NEW DELHI: As India gear up to face Australia in the ODI World Cup final, former cricketer Suresh Raina took a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about the match-winning partnership with Yuvraj Singh in the 2011 World Cup clash against the Aussies.
In a candid interview on the eve of the much-anticipated final, Raina shared insights into the crucial moments of the 2011 encounter at Motera stadium.
"The Australian squad of 2011 was strong and led by Ricky Ponting, from sledging to strong bowling and exceptional fielding they had everything, I clearly remember Gautam, Sachin, Dhoni all got out and it was my time to bat. Paji (Sachin) was sitting next to me in the dressing room and he told me to go and finish the match. Yuvraj and I stitched up a partnership, though we didn't require lots of runs we still had pressure to win, but, at the same time we also had to play aggressive cricket," Raina told ANI.
1/5:The Indian team's SWOT analysis
<p>Two-time champions India are now one step closer to realising their dream of lifting the ODI World Cup title again. India have been a dominant force in the tournament, making a mockery of the opposing teams with both batting and bowling. They will face five-time champions Australia in the final on Sunday, a team they defeated in the tournament opener in Chennai on October 8. For Indian cricket fans, it is a rematch of the two sides' 2003 World Cup final showdown. The Indian team's SWOT analysis before of the 2023 World Cup final showdown is as follows: (PTI Photo)</p>
2/5:Team India's Strength
<p>Skipper Rohit Sharma is providing aggressive starts with the bat, scoring 550 runs thus far, and his intelligent captaincy, as well as bowler rotation, has resulted in India being the only unbeaten team in the league. Other batsmen who have contributed to India's dominance with the bat include Virat Kohli (711 runs, leading the batting statistics), Shubman Gill (346 runs), Shreyas Iyer (526 runs), and KL Rahul (386 runs). Team India has been an unstoppable force in the bowling department, with Mohammad Shami demolishing rival batters and leading the wicket-takers table with 23 scalps. India's bowling attack has been well supported by Jasprit Bumrah (18), Ravindra Jadeja (16), Kuldeep Yadav (15), and Mohammad Siraj (13). (Reuters Photo)<br /></p>
3/5:Team India's Weakness
<p>There are several areas of vulnerability in India's otherwise faultless campaign. In Hardik Pandya's absence, Team India has primarily used five bowlers, though Rohit, Kohli, Gill, and Suryakumar Yadav received some bowling practise in their last league encounter against the Netherlands. If one of the bowlers starts leaking runs, Team India doesn't have many options to stop the run flow. Furthermore, with Australia's bowling team at peak form, the batting lineup will have to be wary of them. India was reduced to 2/3 in the tournament opener in Chennai when Kohli and Rahul pulled the team out. They must be cautious of a slip-up situation like this in the final. (AFP Photo)<br /></p>
4/5:Big opportunity for Team India
<p>Team India is in a strong position to win the trophy and continue the host nation's winning streak in the last three Men's ODI World Cups. Given their current form, absolute understanding of the home conditions, and fantastic fan support, Rohit & Co have an excellent chance to end their 10-year trophy drought. If Rohit wins the 2023 World Cup title, he will complete a wonderful redemption arc after missing out on being a member of the World Cup-winning squad in 2011. For others, including Kohli, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience that they will remember for years to come. (Reuters Photo)<br /></p>
5/5:Threat for Team India
<p>This is not the Australian team that India faced in the tournament opener in Chennai. Australia appeared less relaxed at the moment and were unable to keep Kohli and Rahul in check with the ball after the early stage. The Australia they will face in the final are on an eight-match unbeaten streak, and they transform into a different beast in the knockouts, as evidenced by their semi-final victory against South Africa. Because Australia are a brutal force once again, India must be on their toes in the final, or else the wait for the trophy would be extended. (AFP Photo)<br /></p>The left-handed batsman went on to form an unbeaten 74-run partnership with Yuvraj, steering India to victory.
Reflecting on the pressure of the chase, Raina emphasised the need for aggressive yet composed cricket.
"I remember they (Australia players) sledged us many times and even Brad Haddin came in front of me while I took a run, but we kept calm and focused," Raina said.
Looking ahead to the upcoming final, Raina acknowledged the strength of the Australian team, especially in big games.
1/10:India vs Australia: Clash of titans in World Cup final
Getty Images
2/10:India vs Australia: Clash of Titans
India will come to a virtual standstill on Sunday when its cricket team led by Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli takes on five-time champion Australia in the Cricket World Cup final.Getty Images
3/10:Narendra Modi stadium: World's largest cricket venue
The final will be played at Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket venue with a seating capacity of 132,000.AFP
4/10:India's unbeaten streak
India have played in front of partisan crowds during the six-week tournament. The home side has channeled that weight of expectations and pressure to win ten consecutive games — the only unbeaten team.AFP
5/10:Virat Kohli: The focal point of India's success
Virat Kohli has been the focal point for this Indian performance. Now the foremost ODI batter in history with 50 centuries, he has scored 711 runs in 10 innings at average of 101.57.Reuters
6/10:India's dominant bowling attack
India's dominance in this World Cup has been underlined by their bowling attack. Mohammed Shami has been the leader — 23 wickets in only six games.AFP
7/10:Australia: Most dominant side in World Cup history
Going for their sixth title, Australia are the most dominant side in World Cup history. Now in their eighth final, they stand between India's quest for a third title.AFP
8/10:India vs Australia: A history of knockout matches
Australia beat India in the 2015 World Cup semifinal at Sydney, enroute to their fifth title. In 2011, Yuvraj Singh's heroic half-century allowed the eventual championship-winning home side to beat Australia in the quarterfinals at Ahmedabad.Getty Images
9/10:Ricky Ponting's heroics in the 2003 final
The 2003 final in Johannesburg was the last time the teams met in a championship match. Skipper Ricky Ponting smashed an unbeaten 140 as Australia won by 125 runs, amassing 359/2 before India surrendered meekly with 234/9.PTI
10/10:Rohit Sharma: India's key player
Rohit Sharma will once again look to take the attack to Australia captain Pat Cummins and his fellow bowlers. Sharma especially loves short deliveries and has hit the most sixes in this tournament — 28.AFP"Australia is a team that loves to play semi and finals and they are the team of big games as they know how to play better, their mindset is pretty strong and with the double century of Maxwell and back-to-back wins will boost their confidence to next level, so we can't take them lightly but on the other hand Indian squad is quite dangerous this time with batting and balling and their strong fielding is icing on the cake so I am sure the encounter on 19th will be full with entertainment," Raina added.
However, he emphasised that the Indian squad is equally dangerous this time, predicting an entertaining encounter on the 19th.
(With inputs from ANI)
