Tendulkar and Badani: A dominating, match winning partnership
Not too often do we get to see a completely one-sided One-Day
International. The second match in the Coca Cola Cup, played between
India and Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on Sunday went completely in
favour of the Indian side. After bowling out Zimbabwe for a paltry 133
in 41.5 overs, India knocked off the required runs in just 26.2
overs for the loss of Ganguly's wicket.
Ganguly (2) fell to the fifth ball of the first over, caught behind
off the bowling of Heath Streak. This could have triggered a collapse
given the fact that VVS Laxman was nursing an injured finger. Hemang
Badani who has been shifted around in the batting order lately, found
himself batting at number three. He joined Sachin Tendulkar in
the middle and made sure that Zimbabwe never had a look at another
wicket. The two batsmen added 135 runs for the unbroken second wicket
off 25.3 overs and that qualifies as our 'Five Star partnership' of the
match.
What makes the partnership so special is the sheer size of the runs
and the ease with which it was made. Tendulkar and Badani complimented
each other too well as they kept accumulating runs. The left-hand and
the right-hand combination had the Zimbabwe bowlers in trouble as they
were forced to change the line of attack. Tendulkar, the seasoned
campaigner went on scoring runs at will playing strokes on either side
of the pitch.
There weren't many singles scored in the innings, most of the runs
were knocked off as boundaries. Tendulkar smashed 13 fours in his
run-a-ball 70 while Badani cracked a six and five boundaries in his 52
made from 82 balls. The Indian domination was complete and the Zimbabwe
bowling was put through annihilation. By the close of the match there
was a cat and mouse game with Badani trying to get to his fifty. He
pulled Bryan Strang for a massive six over midwicket to get to 47 in
the 25th over.
Travis Friend bowled the 26th and Tendulkar smacked boundaries off the
first two balls. Tendulkar took a single off the third ball and Badani
did the same off the fourth. Tendulkar duly despatched the fifth ball
for a four to level the team score. Badani was on 48 and a chance of
reaching to his fifty looked remote. Tendulkar left the last ball of
the over through to the keeper and had a big grin on his face. Badani
took the opportunity given to him with grace, not wasting much time,
pulling the second ball off the following over by Strang to the
mid-wicket fence for a four to reach his well deserved half-century;
a partnership to cherish for a long time to come.
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