An out-of-character knock
Raja M
Man of the Match Sachin Tendulkar painstakingly compiled his 65 runs in a script unusual for him, with 35 singles and just three boundaries. He engineered the crucial anchoring effort, playing out 35% of his innings in dot balls but keeping the Indian innings together as wickets tumbled regularly. He struggled initially as the West Indian bowlers sent down 50 good-length balls to him off the 70 he faced.
Interestingly, Carl Hooper and Chris Gayle together bowled 45% of the balls he faced, giving him 34 runs off 32 balls.
Among the Windies bowlers, Merv Dillon bowled aggressively to scalp five wickets. As our 20-20 graphic shows, Dillon targeted 83% of his spell on a good length or short-of- good-length spot. He pitched only ten balls up to the batsmen, which cost him 23% of the runs he gave away.
Dillon spearheaded the West Indian Operation Stranglehold in India's last ten overs that saw only 52 runs scored for the loss of six wickets. Dillon's contribution in this vital phase of bowling was 12 balls for 14 runs with 3 wickets.
For India, Ajit Agarkar who got rid of Carl Hooper and the rampaging Ridley Jacobs, bowled 36 of his 48 balls in the match on a good length. He gave away only 32 runs and bowled 28 dot balls, effectively over four maiden overs, in a desperate run chase. Agarkar's effort made the critical difference in the end.
India's tour of West Indies - The
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