Top 5 Best Knocks of Yuvraj Singh

58(16) vs England (Photo Source: Twitter)

Few Cricketers in World Cricket have impacted the game the way Yuvraj Singh did. We can easily add attributes like elegance and flair to his name; such was his enigma. A two-time World Champion, a fighter on and off the field and above all an inspiration to millions, Yuvraj Singh celebrates his birthday today. 

The Punjabi Munda had immense talent which he showcased from his international debut against Australia. Nurtured by his own father, Yograj Singh, the former India cricketer turned out to be an irreplaceable asset in the years to come. Behind India’s recent success in ICC events, he played a major role. The born match winner Yuvi’s all-round brilliance brought the showdown to India. 

In a career spanning more than 17 years, Yuvi played an umpteenth match-winning innings in the blue jersey. He represented Team India in 376 internationals. Whenever he batted for India in full swing and flair there was nothing more beautiful. Let’s take a look back at some of his innings which defined his batting contribution in a nutshell. 

5. 169 vs Pakistan, Bangalore Test 2007

India’s flamboyant batter Yuvraj Singh’s highest Test knock came against Pakistan at Bangalore. It was the third Test match of the much-awaited series and Yuvraj’s first match after a long time. But the situation in which he came to bat wasn’t easy to cope up with. In the first innings, India were reduced to 61 for 4. 

When the going gets tough, the tough get going and such was the case with Yuvraj. It was his partnership with Sourav Ganguly that took India to a comfortable first-innings score. During the course of the innings, some of the shots he played with full flair and bat swing looked straight out of the textbook. 

Though Pakistan managed a draw here, Yuvi’s heroics will be remembered for a long time. The only regret he had from the knock was missing the landmark 200. In post-match interactions, he expressed his confidence in getting double hundred. But he felt a lapse in concentration which prevented him from reaching the score. 

4. 150 vs England, Cuttack ODI 2017

Yuvraj’s highest score in ODI came much after his peak. After being diagnosed with cancer, Yuvraj was in and out of the team. He never looked to settle down and the team going through transition added more pressure on that. It was the 2nd ODI of the India-England Series in 2017.

After registering a famous win in Pune, India were down with three wickets for just 25 runs. But this time the famous duo of Yuvi and Mahi were at the rescue. The batting masterclass they presented that day reminded us of some of their knocks from the 2000s. Yuvi’s innings was a perfect blend of power and finesse. 

He propelled the Indian team to a commanding total of 381 runs. The importance of this innings was felt even more in the later half of the match when England were just short by 15 runs. The magnificent knock earned Yuvraj the true reward of Player of the Match. 

3. 85* vs England, Chennai Test 2008

Yuvraj Singh and Test Cricket is a bond that never lasted too long. Though Yuvraj gave his heart and soul in this format for India, he couldn’t break into the strong batting line-up that much. But in the limited opportunities he got, he excelled like a warrior. 

England set a target of 387 against India in the Chennai Test of 2008. Chasing close to 400 in the fourth innings is always a hard task. Virender Sehwag gave a blinding start. Sachin Tendulkar was equally superb in that much as he ended up scoring 103*. But it was the innings of Yuvraj which played a pivotal role in achieving the target.

When he came to bat, India were 224/4 still needing 163 to win. The chase became more complex and Yuvraj made things smooth. He accelerated India’s run-scoring. They stitched an unbeaten partnership to take India home for a famous Test win. It was India’s second-highest run chase after the 406 runs effort in the summer of West Indies in 1976.  

2. 58(16) vs England, Durban, World T20 2007

Yuvraj Singh and six 6s off Stuart Broad are synonymous. The magic that happened 16 years back at Durban is still etched into fans’ memory. That day was nothing short of a dream, it was magical. India facing England right after the away tour was something special. 

Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir gave India a flying start. But it was Yuvraj Singh, who made the actual difference. The verbal spat with Andrew Flintoff ignited the fire in him and the young Stuart Broad was at the receiving end. After four consecutive sixes, it was destined that Yuvi would definitely hit the next two for six as well. 

Even the man himself believes, that day he was in a different mood. He felt that was his day and he turned the fortune for him and his country. And he grabbed the opportunity with both hands and presented a lifetime knock of 58 off 16. 

1. 70(30) vs Australia, Durban, World T20 2007 

The World Cricket thought Yuvraj had produced his best against England at the 2007 World Cup. But the man had different plans in his mind, this time against Australia. Yuvi had to miss the last match against South Africa due to an injury that he suffered in the England match. The stage was even bigger, the semi-final of an ICC event that too in 2007. 

At that time, Australia were invincible in ICC knockout matches. They reduced India to 41/2 in 8 overs. Then came Yuvraj Singh, who smashed Stuart Clarke to open his account. It indicated something special to follow in the next 12 overs. He decorated his innings with five fours and as many sixes.

That day, India scored 147 runs in the last 12 overs which helped them to post 188 runs on the board against a star-studded Australian Team. In today’s day and age, this devastating batting may look normal, but 16 years back it was once in a full moon kind of a thing. With Yuvraj’s knock, India were able to achieve that score and advance to the finals, which they eventually won beating arch-rival Pakistan.