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Yuvraj's knock was the turning point: Bailey

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Press Trust of India Rajkot
Last Updated : Oct 11 2013 | 1:45 PM IST
Australia skipper George Bailey said the match-winning whirlwind knock from comeback man Yuvraj Singh proved to be the turning point of the high-scoring one-off Twenty20 International against India.
"Yuvraj's innings was fantastic. He batted beautifully. Cleared the fence when he had to. It made it really difficult for us, so that was probably the turning point," Bailey said at the post-match conference.
Having posted a massive 202-run target, Australia were in total control at one stage with Indian scorecard reading 80 for three in the ninth over. But flamboyant Yuvraj changed the scenario completely, smashing an unbeaten 35-ball 77, laced with eight fours and five sixes to steer the hosts to a six-wicket victory.
Bailey said despite being on top at one stage, his bowlers simply failed to contain Yuvraj.
"One or two catches on the fence there and it would have been different game. But he batted beautifully. We challenged him to hit the different parts of the ground and he accepted gleefully. It was a key innings," said the captain.
"Certainly when he came to the wicket, I thought we were on top. We were really one or two wickets away from really busting the game open. He just snatched the momentum back," Bailey added.
Asked when he thought the match was slipping away, the 31-year old Tasmanian said, "It was probably an over with four or five to go, where they got it (required run rate) back to nine or ten an over, which I thought on that wicket was manageable.
"Having said that, if we could have found a way to take a wicket, I think that would have changed everything, particularly Yuvraj's wicket. If we could have forced a wicket, we were close. We had him caught that just cleared the fence a couple of times," he elaborated.

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First Published: Oct 11 2013 | 1:45 PM IST

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