Date: March 6, 2011
Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Match: Group B, ICC Cricket World Cup
The narrative leading into this match was fascinating. Usually, a clash between India and Ireland would be seen as a mismatch, a warm-up for the Men in Blue. But the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium held a fresh memory. Just four days prior, on this very ground, Ireland had pulled off the greatest upset in World Cup history, chasing down 329 against England thanks to Kevin O'Brien's violent century.
They were the "Giant Killers." India, coming off high-scoring wins against Bangladesh and England, were the Titans.
The Sunday crowd in Bengaluru was slightly more relaxed than the England game, but the sea of blue was just as deep. They wanted to see if the Irish luck would hold, or if the Indian juggernaut, powered by the new sensation Sidanth Deva, would crush the rebellion.
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Harsha Bhogle: "Hello and welcome to a sunny Bengaluru. There is a strange buzz in the air today. Usually, when an Associate nation plays India, the talk is about the margin of victory. But Ireland has commanded respect. They chased down 329 here against England. They have Kevin O'Brien. India cannot afford to be complacent."
Sunil Gavaskar: "Absolutely, Harsha. Complacency is the biggest enemy for big teams in these tournaments. But looking at Dhoni's body language, he is focused. Today, against a confident Irish batting lineup, India's bowling needs to be disciplined."
Alan Wilkins: "The Irish boys are living the dream. They believe they can beat anyone. Porterfield, Stirling, the O'Brien brothers—they are a golden generation for Irish cricket. But facing Zaheer Khan and the pace of young Deva will be a different challenge compared to the English attack."
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MS Dhoni and William Porterfield stood in the middle. The coin went up.
"Heads," Porterfield called.
It was Tails.
Ravi Shastri: "MS Dhoni wins the toss."
Dhoni: "We will bowl first. The wicket looks good, although there may be a bit of moisture early on. We saw what Ireland did chasing against England, so we don't want to give them a target. We want to restrict them and chase it down."
India XI: The same team that destroyed England.
Ireland XI: Porterfield, Stirling, Joyce, N O'Brien, Wilson, K O'Brien, Cusack, Mooney, Johnston, Dockrell, Rankin.
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The players walked out. The heat was already shimmering off the pitch. MS Dhoni threw the new ball to his spearhead, Zaheer Khan.
Over 1: The Early Strike
Paul Stirling, the burly opener who loved to hit over the top, took strike against Zaheer.
0.1: Zaheer started with a gentle outswinger. Stirling let it go.
0.2: Zaheer brought the line closer. Stirling defended.
0.3: WICKET BALL.
Zaheer Khan, the master of the left-arm angle, bowled a beauty. It pitched on a good length, angled in, and then held its line just a fraction.
Stirling, looking to dominate early, tried to punch it through covers without moving his feet.
Inside Edge.
The ball crashed into the stumps. The bails flew.
Commentary (Sunil Gavaskar):
"Bowled him! Through the gate! Zaheer Khan strikes in the very first over! That is exactly what India wanted. Stirling is a dangerous player, but he had no answer to the class of Zaheer Khan. Ireland 0 for 1."
WICKET: Paul Stirling b Zaheer 0 (3)
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Sidanth Deva, marking his run-up at the other end, looked loose.
Ed Joyce, the former England player now playing for Ireland, walked in. He was technically solid.
Deva took the second over. He steamed in, clocking 140 kmph immediately.
1.2: Deva to Joyce. Back of a length. Joyce fended it off.
1.4: Deva to Porterfield. Full and swinging in. Porterfield dug it out.
The crowd cheered every dot ball. Deva was making the ball skid off the surface.
Over 4
Ed Joyce was looking to settle. He had hit a boundary off Zaheer in the previous over.
Deva came in for his second over.
3.1: Deva to Joyce. Good length, outside off. Joyce left it alone.
3.2: Deva went slightly wider on the crease. He angled the ball in sharply.
3.3
Deva pitched it on a perfect length, just around the 'fourth stump' line. It moved away late—classic seam movement.
Ed Joyce, tempted by the width, went for a drive. He wasn't fully forward.
Snick.
A healthy outside edge flew straight to MS Dhoni, who made no mistake.
Commentary (Ravi Shastri):
"Edged and taken! Sidanth Deva gets into the act! That is a classic fast bowler's wicket. Setup with the angle in, and then the one that leaves the batsman. Ed Joyce goes for 6. Ireland is rocked early here in Bengaluru! 11 for 2!"
WICKET: Ed Joyce c Dhoni b Deva 6 (9)
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At 11/2, Ireland was staring down the barrel. But the Irish were fighters. Captain William Porterfield and the tenacious Niall O'Brien dug in.
They played cautiously against Zaheer and Deva, leaving well and picking up singles.
Dhoni rotated his bowlers. Munaf Patel came on. Yusuf Pathan rolled his arm over.
Over 15:
The score had moved to 60/2. The partnership was worth 51 runs. The crowd quieted down slightly as the Irish stabilized.
14.3: Niall O'Brien swept Yusuf Pathan for FOUR.
14.5: Porterfield cut Munaf Patel for FOUR.
Commentary (Alan Wilkins):
"This is good grit from Ireland. They weathered the storm of Zaheer and Deva. Now they need to build a platform for Kevin O'Brien to launch later."
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MS Dhoni, sensing the pitch was slowing down, brought on his golden arm—Yuvraj Singh. With Piyush Chawla and Harbhajan operating, India went spin-heavy.
Over 27
William Porterfield had battled hard for his 75. He was looking dangerous.
26.4: Yuvraj to Porterfield. Flighted delivery.
Porterfield tried to drive it inside-out over covers. He didn't get to the pitch of the ball.
He spooned it straight to covers where Harbhajan Singh took a simple catch.
Commentary (Harsha Bhogle):
"A gift for India! Porterfield was playing so well, but he picks out the man perfectly. Yuvraj Singh breaks the partnership. The Pie-Chucker strikes again! Ireland 122 for 3."
WICKET: William Porterfield c Harbhajan b Yuvraj 75 (104)
Over 30
Niall O'Brien was joined by Wilson. They tried to steal a quick single.
29.2: Wilson pushed it to mid-off and called "Yes."
Virat Kohli, prowling like a panther, swooped on the ball.
Niall O'Brien hesitated.
Kohli's throw was a rocket to the bowler's end. Yuvraj whipped off the bails.
Replays showed O'Brien was inches short.
Commentary (Sunil Gavaskar):
"Disaster for Ireland! You do not take on Virat Kohli's arm! Niall O'Brien has to go. Panic is setting in now."
WICKET: Niall O'Brien run out (Kohli) 46 (78)
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At 129/4, the hero of the England match walked in. Kevin O'Brien.
A hush fell over the Chinnaswamy. They remembered what he did to Swann and Anderson.
Dhoni immediately brought back Zaheer Khan and Sidanth Deva. He wasn't taking chances with spin against the big hitter.
Over 35:
34.1: Deva to Kevin O'Brien. Short ball.
O'Brien pulled it fiercely. It went to deep square leg on the bounce. Single.
34.4: Deva to Wilson. Yorker. Dug out.
Over 38
Kevin O'Brien was looking to explode. He had moved to 9.
Yuvraj Singh continued from one end.
37.3: Yuvraj to Kevin O'Brien. Low full toss.
O'Brien's eyes lit up. He tried to hit it back to Dublin.
But the ball dipped. He got a leading edge.
The ball popped up gently... and Yuvraj Singh ran forward to take a caught-and-bowled.
Commentary (Ravi Shastri):
"He's got him! The big fish is gone! Yuvraj Singh has silenced the Irish roar! Kevin O'Brien, the hero of the last match, departs for just 9. That is the match for India, surely!"
WICKET: Kevin O'Brien c & b Yuvraj 9 (18)
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With Kevin gone, the Irish resistance crumbled. The score was 147/5.
Yuvraj Singh was on a rampage.
Over 40:
39.5: Yuvraj to Wilson. Arm ball, skidding on.
Wilson missed the sweep. Plumb LBW.
WICKET: Gary Wilson lbw b Yuvraj 31 (49)
Over 42:
41.2: Yuvraj to Mooney.
Mooney tried to cut a ball that was too close to him.
Edge to Dhoni.
WICKET: John Mooney c Dhoni b Yuvraj 5 (8)
Yuvraj Singh had 4 wickets. The crowd was chanting "Yuvi! Yuvi!"
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With Ireland reeling at 178/7, Dhoni brought his pacers back to finish the job quickly.
Cusack and Johnston were swinging the bat, trying to get past 200.
Over 45
Sidanth Deva came back for his final spell.
44.3: Deva to Alex Cusack.
Cusack backed away, trying to slash over point.
Deva followed him with a slower bouncer.
Cusack was completely deceived. He gloved it.
The ball looped to gully, where Yusuf Pathan took an easy catch.
Commentary (Alan Wilkins):
"Another one for Deva! He mixes his pace so well. Cusack had no idea that was the slower one. Ireland are falling apart here."
WICKET: Alex Cusack c Pathan b Deva 24 (40)
Over 46:
Zaheer Khan cleaned up Trent Johnston with a trademark yorker that uprooted the off-stump.
WICKET: Trent Johnston b Zaheer 17 (21)
Over 47.3: The End
The last pair, Dockrell and Rankin, were at the crease. Ireland had just crossed 200.
Zaheer Khan had the ball.
47.3: Zaheer to Dockrell.
Full, straight, reversing in.
Dockrell swung blindly.
Clatter. The stumps were a mess.
Commentary (Harsha Bhogle):
"And that is that! Zaheer Khan finishes it off with a timber strike! Ireland are bowled out for 207. It was a brave start by Porterfield, but the Indian bowling unit, led by Zaheer and Yuvraj, with good support from young Deva, has strangled the life out of this innings."
WICKET: George Dockrell b Zaheer 3 (10)
IRELAND ALL OUT: 207 (47.3 Overs)
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The players walked off the field. India had justified their decision to field first.
Studio Analysis (Star Sports)
Host (Mayanti Langer): "A professional bowling performance from India. 207 all out. Ireland, the giant killers, have been tamed."
Sanjay Manjrekar: "It was clinical. Zaheer set the tone in the first over, and Siddanth Deva's spell with the new ball. Getting Ed Joyce—who is their most technically sound player—was crucial. It showed Deva can move the ball off the seam."
Sourav Ganguly: "But credit to Yuvraj Singh. 5 wickets for him! He spun the web in the middle overs. Dhoni used his resources perfectly. They never let Ireland build a partnership after Porterfield got out. 208 to win? With this batting lineup and Top order in form, this should be a walk in the park."
Bowling Card:
Zaheer Khan: 9.3 - 1 - 30 - 3
Sidanth Deva: 8 - 0 - 38 - 2
Yuvraj Singh: 10 - 0 - 31 - 5 (Career Best)
Munaf Patel: 8 - 0 - 45 - 0
Harbhajan Singh: 9 - 0 - 29 - 0
The target was 208. The Chinnaswamy lights were taking full effect. The Indian openers were already padding up, ready to chase down the modest total and secure another two points. The Deva-mania was about to shift from his bowling back to his batting, but today, he had proven that the ball in his hand was just as dangerous as the bat.
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The stadium was a cauldron of noise. A sea of blue jerseys rippled through the stands as the lights beat down on the pitch. The target was stiff, the pressure immense. Out walked the openers: the God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, and the Nawab of Najafgarh, Virender Sehwag.
Sehwag took the strike. His eyes scanned the field, ignoring the roaring crowd, focused only on the leather ball in the bowler's hand. He didn't believe in sighters; he believed in domination.
Commentary Box (Ravi Shastri): "Here we go. The crowd is on its feet. Sehwag on strike. He'll look to go hard from ball one. There is no 'wait and watch' in his dictionary."
0.4 Overs: The bowler runs in, hitting the deck hard on a back of a length. Sehwag sees width. His eyes light up. He throws his hands at it, slashing it over point.
FOUR! "Make that a boundary to start proceedings! Classic Viru. Just a little bit of room and he flashes hard. The ball races away across the turf. No chance for third man."
Sehwag looked dangerous. He was on 5. But cricket is a cruel game of margins.
1.2 Overs: The bowler corrects his line. Good length, jagging back in slightly. Sehwag looks to drive on the up, hoping to clear mid-off. But the ball stops on him just a fraction. The bat turns in his hand.
WICKET! (Sehwag c Mid-off b Bowler - 5 runs)
"Oh, disaster! absolute disaster for India early on! Sehwag tries to hit it on the rise, doesn't get to the pitch of the ball, and simply chips it to mid-off. The silencer has been pressed on the Wankhede crowd. Sehwag walks back for just 5. India 6/1."
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The crowd waited for Deva, the usual number 3. But as the dressing room door opened, a collective gasp echoed around the stadium. It was Virat Kohli.
Kohli walked in, chewing his gum furiously, his eyes darting around the field. He punched gloves with Tendulkar. The Master said a few words; the Apprentice nodded.
5.4 Overs: Kohli faces his first real test. A short ball directed at the ribs. Kohli swivels, rolling his wrists over the ball.
FOUR! "Shot! That is supreme confidence. He's walked into a pressure cooker and pulled it with disdain. Forward of square leg, running away to the fence. The youngster is announcing his arrival."
The partnership began to blossom. It wasn't just about boundaries; it was the frantic running. Sachin, defying his age, and Kohli, full of youthful exuberance, turned ones into twos. The 50-run partnership came up in quick time.
12.1 Overs: Sachin faces a full delivery outside off. He leans into it—the signature pose that has defined a generation.
FOUR! "Straight drive! You can write a textbook on that. Punching the ball past the bowler, straight down the ground. Don't bother chasing that; just admire it. Tendulkar moves into the 30s."
The scoreboard ticked over. 80 runs added. The ship was steadied. But just as Sachin looked set for a big one, the breakthrough came.
16.3 Overs: The spinner is introduced. He floats one up, inviting the drive. Sachin reaches for it, trying to pierce the cover gap. The ball dips and turns away ever so slightly, taking the outside edge.
WICKET! (Tendulkar c Slip b Spinner - 38 runs)
"Gone! The big fish is in the net! A hush falls over Bengaluru. Sachin was looking so good, batting on 38, but he's been deceived in flight. A sharp catch at slip. A wonderful partnership of 80 comes to an end. India two down, and the pressure mounts again."
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Yuvraj Singh, the man for the big moments, strode out at Number 4. He looked focused, marking his guard with purpose.
Kohli, meanwhile, was in the zone. He took the responsibility of the senior partner now.
19.5 Overs: Kohli steps out to the spinner, getting to the pitch of the ball. He whips it against the turn.
FOUR! "Inside out! That is a high-risk shot played with absolute precision. Over extra cover and into the fence. Virat Kohli moves to 48."
20.2 Overs: Kohli taps a single to long-on. He raises his bat.
MILESTONE! "That's 50 for Virat Kohli! Under pressure, promoted up the order, and he delivers. A gritty, well-composed half-century. He knows the job isn't done yet."
Yuvraj and Kohli looked to accelerate. But the concentration wavered just for a second for the set batsman.
22.1 Overs: Kohli tries to clear the long-off boundary. He doesn't get the elevation.
WICKET! (Kohli c Long-off b Spinner - 58 runs)
"He's holed out! Kohli tries to up the ante immediately after his fifty but finds the fielder. He goes for a well-made 58. A crucial knock, but India needed him to stay longer. Who comes in next?"
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Deva walked out. He met Yuvraj mid-pitch. "Play your game," he seemed to say.
Yuvraj took charge.
25.3 Overs: Fast bowler returns. Short and wide. Yuvraj cuts fiercely.
FOUR! " slashed away! The point fielder didn't even move. Yuvraj Singh is looking in ominous touch. The bat speed is vintage Yuvi."
27.0 Overs: Yuvraj faces a slot ball. The backlift goes high.
SIX! "Hello! That's gone into the top tier! Massive. Clean as a whistle. Yuvraj Singh is turning it on here!"
While Yuvraj destroyed the bowling, Deva was rotating the strike effectively, looking solid. Yuvraj raced to his half-century.
32.4 Overs: Yuvraj pushes a single to deep square.
MILESTONE! "Fifty for Yuvraj Singh! It's taken him 60 balls. A sensible, mature knock to stabilize the inning after those wickets. He's held this middle order together."
33.1 Overs: Attempting to keep the momentum high, Yuvraj looks to pull a ball that wasn't quite short enough. The ball skids through.
WICKET! (Yuvraj lbw b Pacer - 50 runs)
"He's given him! The finger goes up. Yuvraj is trapped right in front. He played across the line and missed it. He departs for a fighting 50. A standing ovation for Yuvraj, but is this the twist in the tale?"
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Out walked the captain. Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The coolest man on the planet.
He joined Deva in the middle. Dhoni adjusted his gloves, looked at the field setting, and then looked at Deva. A subtle nod. It was time to go.
Deva, having settled in, suddenly shifted gears. It was as if a switch had been flipped.
35.2 Overs: Deva faces a yorker. He opens the face of the bat at the last second.
FOUR! "Incredible wrists! Deva squeezes that out past backward point. That was destined for the blockhole, and he's manipulated it for four."
37.4 Overs: The bowler tries a slower ball. Deva reads it out of the hand. He waits, and waits, and then unleashes a flat-batted smash down the ground.
SIX! "That has travelled like a tracer bullet! Flat, hard, and straight into the sightscreen. Deva is not holding back anymore!"
Dhoni was content turning the strike over, running hard, letting Deva take the lead. Deva was scoring rapidly, eating into the target. 42 runs... 30 balls... the strike rate was skyrocketing.
Last Over: 4 runs needed to win. Deva on strike.
The bowler runs in. It's full, looking for the toes. Deva clears his front leg.
FOUR! "HE FINISHES IT IN STYLE! Deva drills it through the covers! The ball races to the boundary and India wins! What a chase! What a finish!"
Commentary Summary:
"Deva remains unbeaten on a spectacular 42 off just 30 balls. He walked into a firestorm and played like ice. But let's not forget the foundations laid by Kohli and the brilliance of Yuvraj Singh."
The team rushed onto the field. Dhoni patted Deva on the back, a smile on the captain's face.
Host: "A fantastic victory for India. Several heroes today. Kohli with a gritty 50, Deva with that explosive finish. But for holding the innings together and shifting the momentum with batting and bowling."
"The Man of the Match is Yuvraj Singh!"
Yuvraj walked up to the podium to collect his trophy.
Yuvraj: "Yeah, the plan was just to stay there. Virat played well, and Deva... well, the way he finished it, it made my job easier. It was a good wicket to bat on, and I'm glad we got the win for the fans."