India vs West Indies 2009 : 2nd ODI - Yuvraj’s wicket

India vs West Indies 2009 : 2nd ODI - Yuvraj’s wicket. The biggest wicket of the match as Yuvraj was looking really dangerous.

Yuvraj's 131 for India leaves Windies chasing 340

Yuvraj Singh still seemed to be stuck in Twenty20 mode, and rescued India with a boundary-laced 131 in the first One-day International against West Indies on Friday.

Yuvraj struck 10 fours and seven sixes from 102 balls to propel India to 339 for six from their 50 overs, after the visitors chose to bat at Sabina Park in the opener to their four-match series in the Caribbean.

When Yuvraj entered, India had stumbled to 32 for two in the eighth over, following the dismissals of Gautam Gambhir in the fifth over and Rohit Sharma in the eighth.

Gambhir was caught at mid-wicket for 13 when he miscued a hook at Jerome Taylor, and Sharma was caught at deep square leg for four when he top-edged a pull off Lionel Baker.

But Yuvraj joined Karthik, and the left-hander treated the modest crowd to a breath-taking array of strokes to reach his hundred from 88 balls, when he steered Taylor to third man for a single.

He added 135 for the third wicket with Dinesh Karthik, who was caught behind off Dave Bernard Jr for 67 from 77 balls, when he miscued a scoop shot in the 29th over.

Yuvraj reached 50 from 55 balls, when he turned a delivery from West Indies captain Chris Gayle into square leg for two, and then dominated an 86-run, fourth-wicket stand with India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Yuvraj indulged himself during the Batting Power Play that spanned the 34th and 38th overs, when he smashed two fours and six sixes, as India added 62 runs.

The 37th over was particularly memorable for Yuvraj, when he struck Taylor for two sixes - over mid-wicket and long-off - in an over that cost 21.

But Yuvraj was slightly hobbled by a Taylor yorker, and eventually tamely surrendered, when he was caught behind off Dwayne Bravo in the 39th over glancing a leg-side delivery.

After his dismissal, India made steady, if not spectacular progress in the closing overs, and left West Indies with a difficult assignment in the second half of the match.

Dwayne Bravo captured two wickets for 66 runs from his 10 overs to be the pick of West Indies' bowlers.

India vs WI 2009 : India draws first blood, courtsey Yuvraj

What an innings by Yuvraj, he started of like a broken autorickshaw but finished off like a Ferrari. His innings of 131 included 10 fours and 7 hits over the rope, and took only 102 balls. The crucial phase came when India took the batting power play and Gayle brought his best bowler Taylor into the attack. But Yuvraj tore into him as well.

But all was not good for Yuvraj at the start of the innings. He started of slowly but at the other end Dinesh Karthik was scoring freely and that took the pressure of him. The story of Gambhir and Rohit was same as T20 World Cup, both got out to bouncers again. Dhoni batted slowly again, and it was left to Yusuf and Bhajji to up the ante in the death overs.

Another pleasing thing for India from this match was the ‘injured man’ Ashish Nehra. He bowled well and picked up 3 crucial wickets. In Zaheer’s absence he has to play the role of the experienced fast bowler and he did that nicely today.

India vs West Indies : Yuvraj’s hundred

Yuvraj’s 12th hundred, 131 (102b 10×4 7×6).