Baroda Basher: Five best batting performances of Yusuf Pathan
World-Cup winning Indian all-rounder Yusuf Pathan announced his retirement on Friday from all forms of professional cricket. Often considered a limited-overs wonder owing to his hard-hitting abilities, he was a regular face for his first-class team Baroda and went on to accumulate over 4800 and 201 wickets in 100 first-class games.
He represented India in 57 ODIs and 22 T20Is, accumulating 810 runs and 236 runs, respectively. Pathan, who represented three franchises in his 12-year IPL journey and won the titles with Rajasthan Royals (2008) and Kolkata Knight Riders (2012 and 2014), amassed 3204 runs and 42 wickets in 174 IPL games. Here’s a look at his top-most performances in professional cricket –
5) 123* from 96 vs New Zealand, 2010
The match-winning 123 against New Zealand at Bangalore is unarguably Pathan’s most memorable knock in international cricket. India were reeling at 188/5 in the 34th over, in a chase of 316, when Pathan joined Saurabh Tiwary at the other end. Smacking 7 sixes and as many fours in his 96-ball 123, he added an unbeaten 133 with Tiwary and guided India to a thrilling victory as James Franklin’s 98 went in vain.
4) 105 from 70 vs South Africa, 2011
India were on a tour of South Africa in 2011, and the ODI series was evenly poised at 2-2. A brilliant century from Hashim Amla (116 from 132) led the hosts to 250/9 in the decider at Centurion. In response, India were tottering at 119/8 when Pathan decided to launch his assault as he smacked 8 sixes and as many fours, en route to his century. Though he perished moments away from a win and India lost the game eventually, he nearly managed to snatch the game single-handedly, giving the hosts a massive scare.
3) 56 from 39 vs Chennai Super Kings, 2008
It was the all-important final of the inaugural edition of the IPL, where the Rajasthan Royals were up against the Chennai Super Kings for the titular clash. Chasing a tricky target of 164, RR were in deep trouble at 42/3, which is when Pathan, who had shone in the game with the ball by claiming three wickets, came out blazing as he added 65 runs with Shane Watson to bring his team back on track. He eventually perished for 56 from 39, but his knock proved sufficient for his team to clinch a dramatic victory on the last ball.
2) 72 from 22 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2014
The league stage of the 2014 edition was towards the end and KKR needed to chase down 161 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 54th match to displace CSK from the second spot in the table. Walking in at a time when his team required 106 from 47 balls, Yusuf raced off to a record 15-ball 50 and by the time he fell (72 from 22), the target had come down to less than run a ball. KKR went on to clinch the game fulfilling the condition.
1) 210 from 190 vs South Zone, 2010
The finest moment in his domestic career came in the 2010 season of the Duleep Trophy game against South Zone. Pathan smacked 108 from 76 in the first innings, when his team was dismissed 149 runs behind South Zone’s first-innings tally of 400. West Zone was set a mammoth 536-run target after South declared their second innings on 386/9. Pathan batted for 331 minutes, amassing 210 off just 190 to assist the West Zone to pull off a miraculous chase of 541 against the Dinesh Karthik-led South Zone.
