With the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup just days away, we build up to the mega event by looking back at some fantastic batting performances in the tournament over the years. In this article, we look at Ross Taylor’s unbeaten 131 against Pakistan in a group match of the 2011 World Cup played Pallekele on March 8, 2011.
Teams
New Zealand: M Guptill, B McCullum, J How, R Taylor, J Franklin, S Styris, N McCullum, J Oram, K Mills, D Vettori and T Southee
Pakistan: M Hafeez, A Shehzad, K Akmal, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, U Akmal, S Afridi, A Razzaq, A Rehman, Umar Gul and Shoaib Akhtar
Toss: New Zealand won and chose to bat
The setting: Pakistan have often gotten the better of the Kiwis in World Cup games. Thus, New Zealand were under a lot of pressure when they took on their Asian opponents in this group clash. As it has often happened to them against strong bowling line-ups, they got off to a poor start. Brendon McCullum was dismissed was Shoaib Akhtar for 6 and Umar Gul sent back Jamie How for 3. At 55 for 2, Ross Taylor joined Martin Guptill at the crease.
The great knock: Guptill and Taylor went about resurrecting the innings in a slow and steady manner. However, just after having crossed his fifty, Guptill was dismissed by Shahid Afridi for 57 from 86 balls. Taylor was holding up one end, but the dismissal of James Franklin for 1 but New Zealand in further trouble at 113 for 4. Scott Styris, Nathan McCullum and Jacob Oram came in and played breezy cameos towards the end of the innings. But, these were mere supporting acts as Taylor completely went berserk from one end.
Throwing complete caution to the wind, Taylor took on the Pakistani bowlers, irrespective of whether they spinners or fast bowlers, and came up with a most astonishing counter attack, to single-handedly pull New Zealand into a situation of strength. He ended up smashing an unbeaten 131 from 124 balls with 8 fours and 7 sixes, in an innings full of unconventional strokes. He was most severe on Shoaib Akhtar, who went for 70 in 9 overs.
The result: Pakistan were set 303 to win, but their innings never got going in reply. Their first six wickets fell for merely 66 runs on the board, and the game was done and dusted. Abdul Razzaq made a valiant 62, Pakistan were all out for a disappointing 192. Tim Southee claimed three wickets for New Zealand while Kyle Mills, Nathan McCullum and Scott Styris picked up two each.
--By A Cricket Analyst
