Two days ago India was dead in the ODI water. The tour a disaster. Last night at Bellerive, Virat Kohli turned lifesaver with the innings of his life.
In one of the most exhilarating digs seen in Australia for yonks, the 23 year-old slammed a career-high unbeaten 133 off just 86 to clinch the most improbable victory.
Chasing 4-320 off 50 overs set by Sri Lanka was awesome enough. But India needed a bonus point, so they had to achieve their big target in less than 40 overs.
The way India has been playing throughout this tour, no way.
But thanks to Kohli, India reached 3-321 off just 36.4 overs, at a run rate of 8.75 an over, to easily post the bonus point.
Sensational batting.
Kohli had “a little help from his friends”: Sachin Tendulkar (39 off 34), Virender Sehwag (30 off 16), Gautam Gambhir (63 off 64), and Suresh Raina (40* off 24).
But they would be the first to say Virat Kohli did the deal.
Included in his powerhouse 16 fours and two sixes were 24 off one over from “Slinger” Malinga – a feat in itself. It was the first time in 111 ODIs Malinga has been carted for over 90 runs in an innings and off only 7.4 overs.
No slogging, just pure clean strokemaking.
In a game like this, it’s so easy to overlook that, as well as India batted in reply, they bowled a lot of disinterested rubbish first up, and Sri Lanka pounced.
Tillakaratne Dilshan’s unbeaten 160 off 165 was slow to start, but turned into a gem of an innings. And his second wicket stand of exactly 200 with Kumar Sangakkara (105 off 87) – a record for Bellerive – set the tone of this extraordinary game.
The upshot of all that?
If Australia beat Sri Lanka in the last pool game on Friday at the MCG, India will qualify for the best-of-three finals series that starts at the Gabba on Sunday,
Two days ago, India was long odds-on to miss out. And deservedly so, at the time.
It was grand fare for the 3,467 spectators last night. They were so involved with every delivery they sounded like a 20,000 crowd. But then they had plenty to be excited about.
rl
Guest
Ha! Nice one. You'd be surprised how productive you can be in your shed with ABC radio commentary in the background.
jameswm
Guest
Nah just go with the net run rate, as that's the best reflection of how they did overall.
Dan
Guest
What was it like not watching cricket for 20 years? -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
rl
Guest
Yes, I do think Steve thought it was life and death, and I can honestly say the prospect of him playing didn't persuade me to part with my hard-earned. Sure, he was gritty and determined and.... where's the remote?
Dan
Guest
Well said but you don't think Steve Waugh thought cricket was life or death? He and kohli just express their competitiveness differently -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
rl
Guest
Dan - I'll let Keith Miller do the talking: "Pressure... I'll tell you what pressure is. Pressure is a Messerschmitt up your arse. Playing cricket is not." Who would I rather go and see: a player with that perspective, or some knob who thinks the game is life and death?
Blaze
Guest
I'm with you James, surely you would want the team that puts up more of a fight with the team coming first on points for the final... The fact that the number one team has no input into a tie for 2nd to which makes up the finals, apart from the obvious winning/ losing against that team, seems odd... Maybe in a tri series if the #2 & #3 are tied it should go off how many wins they chalked up against the #1 team.... Be a better chance of an exciting finals series....
jameswm
Guest
yes rainman - both of those, as well as a bit of a nob
rainman
Guest
I disagree James, If Kohli was an Aussie and scored a) a fighting 100 in a Test and b) a brilliant 100 in a one-dayer (all this in a struggling team on a nightmare tour!!!) he would be celebrated as a fighter/competitor who typifies Aussie cricket
jameswm
Guest
So the answer is yes, I AM missing something. I think that's a stupid tie-breaker. Sure, India had more wins against SL than the reverse, but by the same token Sri Lanka did better against Australia than India did. Shouldn't that count for something?
jameswm
Guest
Brett Lee a tool? I see him as one of the most likeable guys in world cricket. Pattinson? Other than give a batsman the stare and a very occasional spray, what's he done? That stuff comes with the territory being a fast bowler, but Patto does not come across as a spoiled brat, the way Kohli does. That wasn't the first time he's failed to walk.
Dan
Guest
Red kev, ofcourse they dislike loosing they are professional athletes, it's their job to win, you might think they are behaving like brats or carrying on but you must remember that they are under intense pressure and that can have different effects on people -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Red Kev
Guest
Fair enough fellas … I like Kohli but I also think he’s something of a tool, but no more of a tool than Brett Lee or James Pattinson. I see them all as guys that really dislike losing.
Matt F
Roar Guru
I think it will depend on how they both go in this weeks next matches. If Tasmania are still in 3rd then I'd back a green top as they'll need a win. If they're first then a draw might be enough so a flat pitch is more likely.
Matt F
Roar Guru
He seems to play better when there's more pressure on him, which I've always thought is a good sign
Matt F
Roar Guru
Don't get me started on the sheer stupidity of that idea Ben! I'm still trying to work out how they reduced it to 10 teams but said that Zimbabwe (who were ranked 11th at the time) could play but Ireland (ranked 10th at the time and had achieved much more then Zimbabwe had over the previous 2 tournaments) couldn't..... Then of course there was the official excuse that it was done to shorten the tournament, which we soon discovered would be by one whole match! Oh damn it Ben you've got me started..........
Red Kev
Guest
Yeah I was wondering about that, March 8 sees Tasmania hosting Western Australia (who have one of the best pace attacks in the Shield) in what will probably be the match that determines who finishes top of the table and wins hosting rights for the final (I am tipping my beloved Bulls to suffer a complete post-BBL capitulation and finish third). So far this season the Bellerive wicket has been a green-top for nearly all the games and I wonder if that will change given the likely stakes of the match and with a strengthened Tasmanian batting lineup (with both Cowan and Ponting available).
Ben Carter
Roar Guru
Hurrah! And still with 14 teams! Hurrah! Let's hope Ireland/Holland/Kenya/Afghanistan or some other Associate team makes the semi-finals (at least), just to give the ICC yet another prod that culling them from one-day internationals is a silly idea...
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Red Kev, I actually really like Kohli. He's got ticker, talent and the stomach for a fight. He doesn't back down, and he's fiery. He does have a brat streak, which I don't like, but other than that, I like him.
Matt F
Roar Guru
7 match series are far too long. Last summer against England is a good example, even though it was the only thing we won that summer! What really amazed me is that the 2015 WC starts in mid-Feb and finishes at the end of March. It seems they've found a way to shorten it by about 3 months :)