Date: September 28th, 2012.
Location: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Event: ICC World Twenty20, Group Stage – India vs Australia.
The humid night air in Colombo hung thick over the R. Premadasa Stadium, carrying the scent of roasted peanuts and impending fireworks. The stadium was a swirling vortex of blue and yellow, packed to its absolute brim. This was the marquee clash of the group stage—India, the reigning ODI World Champions, against Australia, the perennial heavyweights looking to add the missing T20 crown to their cabinet.
In the Star Sports studio overlooking the ground, the experts were setting the stage.
Pre-Match Commentary (Harsha Bhogle & Ian Chappell):
Harsha Bhogle: "A very warm welcome to Colombo! The noise here is absolutely deafening. You look around, and it's a sea of Indian blue, but the Australian contingent is making themselves heard. Ian, this is the match everyone circled on their calendars when the fixtures came out."
Ian Chappell: "It certainly is, Harsha. Australia has a score to settle after what happened in the Test series down under. But this format is a different beast. The Indians are masters of T20 cricket. The key tonight will be how Australia's pace battery handles the Indian top order on a pitch that looks exceptionally flat and hard."
Harsha Bhogle: "Let's go down to the middle. The captains are ready for the toss. MS Dhoni and George Bailey."
The Toss:
The coin went up. Bailey called "Tails."
It landed on Heads. Dhoni won the toss.
MS Dhoni: "We are going to bat first, Ravi. The wicket looks like an absolute belter. It's hard, it's dry, and it will come onto the bat nicely. We want to put a big score on the board and let scoreboard pressure do the rest."
---
Openers: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Bowler: Mitchell Starc.
The floodlights gleamed off the pristine white ball as Starc ran in for the first over. Rohit Sharma, oozing his trademark lazy elegance, took strike.
Over 0.2: Starc to Rohit
Starc pitched it up, searching for early swing. Rohit didn't even move his feet; he just leaned into the drive, caressing the ball through the covers.
[Commentary - Ravi Shastri]:"Glorious! Simply glorious! Rohit Sharma starts the innings with a stroke of pure class. The timing is so sweet you could bottle it!"(FOUR)
Rohit looked to be in supreme touch. In the second over against Pat Cummins, he unleashed a fierce pull shot that cleared the mid-wicket boundary, followed by a delicate late cut.
Over 2.6: Pat Cummins to Rohit Sharma
Cummins, stinging from the earlier boundary, charged in and hit the deck hard. He bowled a heavy back-of-a-length delivery that skidded on. Rohit, attempting an audacious cross-batted heave over mid-on, was beaten by the extra pace and bounce.
The ball took the splice of the bat and ballooned into the night sky. George Bailey, backpedaling from extra cover, settled under it and took a safe, reverse-cup catch.
[Commentary - Sunil Gavaskar]:"Oh, he's thrown it away! Rohit Sharma was looking so fluent, striking at 140, but he tries to force the pace on a ball that wasn't there to be hit. Cummins gets the breakthrough! India are 21 for 1 in 2.6 overs."
WICKET (Rohit Sharma 17 off 12 balls).
A collective groan washed over the Indian supporters. But the groan quickly morphed into a deafening, rhythmic chant as the next batsman walked out from the dugout.
"DE-VA! DE-VA! DE-VA!"
Siddanth Deva walked to the crease at No. 3. He tapped gloves with Virat Kohli.
"Pace is good," Kohli muttered, adjusting his helmet. "But it's holding up just a fraction when they take the pace off."
"Understood," Deva nodded. "Let's build the base."
What followed was a masterclass in modern T20 accumulation. Kohli and Deva didn't resort to wild slogs; they dissected the Australian field with surgical precision. They turned ones into twos, pushing the fielders to the brink, running like hares between the wickets.
Over 6.4: Shane Watson to Deva
Watson bowled a wide, slower delivery. Deva waited an eternity, opening the face of the bat at the very last millisecond to guide it past short third man.
[Commentary - Ian Chappell]:"That is exceptional awareness. He uses Watson's lack of pace against him. The placement is immaculate."(FOUR)
Over 8.2: Brad Hogg to Kohli
The veteran left-arm wrist-spinner tossed it up. Kohli used his feet, danced down the track, and whipped it powerfully through the mid-wicket region.
[Commentary - Ravi Shastri]:"Like a tracer bullet! Virat Kohli is piercing the gaps with alarming regularity! The partnership crosses the 50-run mark, and India is establishing a stranglehold on the middle overs!"(FOUR)
The partnership blossomed, worth over 60 runs, laying a solid concrete foundation for the death overs. But just as Kohli looked primed for a major launch, tragedy struck.
Over 10.3: Shane Watson to Virat Kohli
Score: 82/1.
Watson rolled his fingers over the seam, delivering a brilliantly disguised off-cutter. Kohli, committing to a booming lofted drive over extra cover, completely misread the pace.
He was through the shot a week early. The ball took the outer half of the bat and lobbed gently to David Warner at point.
[Commentary - Mark Nicholas]:"Foxed him! Absolute deception from Shane Watson! Kohli is furious with himself, he punches his bat in frustration! He goes for a very well-made 32 off 30 balls. A vital breakthrough for Australia right at the halfway mark! India are 82 for 2."
WICKET (Virat Kohli 32 off 30 balls).
Yuvraj Singh strode out to the middle.
Deva, sensing the shift in momentum, decided to take on the role of the aggressor.
Over 12.5: Mitchell Starc to Deva
Starc attempted a searing yorker. Deva anticipated it perfectly, shuffling deep into his crease to convert it into a half-volley, and bludgeoned it straight back past the bowler.
[Commentary - Harsha Bhogle]:"Straight as an arrow! What a shot to bring up his half-century! 50 for Siddanth Deva, the anchor holding this innings together!"(FOUR)
However, Yuvraj struggled to find his timing against the skiddy pace of Starc and Cummins.
Over 13.1: Mitchell Starc to Yuvraj Singh
Starc bowled a hostile, 148 kmph delivery aimed at the ribs. Yuvraj tried to flick it away but was cramped for room. The ball grazed the edge of the bat and flew safely into Matthew Wade's gloves.
[Commentary - Sunil Gavaskar]:"Edged and taken! Yuvraj never quite looked settled today. Starc's extra pace does the trick! He departs for 8 off 10 balls. India suddenly looking a bit shaky at 105 for 3."
WICKET (Yuvraj Singh 8 off 10 balls).
Suresh Raina was next. The left-hander was sent in with a clear mandate to counter-attack.
Over 14.1: Shane Watson to Suresh Raina
Watson bowled a back-of-a-length delivery that reared up unexpectedly. Raina, looking to pull his very third ball, got a massive top edge. The ball went miles into the air before settling into the hands of Michael Hussey at deep square leg.
[Commentary - Ravi Shastri]:"In the air... and taken! Oh dear, this is a collapse! Raina goes for just 1! The short ball trap works for Australia! Suddenly, India are 110 for 4, and the projected score of 180 is looking very distant!"
WICKET (Suresh Raina 1 off 3 balls).
The silence in the Premadasa Stadium was palpable. Four wickets down. The middle-order engine room had misfired.
From the dressing room stairs, Mahendra Singh Dhoni walked out. He didn't jog; he sauntered. He met Deva in the middle of the pitch.
"They are taking the pace off," Deva noted, his face dripping with sweat. "Watson is bowling cutters into the pitch."
Dhoni smiled, adjusting his gloves. "Let them. We take it to the death overs."
For the next four overs, Dhoni and Deva consolidated. They absorbed the pressure, neutralizing the threat of Starc and Cummins, ticking the scoreboard over with aggressive running.
At the end of the 18th over, the score was 156/4. Deva was batting on 78*, Dhoni on 16*.
The platform was built. Now, it was time to detonate.
Over 19: Mitchell Starc
Starc, Australia's premier death bowler, was tasked with keeping it tight. Deva was on strike.
18.1: Starc to Deva
Starc missed his yorker by a fraction. Deva didn't miss. He went down on one knee and launched a gargantuan slog-sweep that cleared the deep mid-wicket roof.
[Commentary - Ian Chappell]:"Oh, into the stratosphere! He has deposited Starc out of the ground! The power on that young man is frightening!"(SIX)
18.2: Starc to Deva
Starc went wide outside off. Deva reached out and carved it masterfully over point.
[Commentary - Mark Nicholas]:"Sliced away with surgical precision! Four more! The assault has begun!"(FOUR)
18.3: Starc to Deva
Deva shuffled across his stumps, exposing all three, and paddled a 145 kmph yorker incredibly fine past the keeper.
[Commentary - Harsha Bhogle]:"Audacious! Absolutely audacious! He uses the pace of Starc and guides it to the fence!"(FOUR)
18.4: Starc to Deva
Deva punched a length ball down to long-off for a quick single, rotating the strike.
(1 Run)
18.5: Starc to Dhoni
Dhoni smashed a full toss straight back down the ground.
(FOUR)
18.6: Starc to Dhoni
Dhoni clipped the final ball to deep square leg, and they scampered back for a hard-run two to retain the strike for the next over.
(2 Runs)
21 runs off the 19th over. Score: 177/4.
Over 20: Shane Watson
Watson, who had bowled brilliantly all night, was tasked with the final over. He had to defend against a set Dhoni (22*) and a rampaging Deva (93*). Dhoni was on strike.
19.1: Watson to Dhoni
Watson pitched it up. Dhoni triggered his iconic helicopter shot. The sheer wrist power sent the ball rocketing over deep mid-wicket into the ecstatic crowd.
[Commentary - Mark Nicholas]:"The Helicopter takes flight in Colombo! MS Dhoni joins the party! Total carnage in the last two overs!"(SIX)
19.2: Watson to Dhoni
Watson bowled a perfect yorker. Dhoni dug it out back to the bowler.
(Dot Ball)
19.3: Watson to Dhoni
Dhoni punched a low full toss to long-on for a single to get Deva on strike.
(1 Run)
19.4: Watson to Deva
Watson tried a slower bouncer. Deva, utilizing his [Chronos Perception], read it early. He swiveled and hooked it cleanly over the fine leg boundary.
[Commentary - Ravi Shastri]:"HOOKED AWAY FOR SIX! Siddanth Deva moves to 99! He is toying with the Australian attack right now!"(SIX)
19.5: Watson to Deva
Watson aimed for the wide yorker. He missed. It was a low full toss.
Deva cleared his front leg and launched it with a high, majestic follow-through. The ball bounced just inside the extra cover boundary rope.
[Commentary - Sunil Gavaskar]:"AND THAT IS A CENTURY! A magnificent, spectacular century from the Indian Vice-Captain! In a high-pressure World Cup group game, he has stood tall when the middle order crumbled! 103 not out off just 54 balls! Take a bow, Siddanth Deva!"(FOUR)
Deva took off his helmet, raising his bat to all four corners of the roaring stadium. The roar was so loud the ground literally vibrated. He punched gloves with Dhoni, his eyes blazing with adrenaline.
19.6: Watson to Deva
Deva finished the innings by pushing the final ball down to long-on for a single.
(1 Run)
Final Score:198/4 (20 Overs).
Siddanth Deva: 104* (55 balls).
MS Dhoni: 32* (17 balls).
The momentum had violently swung in India's favor. They had battered the Australian death bowling, setting a colossal target.
---
Target: 199.
Required Run Rate: 9.95.
The Australian openers, Shane Watson and David Warner, walked out with intent. They knew chasing 199 required a ballistic start.
Zaheer Khan took the new ball.
0.1: Watson defended solidly.
0.2: Watson drove to mid-off.
0.3: Watson punched off the back foot for a quick single.
Just as Warner took his stance for his first delivery, the skies above Colombo, which had been threatening all evening, finally broke. It wasn't a drizzle; it was a torrential, tropical downpour. The umpires immediately signaled for the covers.
The players rushed off the field. In the dressing room, the frustration was palpable.
"If we lose overs, D/L will favor them," Dhoni muttered, looking at the rain radar on a tablet.
"Let's hope it's a passing shower," Deva said, pacing the room.
Thankfully, the Sri Lankan ground staff were world-class. The rain stopped after a brutal 25-minute burst, and the super-soppers had the outfield ready within another 15 minutes. No overs were lost. The match resumed, but the dynamic had shifted. The wet outfield meant the ball would be a bar of soap, nullifying the Indian spinners.
And Watson and Warner knew it.
They came out like men possessed. Warner switch-hit Ravichandran Ashwin into the stands. Watson pulled Irfan Pathan with terrifying power. They targeted the short square boundaries mercilessly. The wet ball slipped from the bowlers' grips, resulting in full tosses and half-volleys that were ruthlessly punished.
By the end of the Powerplay (6 overs), Australia had rocketed to 68/0. They were scoring at over 11 runs an over. The required rate was plummeting. The Premadasa stadium was silenced.
At the start of the 7th over, Dhoni tossed the ball to Siddanth Deva. He needed a breakthrough. He needed pace.
Over 7: Siddanth Deva to Shane Watson
Watson, batting on 34, looked invincible.
Deva ran in and bowled a searing 148 kmph delivery. Watson didn't flinch; he cleared his front leg and smashed it over mid-on for a one-bounce four.
Two balls later, Deva attempted a bouncer. Watson hooked it imperiously into the stands for six.
The over yielded 14 runs. Australia was 82/0.
As they crossed paths at the end of the over, Dhoni pulled Deva aside.
"He's planting his front foot and hitting through the line," Dhoni observed quietly, adjusting his field placements on the fly. "He's anticipating your pace, Sid. He's expecting 145+ every ball."
"The ball is too wet to swing, Skipper," Deva replied, wiping the ball on his towel. "If I bowl full, he drives. If I bowl short, he pulls."
Dhoni's eyes narrowed. "Give him the illusion of pace. We set a trap. Next over you bowl, I want you to push deep square leg right back to the fence. I'll bring mid-off up into the 30-yard circle. Make him think you're daring him to hit over the top. But don't give him the pace. Bowl the off-cutter, dig it into the pitch. Make him generate all the power."
Deva's lips curled into a predatory smirk. "The bait and switch."
Over 8: Harbhajan Singh bowled a tight over, conceding just 6 runs, keeping the pressure bubbling. Australia was 88/0.
Over 9: Siddanth Deva to Shane Watson
Deva returned to the attack. He looked over his shoulder. The field was set exactly as planned. Deep mid-wicket and deep square leg were patrolling the boundary rope. Mid-off was brought conspicuously close into the circle.
8.1: Deva steamed in at full tilt, bowling at 146 kmph. Watson defended solidly.
8.2: Deva hit 148 kmph, angling it into the ribs. Watson tucked it away for a single.
8.3: Warner took a single on the next ball.
8.4: Watson was back on strike, now batting on 45. He looked at the vacant real estate over mid-off. His eyes lit up. He pre-meditated the lofted drive.
Deva ran in with his typical, explosive run-up. His arm speed was ferocious, simulating a 150 kmph thunderbolt. But right at the point of release, he aggressively rolled his fingers down the side of the ball.
It was an off-cutter, delivered at 118 kmph. It pitched short of a length and gripped the slightly damp surface.
Watson was fully committed. He threw his hands through the line of the ball, expecting to connect with a fast, hard delivery. Instead, he was through his shot an eternity before the ball arrived. The lack of pace deceived him entirely.
The ball hit the high part of his bat, taking a massive top edge. It didn't go over mid-off. It swirled high, incredibly high, towards the deep mid-wicket boundary.
Virat Kohli, stationed exactly where the trap demanded, didn't have to move more than two steps. He settled under the dropping ball, kept his eyes locked on it, and pouched it safely with a loud roar.
[Commentary - Ravi Shastri]:"GOT HIM! Brilliant captaincy from MS Dhoni and phenomenal execution from Siddanth Deva! They baited Watson with the field, rolled the fingers over the ball, and he has fallen for it hook, line, and sinker! The dangerous Watson departs for 45! India breaks the opening stand!"
WICKET (Shane Watson 45 off 28 balls).
The Indian team swarmed Deva. Dhoni gave him a simple nod of approval. The masterplan had been executed flawlessly. Australia was 90/1, and a crucial opening had been carved.
Despite the breakthrough, the Australian middle order fought tenaciously. David Warner smashed 65 before falling to Ashwin, but Michael Hussey and Matthew Wade kept the scoreboard ticking.
The match distilled down to a chaotic, nerve-shredding climax. The wet ball had rendered the Indian death bowlers ineffective. It all came down to the final six deliveries.
Equation: 20 runs needed off 6 balls.
Score: Australia 179/4.
Striker: David Hussey (35*).
Bowler: Irfan Pathan.
The tension in the Premadasa Stadium was thick enough to choke on. Dhoni spent a full minute setting the field, wiping the ball continuously to keep it dry for Pathan.
Ball 19.1: Irfan ran in and attempted a wide yorker. The wet ball slipped. It ended up in the slot. Hussey cleared his front leg and brutally launched it over long-on.
[Commentary - Harsha Bhogle]:"SIX! Massive strike to start the final over! Hussey connects beautifully! The equation drops instantly: 14 needed off 5 balls!"
Ball 19.2: Irfan overcompensated, bowling a fraction short outside off. Hussey rocked back and carved it brilliantly over backward point.
[Commentary - Ian Chappell]:"Sliced away! Sliced away for four! It is all falling apart for India! 10 runs off 2 balls! 10 needed from 4 now! Hussey is playing a blinder!"
@CricketCrazyRavi:Pathan what are you doing?! Two bad balls and the match is gone! 😭 #INDvAUS
@AussieFan99:Hussey you absolute legend! The Great Escape is on! 💛💚
@IAManIndian:My heart rate is currently 200 BPM. If India loses this now, I am suing the BCCI for medical expenses. 💀
The crowd in the stadium was stunned. Panic rippled through the Indian dugout. Dhoni jogged over to Irfan, placing a calming hand on his shoulder. "Take a breath. Bowl into the pitch. No pace."
Ball 19.3: Irfan dug it in short and rolled his fingers. A slower bouncer. Hussey, looking to pull, was entirely deceived by the lack of pace. He got a faint bottom edge. The ball died softly into Dhoni's gloves.
[Commentary - Ravi Shastri]:"EDGED AND TAKEN! A crucial, crucial wicket! Irfan Pathan strikes back! The slower ball does the trick! Hussey has to go! What a rollercoaster of an over!"
WICKET (David Hussey 45).
According to the laws of the game, since the batsmen had crossed before the catch was completed, the non-striker, Matthew Wade, took the strike. The new batsman, George Bailey, walked to the non-striker's end.
Equation: 10 runs needed off 3 balls. Striker: Matthew Wade.
Ball 19.4: Irfan bowled another slower bouncer. Wade swung wildly like a rusty gate and connected with absolutely nothing but thin air.
[Commentary - Sunil Gavaskar]:"A swing and a miss! Brilliant dot ball from Irfan! The pressure shifts heavily onto the Australian shoulders! 10 needed from 2!"
Ball 19.5: Irfan, feeling the pressure, missed his length. A waist-high full toss. Wade didn't miss. He swiveled and pulled it viciously into the deep square leg stands.
[Commentary - Mark Nicholas]:"INTO THE CROWD! A disaster delivery from Pathan and Wade punishes it! It's a six! This game refuses to die! 4 runs needed off the final delivery to win it! Three to tie!"
The stadium was on its feet. People were literally biting their nails. Siddanth Deva was stationed at long-on, crouching low, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm.
Ball 19.6: The final ball. Irfan Pathan ran in. He nailed the perfect, fast yorker right on the middle stump.
Wade jammed his bat down just in time, digging the ball out towards long-on.
"RUN! RUN! RUN!" Wade screamed, desperate to force a tie.
They completed the first run. They turned for the second.
Deva swooped down on the ball at long-on. [Skill Active: Chronos Perception]. Time slowed to a crawl. He saw Wade turning. He saw the distance.
He didn't take time to set his feet. While sprinting at full speed, Deva picked the ball up bare-handed and unleashed a laser-guided, flat throw directly at the non-striker's end.
The ball struck the base of the stumps with a resounding CRASH just as Wade was diving for the crease.
The square-leg umpire went upstairs immediately.
The giant screen flickered. The replay rolled.
Wade's bat was suspended in the air, a full six inches short of the crease when the bails lit up.
OUT.
[Commentary - Ravi Shastri]:"RUN OUT! HE IS SHORT! SIDDANTH DEVA WITH A ROCKET FROM THE DEEP! INDIA WINS! INDIA WINS A THRILLER IN COLOMBO! They defend 198 by the barest of margins! What an unbelievable finish to a spectacular game of cricket!"
[The Digital Meltdown - Post-Match]
@KingKohliFC:DEVA YOU ABSOLUTE FREAK!!! WHAT A THROW!!! 🚀🔥
Final Score: Australia 196/5 (20 Overs).
India wins by 2 runs.
The Indian team exploded in celebration, swarming Irfan Pathan and Deva. It was a victory forged in fire, a testament to their resilience under extreme pressure.
---
Harsha Bhogle: "Ladies and Gentlemen, a game that had absolutely everything. For a spectacular 104 not out, a crucial tactical wicket of Shane Watson, and a match-winning run-out on the final ball... The Man of the Match is Siddanth Deva."
Deva, exhausted, his jersey stained with grass and sweat, walked up to the podium.
Bhogle: "Siddanth, you simply cannot be kept out of the game, can you? Century with the bat, a vital wicket, and that throw at the end. How are your nerves?"
Deva: "They are definitely frayed, Harsha," Deva laughed, wiping his brow. "It was an incredible game. Virat and I set the base, and Mahi bhai was phenomenal at the death. The rain made it very difficult for our bowlers, the ball was like a bar of soap. But the tactical planning with Dhoni to get Watson out paid off, and Irfan held his nerve brilliantly in the last over. That run-out was just instinct. I'm just glad we got over the line."
Bhogle: "You are certainly making a habit of winning the impossible ones. Congratulations, Siddanth."