10 special innings by Yuvraj Singh in ODIs and T20Is

7. 107* vs Pakistan (Karachi, 2006)

Yuvraj Singh (R) waves his bat and helmet after scoring century (100 rns) against Pakistan as his teammate Mahendra Singh Dhoni (L) looks on in the fifth and last One Day International (ODI) match at The National Cricket Stadium in Karachi

This innings had all the makings of audacity and cleverness, and it was made even more beautiful because India were able to complete a 4-1 annihilation of their arch-rivals in their own backyard.

Helped by half-centuries from Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan – the latter benefiting from some wayward bowling at the death – Pakistan posted a challenging 288 in their 50 overs.

Rahul Dravid, captaining the side and opening with Gautam Gambhir, scored a half-century, but clever bowling from Rao Iftikhar Anjum and Yasir Arafat slowed down the scoring.

After both openers fell, Yuvraj took the centre stage along with the promoted MS Dhoni, and together they launched a blistering counter-attack.

The southpaw was all about timing and fluent strokeplay as he dispatched the ball to the fence fourteen times, without once resorting to the aerial route, although he was dropped once on 64.

Cool as a cucumber and steady as a rock, Yuvraj raced away to his first ODI century against the Men in Green with an assortment of powerful jabs, uppercuts and solid punches – hampered by a pulled hamstring.

Dhoni’s uninhibited, incandescent power hitting took the pressure off him, and India romped home by eight wickets.