India vs Australia: Five best encounters

[Preeto Maam]

India vs Australia: Best five encounters

Aggression, passion and verbal volleys – India-Australia clashes have always comprised of this and much more. The battlefield set on fire by the two teams have not only left the critics short of accolades but has also shuffled the historical numbers quite often.

As the Indians gear up to take on the Aussies at home, lets take a look at their best of pulsating encounters that had set the spirit of the game higher than one could imagine.

[Preeto Maam]

1987 World Cup, Group A, 3rd match

Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium
Result: Australia beat India by 1 run

A cliffhanger that went down in the history of cricket as one of the finest performances by Australia. Team India’s fighting spirit too needs a mention here. Both the teams were packed with some superb players like Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Kris Srikkanth and the energy level was worth witnessing.

At the beginning, India skipper Kapil Dev won the toss and chose to field. With the help of Geoff Marsh’s brilliant 110 off 141 balls, Australia managed a score of 270/6. Moreover, Dean Jones’ contribution of 39 runs that included two sixes, one of which was signaled for four earlier, proved costly for India as their target was increased by 2 runs.

Gavaskar, who was at his usual best, initiated the Indian innings and scored 37 off 32 balls while K Srikkanth (70) and debutant Navjot Singh Sidhu (73*) made the side cross 200-run mark.

India needed 6 runs in the last over and Maninder Singh was the man at the crease. He managed two 2s but couldn’t pull of a win and got stumped. The irony in this defeat was that it was the same stadium where the two rivals met for a Test match that was tied a year back, but this time Australia handed over an upsetting 1-run defeat to India.

[Preeto Maam]

1992 World Cup, 12th match

Venue: Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane
Result: Australia beat India by 1 run (revised target)

This one could be termed as one of the most pulsating Indo-Oz clashes. The last-ball thriller had almost fetched India a sensational victory.

Mark Taylor opened after Australia skipper Allan Border won the toss in the World Cup qualifying match. Australian batsmen David Boon and Dean Jones splendid performances kept the scoreboard ticking as they scored 43 and 90 respectively. By the end of the innings, 237/9 is what Aussies had to defend.

India kicked started their chase and were 45 from 16.2 when rain played spoilsport and match was shortened by 15 minutes. This reduced India’s target by just 2 runs and they needed to pull up their socks now. Azharuddin efficient batting got India another 93 runs off 102 balls from him. Manjrekar too came handy with a neat score of 47.

The lower order almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat but the result was destined to go in Aussies’ favour. 13 runs were required from Moody’s final over and Kiran More along with Manoj Prabhakar were at the crease. More departed after two fours and then Prabhakar took one single and was run-out. Srinath charged in as four runs were needed off last ball. He swung the ball but was stopped by Waugh just inside the boundary. He threw the ball to wicket-keeper Boon and Raju was run-out while taking the third run which would have leveled the scores.

[Preeto Maam]

1997-98 Coca-Cola Cup, 6th match

Venue: Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium
Result: Australia won by 26 runs (revised target) but India qualified on run-rate.

Ask any Indian fan or a cricket lover and he or she will tell you what this game was all about. By virtue of his stupendous play, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar stole not only the show but also millions of hearts. The world had almost come to a standstill to see Tendulkar-Warne one-on-one in the cricketing battlefield at Sharjah.

Australia won the toss and batted first. Michael Bevan slammed his 3rd century while Mark Waugh took advantage of a good batting pitch and sluggish fielding by the Indians. Oz raised 284/7 against India but the stand storm that had play halted for near about 25 minutes led to the revised target of 276 from 46 overs to win and 237 to qualify.

Sachin Tendulkar along with Sourav Ganguly initiated the chase. Tendulkar played every shot in the cricket books to leave Australia gasping and specially Shane Warne. He raised 143 runs on just 131 balls but despite this brilliant effort, India finished on 250/5 and lost. The marvelous master blaster took India to finals on the basis of run-rate, though.

[Preeto Maam]

2003 ICC World Cup final

Venue: New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
Result: Australia won by 125 runs

India was enjoying their dream run in the 2003 World Cup until it was shattered by Aussie might in the finals. Likes of Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee shook the Indian batting order to leave them with no chance of pulling of a win.

Adam Gilchrist’s splendid half-century was followed by a massive 140 off just 121 balls by Ricky Ponting. Damien Martyn joined the party too; slammed 88 odd runs that took Australia to their highest total – 359/2 against India (Oz also scored 359 a year later against India).

McGrath looked destructive and scalped Tendulkar early. Virender Sehwag seemed to be in good form, smashed a neat 82 runs but carelessly got run-out at a time when his side needed him the most. Dravid fought back with his 47 down the order but weren’t enough to save the crucial day and the Indian batsmen one by one surrendered to gritty Aussie bowling, finishing off on 234 on the board.

Ponting was adjudged Man of the Match while Sachin Tendulkar was Man of the Tournament.

[Preeto Maam]

2003-04 VB Series, 2nd final

Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground
Result: Australia won by 208 runs

This was the third time in less than one year India and Australia had met and for the third time Australia came out stronger.

Australia won the toss and chose to bat. Matthew Hayden stole the thunder as he smashed 126 off just 122. Down the order, Damien Martyn and Andrew Symonds posted 67 and 66 respectively to completely rip apart the Indian bowling attack.

In response, India looked weak in their batting department too as they were reduced to 59 for 6 by the 17th over of their innings. Not a single batsman could pass 30-run mark. Despite boasting of a confident line-up with like of Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly India’s poor show in all the areas of the game did them in and they lost by a huge margin of 208 runs.

Hayden was chosen Man of the Match while Adam Gilchrist took away the Man of the Tournament award.

[Zinda hoo main]

top 5 & all won by ausses

[saketskr]

aus is best as a team...

[ashuthakur]

I love india....google
******
ASHU
******

[*munnabhai]

Should add the last match played 25/10/2009 @ vadodra India V/s Australia
Australia won by 4 runs....

[deSi_CasaNovA]

Interesting choice of matches
tfs

[keeth]

Originally Posted by Preeto Maam

1992 World Cup, 12th match

Venue: Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane
Result: Australia beat India by 1 run (revised target)

This one could be termed as one of the most pulsating Indo-Oz clashes. The last-ball thriller had almost fetched India a sensational victory.

Mark Taylor opened after Australia skipper Allan Border won the toss in the World Cup qualifying match. Australian batsmen David Boon and Dean Jones splendid performances kept the scoreboard ticking as they scored 43 and 90 respectively. By the end of the innings, 237/9 is what Aussies had to defend.

India kicked started their chase and were 45 from 16.2 when rain played spoilsport and match was shortened by 15 minutes. This reduced India’s target by just 2 runs and they needed to pull up their socks now. Azharuddin efficient batting got India another 93 runs off 102 balls from him. Manjrekar too came handy with a neat score of 47.

The lower order almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat but the result was destined to go in Aussies’ favour. 13 runs were required from Moody’s final over and Kiran More along with Manoj Prabhakar were at the crease. More departed after two fours and then Prabhakar took one single and was run-out. Srinath charged in as four runs were needed off last ball. He swung the ball but was stopped by Waugh just inside the boundary. He threw the ball to wicket-keeper Boon and Raju was run-out while taking the third run which would have leveled the scores.

mujhe yeh match achhi terah yaad hai ........... isi ke baad maine cricket dekhna suru kia tha ......... yeh pehla match tha jo maine pura dekha .......... tab me class three me tha

[Eshwar Dutt]

Originally Posted by Preeto Maam

1992 World Cup, 12th match

Venue: Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane
Result: Australia beat India by 1 run (revised target)

This one could be termed as one of the most pulsating Indo-Oz clashes. The last-ball thriller had almost fetched India a sensational victory.

Mark Taylor opened after Australia skipper Allan Border won the toss in the World Cup qualifying match. Australian batsmen David Boon and Dean Jones splendid performances kept the scoreboard ticking as they scored 43 and 90 respectively. By the end of the innings, 237/9 is what Aussies had to defend.

India kicked started their chase and were 45 from 16.2 when rain played spoilsport and match was shortened by 15 minutes. This reduced India’s target by just 2 runs and they needed to pull up their socks now. Azharuddin efficient batting got India another 93 runs off 102 balls from him. Manjrekar too came handy with a neat score of 47.

The lower order almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat but the result was destined to go in Aussies’ favour. 13 runs were required from Moody’s final over and Kiran More along with Manoj Prabhakar were at the crease. More departed after two fours and then Prabhakar took one single and was run-out. Srinath charged in as four runs were needed off last ball. He swung the ball but was stopped by Waugh just inside the boundary. He threw the ball to wicket-keeper Boon and Raju was run-out while taking the third run which would have leveled the scores.

Every single run counts....

[number1]

Australia is always better as a team!!!!

[mahekmanchanda09]

indian team ....its not a team ......its a one man show team Sachin tendulkar