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CHENNAI (Reuters) - Yuvraj Singh combined luck, pluck and considerable self-restraint to conjure a special all-round show and set up India's comprehensive World Cup victory over West Indies on Sunday.
The 29-year-old southpaw, one of the cleanest strikers of the ball, struck an uncharacteristically composed 113 and returned to claim two wickets with his brand of left-arm spin to set up the 80-run victory in Group B.
Darren Sammy did his bit to help the Indian's cause.
The West Indies skipper first dropped Yuvraj when the batsman was on nine at backward point off Andre Russell and again in the next over, this time off his own bowling.
"We had a chance to get him out but I was the culprit to drop him at backward point," Sammy told reporters in a confession of guilt.
Yuvraj showed enough courage as well.
On two occasions, the batsman was down on his knees in what seemed signal of his struggle to cope with the heat and humidity out there.
Yuvraj later clarified he was battling stomach cramps.
"I was not dehydrated actually. I had a stomach cramp. I had this issue since morning. A couple of the guys have been having these stomach issues. Just a stomach bug.
"I wanted to bat till the end and somehow I managed that."
It also took a lot of self-restraint to get his first century -- 13th overall in one-day internationals -- in two years.
STERLING PERFORMANCE
His 123-ball knock included 10 fours and just two sixes, something of an aberration for a batsman who hit Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over in the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup.
"I was anxious to get a century. This was an opportunity batting at four. At five (his usual position), you don't get so many balls. I wanted to bat till the end today.
"I did not hit the ball in the air, hit everything down the ground. All because I wanted to get a hundred. It's been a while ..."
Yuvraj's sterling performance, which earned him the man-of-the-match award, earned India their first victory over a top-flight team in the tournament before they take on Australia in Thursday's quarter-final in Ahmedabad.
West Indies may be low on confidence when they meet Pakistan in Wednesday's quarter-final after the slipshod show against India where none of their batsmen, barring Devon Smith (81), showed the stomach for a fight.
They looked pretty much in the hunt as long as Smith was there but their tendency to collapse inexplicably caught up with them and they lost their last eight wickets for just 34 runs to fold for a meagre 188 in 43 overs.
(Editing by Jon Bramley; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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The 29-year-old southpaw, one of the cleanest strikers of the ball, struck an uncharacteristically composed 113 and returned to claim two wickets with his brand of left-arm spin to set up the 80-run victory in Group B.
Darren Sammy did his bit to help the Indian's cause.
The West Indies skipper first dropped Yuvraj when the batsman was on nine at backward point off Andre Russell and again in the next over, this time off his own bowling.
"We had a chance to get him out but I was the culprit to drop him at backward point," Sammy told reporters in a confession of guilt.
Yuvraj showed enough courage as well.
On two occasions, the batsman was down on his knees in what seemed signal of his struggle to cope with the heat and humidity out there.
Yuvraj later clarified he was battling stomach cramps.
"I was not dehydrated actually. I had a stomach cramp. I had this issue since morning. A couple of the guys have been having these stomach issues. Just a stomach bug.
"I wanted to bat till the end and somehow I managed that."
It also took a lot of self-restraint to get his first century -- 13th overall in one-day internationals -- in two years.
STERLING PERFORMANCE
His 123-ball knock included 10 fours and just two sixes, something of an aberration for a batsman who hit Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over in the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup.
"I was anxious to get a century. This was an opportunity batting at four. At five (his usual position), you don't get so many balls. I wanted to bat till the end today.
"I did not hit the ball in the air, hit everything down the ground. All because I wanted to get a hundred. It's been a while ..."
Yuvraj's sterling performance, which earned him the man-of-the-match award, earned India their first victory over a top-flight team in the tournament before they take on Australia in Thursday's quarter-final in Ahmedabad.
West Indies may be low on confidence when they meet Pakistan in Wednesday's quarter-final after the slipshod show against India where none of their batsmen, barring Devon Smith (81), showed the stomach for a fight.
They looked pretty much in the hunt as long as Smith was there but their tendency to collapse inexplicably caught up with them and they lost their last eight wickets for just 34 runs to fold for a meagre 188 in 43 overs.
(Editing by Jon Bramley; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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