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Yuvraj Singh: Southpaw`s brilliance with ball changes course of Twenty20 match at MCG
Yuvraj`s spell of 2-0-7-1 set the tone for the win against Australia.
New Delhi: Yuvraj Singh who was drafted back into the Indian Twenty20 side for the series against Australia delivered the goods for his skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni with magical two overs at the MCG on Friday.
India beat Australia by 27 runs in the 2nd T20I and sealed the series 2-0 with one game to play.
The ICC 2011 World Cup winning hero didn't get a chance to show his skills with the bat in the first two T20 matches. But on Friday when it mattered most, Yuvi was trusted with the ball by Dhoni when Australia were cruising along in their pursuit of 185.
Aussies were 99/2 at the end of 11 overs with Glenn Maxwell having come to the crease and join a set Aaron Finch. Yuvraj showed his experience and calmess and got the priceless wicket of Maxwell.
The Aussie hitman tried to charge the bowler, as a clever Yuvraj slipped in the quicker wide ball only for the batsman to miss it. A safe lightning quick work from MS Dhoni stumped Maxwell as Indian fans at the MCG rose to celebrate.
Dhoni was quick to acknowledge the bowler as he celebrated the fall of Maxwell.
Yuvi gave away just three runs from that over before Australia hit back in the next over bowled by Hardik Pandya plundering 13 runs. Yuvi got the ball once again and contained the Aussies to just four runs from it.
His spell of 2-0-7-1 set the tone for the win as Indian spinning duo of Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin came back to get the crucial breakthroughs before Jasprit Bumrah finished the job in style.
Yuvi will have a major role to play, as his presence shows the importance of him in the team. With the T20 series against Sri Lanka next and the Asia Cup prior to the ICC World T20 in March, Yuvi will look to make the starting XI in all three tourneys.
The spell at the MCG will give him confidence as the veteran would love to get some batting in the third T20I.
Yuvi showed his magic with the ball in the 2011 World Cup and in sub-continent conditions his availability for the skipper will be emphatic.