(Credit Screengrab)
Yuvraj Singh made a grand entrance into the Indian team’s inner sanctum following their triumph over USA, much to the anticipation of head coach Rahul Dravid. The Indian squad received an esteemed visitor in their dressing room, none other than Yuvraj Singh, renowned as one of India’s premier game-changers. Few individuals can claim to have left such a significant mark on not just one but two Cricket World Cups.
His memorable exploits in the 2007 and 2011 tournaments are etched in cricketing lore, whether it’s his iconic six sixes against Stuart Broad or his resilient century against the West Indies amidst his battle with cancer. Whenever the narrative of India’s World Cup victories is recounted, Yuvraj’s name inevitably precedes all others. Thus, following India’s victory over USA in the T20 World Cup match, securing their berth in the Super 8s, Yuvraj humbly entered the dressing room, greeted with resounding applause.
He proceeded to commend some of the players for their outstanding performances, starting with Arshdeep Singh, whose stellar bowling figures of 4/9 from 4 overs significantly contributed to restricting USA to 110/8.
“Few words? Well done guys. Made a game out of it… very well done. Arshdeep, Congratulations for your Man of the Match and for your batting skills last game also (scoring 9 against Pakistan),” Yuvraj said before moving to Suryakumar Yadav. “SKY… well played! Very unlike Suryakumar but played according to the situation.”
Suryakumar emerged as the pivotal figure that tilted the scales in favor of India, playing an unbeaten knock of 50 runs from 49 deliveries, which included two boundaries and two sixes, ultimately steering India to victory. His partnership with Shivam Dube proved crucial, as Dube contributed an unbeaten 31 runs from 35 balls, with the duo stitching together a vital 72-run stand after India found themselves in early trouble at 10/2. Notably, Dube, often likened to Yuvraj Singh for his versatile abilities, received special recognition from the legendary cricketer himself.
“Shivam… well done. Very good to see you get runs and finish the match for India. It’s important. To get runs in a World Cup match gives you that confidence. It’s a big tournament, so well done. All the best guys. No pressure. Enjoy,” Yuvraj added.
Yuvraj Singh was chosen for a special task following Ravi Shastri’s involvement in the preceding match. As one of India’s most outstanding fielders in cricketing history, Yuvraj had the honor of presenting the distinguished fielding medal to Mohammed Siraj for his remarkable fielding performance. This marked Siraj’s second fielding accolade of the World Cup, having previously received recognition for his contributions against Ireland. Siraj’s exceptional catches, particularly his crucial dismissals of USA captain Aaron Jones and Nitish Kumar, secured his victory in this regard. Adding an element of suspense, India’s coach Rahul Dravid playfully teased the audience with the question “Jeeta kaun hai?” (Who has won?), before Yuvraj revealed Siraj as the deserving recipient of the award.
“Amazing feeling. I remember in the last World Cup, across the 11 matches, I remained a contender but didn’t win a medal. But hard work never goes unrewarded,” he said.
India’s fielding coach T Dilip then wrapped up the session by appreciating Siraj the fielder. “What impresses me about Siraj is that being a fast bowler, he always puts in that effort… whether it’s his own bowling or someone else is bowling. He stood today in the hotspots most of the time and that’s great. Good to have fast bowlers standing there.”
