Image Credit: CricInfo.
Venue: Seddon Park, Hamilton [March 11, 2009].
In the summers of 2008-09, the Indian Cricket Team toured New Zealand to play 2 T20s, 5 ODIs and 3 Test Matches. The Kiwis won the T20 Series 2-0, whereas the Indians were leading the ODI Series 2-0 at the conclusion of the third one-day international. Hence, it was a must-win game for the Black Caps in Hamilton to stay alive in the series.
New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori won the toss and decided to bat first on what looked like a batting paradise. The hosts got off to a fly as the duo of Ryder and McCullum stitched an opening partnership of 102 runs in just 19 overs. Baz scored a gritty 77, whereas Ryder scored a solid 46. However, the visitors in the middle overs chipped wickets at a regular interval, which pushed Kiwis to backfoot. At the end of 36.5 overs, the scorecard read 175/5 when Elliot joined McGlashan in the middle. The game was on a knife-edge. One more wicket and the hosts would have got bundled in no time. Interestingly, the duo soaked the pressure and came out with a counterpunch. The duo stitched an unbeaten partnership of 95 runs in the last 10 overs, with McGlashan scoring a brilliant 56 of 42 and Elliot scoring a quickfire 35 of 27, as the Black Caps posted a big total of 270/5 in 47 overs [Rain reduced the match to 47 overs per innings].
It is pertinent to note that even today 271 is a challenging total. Back then it was huge, and that too in 47 overs. The visitors had a mountain to climb. But this is when we witnessed one of the most destructive innings by one and only Virender Sehwag. Sehwag scored an explosive 125* of 74 balls as the Indians won the game as well as the series with ease. Viru charged from the very beginning and attacked every New Zealand bowler. In just 106 minutes, Sehwag hit a total of 14 boundaries and 6 massive sixes. Be it pacer or spinner, everyone went for runs. It was carnage, pure carnage, by one of the greatest Indian openers who was at the peak of his powers. The rain interfered in between, which changed the DL target, but it was not enough to break the concentration of the Sultan of Multan, who looked determined to win it for his side. By the time rain interfered for the final time, the Indian scorecard read 201/0 in 23.3 overs – 84 runs ahead of the DL target. The match was won and so was the series.
Moreover, Sehwag registered the record of the fasted Indian ODI Hundred, which was eventually broken 4 years later by the great Virat Kohli. However, that knock has attained the status of a classic. Something which no Indian or Kiwi fan would ever forget. After all, we don't see any blitzkrieg innings of such intensity anymore. It was explosive cricket of highest order.
To watch the Highlights of that Innings, Click Here.
