India vs Australia, 2008 - Second Final Highlights


Posted March 5th, 2008 by Nanda 2 Comments »

Click for full imageWhat a superb match and a sensational win to Team India. MS Dhoni’s boys did what previous Indian legends could never accomplish. This win in the best of three finals will rank as high as the Twenty20 World Cup. Massive celebrations at the end of the match clearly indicated the emotions that the Indians were going through. After a controversial summer, the Indians managed to tell the Aussies - Shut the hell up.

Sachin Tendulkar was the standout performer for India and played two dream innings just when it mattered. He silenced his critics, for now, by playing match winning knocks in the crucial finals. But the real heroes were the 19 and 20 year olds backed by their maverick captain. I still remember Dhoni calling this team as “My team” in the presentation ceremony. This performance, coupled with the T20 win, has surely put an end to the One day careers of Dravid, Laxman and Ganguly.

Playing with the most inexperienced side in this tri-series, Dhoni and his “boys” have proven that experience without will and talent is like a glass without water. I, for one, had been extremely impressed by the selectors’ decision to pack the squad with these talented youngsters. The fact was that these players had already proven themselves in the T20 World Cup. How many tournaments have Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman won for India? I am not questioning the talent and experience of these four, but at the end of the day, results matter.

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