New Delhi: One doesn’t have to think much to choose the best performer of the third T20I between India and England. Arguably it was Yuzvendra Chahal, who triggered a sensational collapse in England’s batting line up, in which they lost 8 wickets for as many runs as India went on to clinch the decider by 75 runs. Some may name Suresh Raina for that 63 run firework when the chips were down. It won’t be surprising if someone named Dhoni as the hero of the match for his first ever T20I fifty and more importantly for providing the much needed finishing touches to the Indian innings. But leaving all of them aside, there was one man who caught the Chinnaswamy in a frenzy and cast a spell around the English bowlers with his wand like bat – Yuvraj Singh.
From a distant Yuvraj’s contribution may not seem like a game changing one but a closer introspection reveals the difference it made to India’s final total. India were 154/3 in 17.1 overs when a yet-to-be-settled Yuvraj got the duty to score off death over specialist Chris Jordan – 5 balls later India were staring at 200. Yuvraj struck 3 sixes and a boundary to take 24 runs off that Jordan over.
The first one -- A fuller length delivery on the middle stump and Yuvraj deposited it some 2-3 rows back in the stands over long on for a maximum. The second one went in the same direction, slightly flatter but the result the same. The third one – a flick over square leg which landed just inside the rope and finally another beautiful extension of the arms straight over the bowlers head, third six of the over.
For the record Yuvraj scored 27 off just 10 balls to help India post a massive 202/6