Playing and performing for their country is the ultimate dream of all cricketers and if they contribute to team’s success on their birthdays it makes it all the more special. There have been numerous incidents in cricket where cricketers have given themselves a gift by putting up memorable performances.
Here is a look at such unique incidents:
5. Yuvraj Singh’s all-round heroics
It was the 28th birthday of Yuvraj in the year 2009 and he did what he is famously known for, shone with both ball and bat. India was playing the second T20I against Sri Lanka at Mohali. Being 1-0 down in the 2-match series, it was a ‘do or die’ game for India.
Batting first, Sri Lanka amassed a huge total of 206 runs. Yuvi picked up 3 wickets for 23 runs and was the only bright spot for India in the bowling where all the others were getting hammered. Chasing a record total, he again stood up with a knock of 60 runs off just 25 balls which included 3 fours and 5 sixes.
India chased down the total with 5 balls to spare and it was the highest chase in the T20Is of that time. For his blistering innings of 60 runs and 3 wickets, Yuvraj was adjudged the Man of the Match and indeed made that birthday of his, the most exceptional one.
4. Jason Gillespie’s inexplicable double-hundred
On 19 April 2006, cricket’s one of the most unbelievable scenes took place. The tall fast bowler from Australia came into bat as a night-watchman in against Bangladesh at Chittagong and to everyone’s surprise, he went on to score a double-century on his 31st birthday.
Bangladesh was bowled out for 197 runs in the first innings. Australia lost Matthew Hayden early in their first innings. Jason Gillespie was sent at number 3 to play out the remaining day and guard Ricky Ponting. But Jason had other ideas.
He refused to get out at all in the innings and with solid defensive shots, he scored 201 runs off 425 balls. He spent a mammoth 574 minutes at the crease. Australia went on to win the match by an innings and 80 runs.
Despite being the highest scorer of the match, Jason was not picked in the side for future tours. And because of this, he holds a unique record of scoring a double-century in his last innings.
3. A World Cup ton for Ross Taylor
Every cricketer aspires to score a century in the world cup and Ross Taylor made it all the more special when he did it on his 27th birthday. It was the group stage game between New Zealand and Pakistan in the 2011 ODI World Cup at Pallekele.
Batting first, New Zealand got off to a bad start when they lost 2 quick wickets. But then Taylor single-handedly took care of the Kiwi’ innings. He scored 131 runs off 124 balls. His 8 fours and 7 sixes assisted New Zealand put up a daunting total of 302 runs.
Chasing a huge total, Pakistan succumbed to the pressure and were bowled out for 192 runs in the 42nd over. The dominating innings of Taylor earned him the prize of the Man of the Match.
2. Peter Siddle’s Ashes hat-trick
It was the biggest rivalry in cricket, the Ashes. If a player does well in the Ashes, he gets huge points to show on his merit. In 2010, England was touring down under and it was the first day of the first test at Brisbane. Peter Siddle was celebrating his 26th birthday and gave himself the best gift of his life.
Late in the day, Siddle first got Alastair Cook caught at first slip, then castled Matt Prior with an in-dipper and finally trapped Stuart Broad in front of the wickets off a Yorker to claim 3 wickets in 3 balls.
In the end, it turned out to be one of the very few moments of celebrations for the Aussies as England crushed them 3-1 to win the Ashes after 23 years on the Australian soil.
1. Sachin’s magic at Sharjah
When it comes to performances on birthdays, nothing beats Sachin Tendulkar’s absolute master class at Sharjah. It was 24 April 1998, Sachin’s 25th birthday, the final of the tri-series involving India, Australia and New Zealand was being played.
Australia had given India a target of 273 runs for victory. Sachin started off where he had left from in the last innings of 144 runs which saw the team to final. He slaughtered every single Aussie bowler and took India to the series win. His over the head sixes, cover and straight drives bamboozled the Australian bowlers and they had no clues how to stop the little master.
Those two innings were certainly the most adorable of his illustrious career as he dismantled the very strong Australian team. Sachin deservedly received both the Man of the Match as well as the Man of the Series awards, the 2 of the plenty that he got in the career.
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