth Deva, and it has come in flash! Just 30 balls! He is batting on a different wicket to everyone else. Look at that strike rate—166! He is taking the game away from England in a hurry."
---
Deva didn't do a massive celebration. He simply raised his bat to the crowd, acknowledging the roar. He walked to the middle, punched gloves with Sachin.
"Keep going," Sachin said, his face flushed with the heat. "Don't give it away. Make it big."
The VIP Stand
Sesikala finally opened her eyes. She saw the giant screen flashing "DEVA 50 (30)".
"He is playing too fast," she worried, clutching Vikram's arm. "Why is he in such a hurry?"
"Because he is the Devil, Aunty!" Arjun cheered, high-fiving Feroz. "Look at the English captain. Strauss looks like he wants to cry."
Vikram Deva leaned back, a small, proud smile finally breaking through his stoicism. He remembered the plastic bat he bought Sidanth when he was four. He remembered the broken window panes. He remembered when he took Deva for the first kit.
"Play straight, son," he whispered to the glass. "Just play straight."
---
As the innings progressed, Deva shifted gears. He didn't slow down; he became more surgical. The "ABD template" came into full effect. The fielders were moved back, but Deva found gaps that shouldn't have existed.
Over 22:
Michael Yardy, the left-arm spinner, was bowling.
21.4: Yardy bowled full on leg stump.
Deva switched his grip. He reverse-swept it hard over the backward point.
FOUR.
Commentary (Ian Bishop):
"Oh, stop it! That is outrageous. He's taken a ball from leg stump and hit it behind point for four. How do you set a field for that? Strauss is moving his fielders like chess pieces, but Deva is playing 3D chess."
Over 25
Tim Bresnan returned to try and bounce Deva out.
24.5: Bresnan bowled a yorker length delivery, tailing in.
Deva cleared his front leg and whipped his wrists. The bat came down in a blur. The ball flew over mid-on.
FOUR.
Commentary (Sunil Gavaskar):
"That's the helicopter shot! Shades of MS Dhoni there. The bat speed generated by those wrists is phenomenal. The ball was almost in the blockhole, and he's dug it out for four."
Over 28:
Deva moved into the 90s with a flurry of singles and doubles. The crowd sensed history. A consecutive century in his second World Cup match?
He was on 96.
Sachin was at the other end, batting beautifully on 75, but all eyes were on the youngster.
Over 29
Graeme Swann to Deva.
28.2: Swann bowled a drift delivery on middle.
Deva stepped out. He didn't blast it. He lofted it with pure timing, straight back over the bowler's head.
The ball sailed through the blue sky, turning slowly as it traveled.
Long-on looked up. Long-off looked up.
It cleared the sightscreen.
SIX.
102 Runs in 65 Balls.
---
The moment the ball cleared the rope, the Chinnaswamy exploded. The sound was like a thunderclap trapped in a bowl.
Deva stopped in the middle of the pitch. He let out a primal roar, "COME ON!"
He ripped off his helmet, his hair matted with sweat.
He looked up at the sky, closing his eyes for a brief second, thanking the GOD.
Then, he turned to the VIP stand.
He raised his bat high, pointing it directly at the glass box where his world existed. He tapped the Indian crest on his chest with his gloved fist. This is for you.
Sachin Tendulkar walked over, a wide grin on his face. He engulfed the younger man in a bear hug. The God was embracing the Devil. He patted Deva's back firmly.
"Brilliant, Sidanth. Absolutely brilliant," Sachin shouted over the noise.
Commentary (Ravi Shastri):
"CENTURY FOR SIDANTH DEVA! A Massacre in Bengaluru! 100 off just 65 balls! He has torn the English attack to shreds! Look at the emotion! Look at the passion! This is an innings of pure genius!"
Commentary (Nasser Hussain):
"I have to hand it to him. That was a masterclass. He has not given a single chance. Clean hitting, smart cricket. England looks shell-shocked. India is flying."
---
Sesikala was weeping openly now. She stood up, clapping, tears streaming down her face.
Vikram Deva stood up slowly. He didn't jump. He didn't scream. He clapped his hands to his son. His eyes were glistening behind his spectacles.
"He did it, Uncle! He did it!" Sameer was jumping up and down, hugging Arjun.
"2nd 100 in a World Cup!" Feroz shouted, capturing the moment on his phone. "The party tonight is going to be insane!"
Vikram placed a hand on the glass, as if trying to touch his son across the distance. "Well played, ra. Well played."
---
With the century done, Deva went berserk.
He smashed Anderson for two consecutive fours in the 32nd over.
He lofted Yardy for another six over deep mid-wicket in the 35th.
Sachin, meanwhile, quietly reached his own century—his 47th ODI ton—in the 37th over. The crowd celebrated, but they were exhausted from cheering Deva.
The partnership had crossed 200 runs. India was hurtling towards 350.
Over 38.4
The score was nearing 280. Anderson was brought back for a final crack.
Deva was on 135 off just 81 balls.
38.4: Anderson bowled a slower bouncer, wide of off stump.
Deva reached for it. He tried to slap it over point for six.
He didn't get the elevation.
The ball flew flat and hard towards the deep point boundary.
Ian Bell ran to his left, dived, and took a stunning catch inches from the ground.
WICKET: Sidanth Deva c Bell b Anderson 135 (82 balls)
The stadium rose for a standing ovation that lasted two full minutes. As Deva walked back, tired but triumphant, the English players, including Strauss and Anderson, applauded him.
Commentary (David Lloyd):
"The entertainment ends. Sidanth Deva departs for a magnificent 135. He has put India in a commanding position. A truly breathtaking knock."
Over 38.6
Yuvraj Singh had just walked in and taken a single. Sachin was on strike.
38.6: Anderson, pumped up by the wicket, bowled a perfect outswinger.
Sachin tried to guide it to third man.
Edge.
Straight to Matt Prior.
WICKET: Sachin Tendulkar c Prior b Anderson 120 (115 balls)
Commentary (Nasser Hussain):
"Oh, drama! Two in the over for Jimmy Anderson! Sachin goes too! 120 for Tendulkar. A brilliant inning, overshadowed perhaps by Deva's brilliance, but vital nonetheless. Both set batsmen are gone in the space of three balls! Can England claw their way back?"
---
The scoreboard read 305/3 in 39 overs.
Two fresh batsmen were at the crease: Yuvraj Singh and the captain, MS Dhoni.
Most teams would rebuild. These two decided to detonate.
Over 40 - 45
Yuvraj looked in sublime touch. He wasn't hitting hard; he was timing the pants off the ball.
41.2: Broad to Yuvraj. Full on the legs.
Yuvraj flicked it over square leg. The bat swing was a high flourish. SIX.
43.4: Swann to Yuvraj.
Yuvraj swept him hard through mid-wicket. FOUR.
Over 46 - 5
Dhoni, sensing the end overs, shifted his grip.
47.1: Anderson to Dhoni. Length ball.
Dhoni stood still and bludgeoned it past the bowler. It nearly took the umpire's head off. FOUR.
48.3: Bresnan to Dhoni. Short.
Dhoni pulled. It wasn't pretty, but it was powerful. It landed in the second tier over mid-wicket. SIX.
---
Tim Bresnan to bowl the 50th.
Yuvraj was on 45. Dhoni on 42.
49.1: Yuvraj drives through covers. FOUR. (Yuvraj 49).
49.2: Yuvraj pushes to long-on. TWO runs.
Yuvraj Singh reaches 51 off 39 balls.
He raised his bat briefly.
49.3: Yuvraj takes a single.
49.4: Dhoni on strike. Full toss.
Dhoni swings. The ball slices over point. FOUR.
49.5: Dhoni takes a couple.
49.6: Last ball. Dhoni helicopter shot attempt... mistimed to long-on. They run one.
Innings Summary:
Sidanth Deva: 135 (82)
Sachin Tendulkar: 120 (115)
Yuvraj Singh: 52* (40)
MS Dhoni: 49* (32)
Extras: 15
TOTAL SCORE: India 398/3 (50 Overs)
Commentary (Ravi Shastri):
"What a finish! India ends on a colossal 398 for 3! First, it was the Deva-Sachin show, and then Yuvraj and Dhoni applied the finishing touches. England has been battered from pillar to post. 399 to win. It looks like a mountain too high, even on this pitch."
---
Back in the VIP stand, the food was being served, but Vikram Deva was too overwhelmed to eat.
Arjun handed him a glass of water. "Drink, Uncle. The second half is going to be even more fun."
"399," Vikram shook his head. "I remember when 250 was a winning score."