India levelled the two-game T20I series against arch rivals Pakistan on the back of a splendid innings by Yuvraj Singh. The flashy left-hander, who maintained a strike-rate of 200 during his 72-run knock, smashed 7 sixes at Ahmedabad. In the process Yuvraj moved past the landmark of 50 sixes in T20Is; his tally now stands at 54. Thanks to this match-winning innings, Yuvraj bagged his 6th Man of the Match award in a blue jersey in the shortest format of the game.
Here are these and many other stats highlights from a game that saw both sides post high scores:
Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel Stadium (Motera) became India’s ninth ground to host a Twenty20 International. Interestingly, all nine grounds have hosted one match each.
India raced to their fifty off 6.2 overs - their fastest team fifty against Pakistan. They had taken 6.5 overs in the previous match at Bengaluru to reach the 50-run mark.
Yuvraj Singh’s third six in the match was his 50th six in Twenty20 Internationals. He became first Indian and only the fifth batsman after Brendon McCullum (68), Shane Watson (62), Chris Gayle (59) and David Warner (51) to do so. By the end of his innings, Yuvraj took his tally of sixes to 54. Interestingly, he has hit more sixes than fours in Twenty20 Internationals!
Most sixes in Twenty20 Internationals:
|
Batsman |
6s |
Inns |
6s/ Inns |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Brendon McCullum (NZ) |
68 |
57 |
1.19 |
|
Shane Watson (Aus) |
62 |
35 |
1.77 |
|
Chris Gayle (WI) |
59 |
30 |
1.97 |
|
Yuvraj Singh (Ind) |
54 |
31 |
1.74 |
|
DA Warner (Aus) |
51 |
42 |
1.21 |
|
Martin Guptill (NZ) |
43 |
36 |
1.19 |
The seven sixes hit by Yuvraj are the most by any batsman in a match against Pakistan. Australia’s Michael Hussey and David Warner shared the previous record with six sixes.
It was the second time Yuvraj hit seven sixes in a match. He achieved a similar feat against England at Durban in 2007 at the ICC World Twenty20.
Out of the top 10 innings where Indian batsmen hit most number of sixes, six have come off Yuvraj’s bat!
Most 6s in an innings by Indian batsmen:
|
6s |
Batsman |
Runs |
Opponents |
Venue |
Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
7 |
Yuvraj Singh |
58 |
England |
Durban |
2007 |
|
7 |
Yuvraj Singh |
72 |
Pakistan |
Ahmedabad |
2012 |
|
6 |
Rohit Sharma |
79* |
Australia |
Bridgetown |
2010 |
|
5 |
Yuvraj Singh |
70 |
Australia |
Durban |
2007 |
|
5 |
Suresh Raina |
61* |
New Zealand |
Christchurch |
2009 |
|
5 |
Yuvraj Singh |
60* |
Sri Lanka |
Mohali |
2009 |
|
5 |
Suresh Raina |
101 |
South Africa |
Gros Islet |
2010 |
|
4 |
Virender Sehwag |
26 |
New Zealand |
Christchurch |
2009 |
|
4 |
Yuvraj Singh |
50 |
New Zealand |
Wellington |
2009 |
|
4 |
Yuvraj Singh |
41 |
Bangladesh |
Nottingham |
2009 |
India's total (192/5) is the second highest by any team against Pakistan, after Australia's 197/7 at Gros Islet in 2010 at the ICC World Twenty20.
The 74 runs in last 5 overs of the Indian innings are their third most in the last 5 overs in all Twenty20 Internationals.
India’s highest totals in the last 5 overs (16-20 overs):
|
Total |
Opponents |
Venue |
Year |
Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
80/3 |
England |
Durban |
2007 |
Won |
|
75/3 |
South Africa |
Gros Islet |
2010 |
Won |
|
74/2 |
Pakistan |
Ahmedabad |
2012 |
Won |
|
72/2 |
West Indies |
Port-of-Spain |
2011 |
Won |
|
67/3 |
Bangladesh |
Nottingham |
2009 |
Won |
Umar Gul (4/37) claimed four wickets in a match for fifth time in his T20 International career. With this he equalled Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis’ record of taking most four-wicket hauls in T20Is.
Gul’s figures are also the best by any bowler against India in India, obliterating his own 3/21 in the previous match at Bengaluru.
Pakistan raced to fifty in just 5.1 overs – their fastest against India. The previous fastest was in 5.3 overs at Johannesburg in 2007.
Mohammad Hafeez's 23-ball fifty is the second fastest for Pakistan in T20Is, after Umar Akmal's 21-ball fifty against Australia at Birmingham in 2010.
Hafeez's 23-ball fifty is also the second fastest by any batsman against India, after Kumar Sangakkara’s 21-ball fifty at Nagpur in 2009.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who equalled the record of most economical 4-over spell on debut in previous game, conceded 46 runs in his 4 overs!
Pakistan’s total (181/7) is their highest total batting second.
After 18 overs India were 162/3 and Pakistan were 167/4. India made 30/2, while Pakistan could score only 14/3 in last two overs!
Yuvraj Singh won his sixth man of the match award. No other Indian has won more than two.
