5 times Yuvraj Singh stunned the world with his batting

Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh turns 41 on Monday, December 12. One of the most destructive stoke-makers in white-ball cricket during his playing days, Yuvraj featured in 304 ODIs for the Men in Blue, scoring 8701 runs at an average of 36.55 with the help of 14 hundreds and 52 half-centuries. A handy left-arm spinner, he also claimed 111 wickets in the format.

Yuvraj had an impressive career in T20Is as well. In 58 matches, he scored 1177 runs at a strike rate of 136.38 with eight half-centuries. The versatile former cricketer also picked up 28 scalps at an average of 17.82 and an economy rate of 7.06. Yuvraj was the star performer in two of India’s memorable ICC triumphs - the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup.

He had a comparatively disappointing Test career. Yuvraj played only 40 matches in the longest format for India, scoring 1900 runs at an average of 33.92 with three hundreds and 11 fifties.

On the occasion of his 41st birthday, we look back at five of the retired cricketer’s finest batting performances.

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150 off 127 balls vs England, Cuttack ODI (2017)

Yuvraj Singh registered his career-best one-day score against England. Pic: Getty Images

This was Yuvraj’s last hundred in international cricket - his final hurrah if one may say so, although he did slam 53 off 32 in the Champions Trophy match against Pakistan later in the year. Yuvraj was not in great form going into the second ODI of the three-match series against England in January 2017. Questions were being raised about his place in the team.

Not for the first time in his career, Yuvraj answered his critics in an emphatic fashion. England sent India to bat and reduced the Men in Blue to 25/3. However, the left-handed batter smashed a brilliant 150 off only 127 balls to lift the hosts to 381/6. Yuvraj displayed sublime form, hitting 21 fours and three sixes.

Over the course of his magnificent knock, he featured in a 256-run partnership with MS Dhoni (134 off 122) as Team India’s two white-ball legends turned back the clock.

Yuvraj controlled the innings brilliantly and brought up a 98-ball ton with a single off Liam Plunkett in the 33rd over. He went on to register his career-best ODI score as India won the high-scoring contest by 15 runs.

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169 off 203 balls vs Pakistan, Bengaluru Test (2007)

The birthday boy scored three Test tons. Pic: Getty Images

While Yuvraj did not enjoy much success in Test cricket, he did give glimpses of brilliance in red-ball cricket as well. In the Bengaluru Test against Pakistan in December 2007, he scored 169 off 203 balls in India’s first innings.

The hosts won the toss and elected to bat first. Coming in at No. 6, Yuvraj scored a sublime century, a knock that featured 28 fours and one six. He played in an aggressive fashion against a Pakistan attack comprising Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, and Danish Kaneria. The southpaw featured in a massive 300-run stand for the fifth wicket with Sourav Ganguly (239).

Yuvraj’s fine innings ended when he was dismissed off a leading edge off Sami’s bowling. India posted 626 in their first innings as their high-scoring match ended in a draw.

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139 off 122 balls vs Australia, VB Series (2004)

Yuvraj Singh during a VB Series match against Australia in 2004. Pic: Getty Images

Albeit in a losing cause, Yuvraj played one of his finest ODI knocks in the VB Series against Australia in 2004. The Men in Blue won the toss and elected to bat first in the seventh match of the series in Sydney. They lost Ganguly, Parthiv Patel, and Rahul Dravid cheaply and were three down for 80 in the 16th over.

Yuvraj (139 off 122) and Australia’s nemesis VVS Laxman (106* off 130) then added 213 runs for the fourth wicket to lift India to a competitive 296/4. While Laxman anchored the innings, Yuvraj was in terrific hitting form, striking 16 fours and two sixes.

The left-hander reached his 100 off 127 balls and then went berserk, clobbering Ian Harvey for 6,4,4,6 in the penultimate over. While Australia chased down a revised target with two wickets (D/L method) in hand, Yuvraj was declared Player of the Match for his fantastic knock.

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58 off 16 balls vs England, T20 World Cup (2007)

Yuvraj Singh during his record-breaking innings against England in the 2007 T20 World Cup. Pic: Getty Images

Whenever a mention of Yuvraj’s greatest knocks is made, his 58 off 16 against England in Durban during the 2007 T20 World Cup will be an automatic entry. The southpaw was in a murderous mood against England as he ended up pounding a hapless Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over.

As the legendary tale goes, the former Indian batter was riled up following an argument with England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff. An unsuspecting Broad had to pay the price as Yuvraj decided to make a massive statement of intent, letting out his anger in the most productive form.

The southpaw was dismissed for 58 off 16, a knock punctuated by three fours and seven sixes. Team India posted 218/4 and registered a famous 18-run win.

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70 off 30 vs Australia, T20 World Cup semi-final (2007)

The left-hander knocked Australia out of the 2007 T20 World Cup. Pic: Getty Images

One of Yuvraj’s standout knocks in international cricket came on the biggest of all stages. In the semi-final of the 2007 T20 World Cup against Australia in Durban, he smashed 70 off 30 balls as the Men in Blue booked their berth in the final with a 15-run triumph.

Yuvraj smacked five fours and as many sixes in his innings as India put up an impressive 188/5 after winning the toss and batting first. He hit maximums with ease, scoring one each off Stuart Clark and Brett Lee at the start of his innings. Yuvraj raced to a 21-ball fifty with another six off Clark. In the same over, he struck the Aussie medium-pacer for two boundaries.

Clark eventually had his man in the 18th over, but not before the Indian batter whacked him for another six. Apart from Yuvraj, Dhoni also contributed 36 off 18 as India finished with a flourish. Chasing 189, Australia were held to 173/7 and were thus knocked out of the inaugural T20 World Cup.

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