5 most memorable bilateral ODI series in 21st century

The ODIs have exploded upon the viewers with increased number of matches taking place every year. Growing number of ‘meaningless’ ODI series, is what the main concern is for the critics of the format.However, since the turn of the century, there have been some memorable ODI series which have left a lasting impression on the viewers’ minds. Here, we revisit 5 most memorable series since 2000:Some ground rules for selecting these 5:1. Given the fact that there are plenty of ODI tournaments to take into consideration as the teams play LOIs very often, we have picked these choices based on the amount of impact and memories it provided.2. Only bilateral series between two teams have been considered.3. More than individual performances in a particular game, the experience of the whole series has been considered.The list is in no particluar order.

#5 India v Australia, 2013

If there was any series that will be remembered for incredible run scoring, this has to be it. In the 11 completed innings of the series, only twice the teams failed to cross 300 with one score of 295 in it. Such was the nightmare for the bowlers.

Half centuries from Aaron Finch and captain George Bailey helped Australia to 304/8 against which Indian lower middle order collapsed for 232 all out. The second match at Jaipur saw the visitors hammer Indians with Bailey leading from the front with an unbeaten 92(50) to propel Australia to 359/5.

What India did in reply was something remarkable: Reaching home with 39 balls and 9 wickets to spare! Shikhar Dhawan 95(86) was the only man to be dismissed as Rohit Sharma and Kohli looked in majestic form with the later smashing an unbeaten 52-ball 100. Rohit was awarded the Man-of-the-Match for his 141* off 123.

In the next match, it was Australia’s turn to chase down a 300+ score as they made MS Dhoni’s 139* (121) look so small after a precarious 4/76 by the 13th over. Remember Ishant Sharma’s 30-run 48th over to James Faulkner?

Rain allowed only one innings to be completed in the 4th at Ranchi where Bailey and Maxwell helped themselves to 98 and 92 and India were at 27/0 before sky opened up. Cuttack ODI was completely washed away and India won the next two to clinch the series.

Kohli (115* off 66), Dhawan (100 off 102) and Sharma 79(89) once again frustrated the Aussies after centuries from Shane Watson (102 from 94) and Bailey (156 from 114) to make India win by 6 wickets at Nagpur.

In the decider at Bangalore, Rohit used the short boundaries to good effect to register the third double century in ODIs. His innings of 209 from 158 balls saw him hit 16 sixes and 12 fours. Dhoni made 62 off 38 as India ended their 50 overs with 383/6.

In reply James Faulkner’s maiden ODI ton – 116(73) and Watson’s 22-ball 49 were not enough as they could only manage 326/10 in 45.1 overs.

India won the series 3-2 (7)

Player of the series: Rohit Sharma – 491 runs at an average of 122.75 and a strike rate of 108.62

#4 South Africa v England 2005

The series gathered importance for the fact that Kevin Pietersen, the South African born, returned to play against the home side for England for the first time.

In the opening game, Graeme Smith’s men had no clue against England pacers as Darren Gough and Matthew Hoggard gave away only 62 runs in their 20 overs snatching 4 wickets. A team effort from bowlers restricted them to 175 and England were 103/3, well ahead of the D/L par score when rained interrupted.

In the second match, South Africa chocked dramatically to tie the match failing to score 3 runs of the last 5 balls. Earlier, Pietersen registered his first international ton in his home land with an unbeaten 108(96) lifting England to 270/5.

In reply Jacques Kallis (63) and Herschelle Gibbs (78) steadied the ship with 134-run 3rd wicket stand. However, they needed 82 from 60 at one stage. Some calculated stroke play meant they were 8 short of a win in the final over when Kabir Ali (Moeen’s cousin) bowled a waist high full-toss. It was declared no-ball and Mark Boucher smashed a four.

3 from 6 was always gettable unless you are a South African batsman it seems. Boucher hit a no-harm ball to deep-midwicket and Ali suddenly became a better bowler recovering from his 13-run previous over. A perfect Yorker and some tense batting meant Shaun Pollock managed a couple of singles in balls 3 and 5, but Ashwell Prince was run out for a first ball duck in between. Andrew Hall had no clue for the perfect full-length ball and was stumped with scores level on the final delivery.

In the next match, SA were better prepared to chase successfully as Smith (105) and Gibbs (50) starred in a three-wicket win as Boucher applied the finishing touches in the chase of 268.

In the 4th match, the Protean middle-order starred to post 291 with Gibbs scoring 100(115) with Kallis(71 off 97) and Justin Kemp (57 off 26) contributing as well. A team effort with the ball handed SA a 108-run win.

In the 5th Smith (115*) batted through and Kemp was brutal in his 50-ball 80 as the Proteans posted 311. Pietersen tried his best in vain with an unbeaten 100 off just 69 balls as SA won by 7 runs to get an unassailable 3-1 lead with 2 to play.

Gibbs’ 118 was the only highlight in the washed out 6th match. In the dead rubber, Pietersen (116) smashed his third century of the series to help England post 240 which was comfortably chased down with three wickets and an over to spare.

South Africa won the series 4-1 (7)

Player of the series: Kevin Pietersen – 454 runs at an average of 151.33 and a strike-rate of 105.58.

#3 India v Pakistan, 2004

India toured their neighbours and traditional rivals Pakistan for a full fledged tour after a gap of almost 15 years (India played short 3-match ODI series in 1997/98), and it turned out to be a memorable one as the visitors clinched their first series win in the country. Inspired by the ODI performance, India went on to win also their maiden Test series in Pakistan.

The team under Sourav Ganguly batted with ease against Pakistan seamers at Karachi after being sent in to amass 349/7 with Virender Sehwag providing a blazing start to kick off the proceedings. Rahul Dravid was unfortunately out, bowled for 99 by Shoaib Akthar towards the close of the innings.

In reply, captain Inzamam-ul Haq’s breezy ton (122 off 102) threatened India, but they prevailed by five runs in the end. The Pakistan skipper was adjudged the player of the match, though.

The home side managed to come out on top in the next two close game to make the series exciting. Batting first Pakistan made 329/6 with the impetus coming from makeshift opener Shahid Afridi (80 from 58) and Yasir Hameed (86) at the top. Abdul Razzaq’s cameo of 31 off 18 means, India stared at a stiff target.

The match was in India’s hands as long as Sachin Tendulkar was batting. But, when the master returned back for well-made 141(135), India succumbed to pressure and were dismissed for 317 with 8 balls remaining. Sachin was awarded the Man-of-the-Match.

The third match was an even contest with Pakistan surpassing India’s 244 with 4 wickets and 16 balls to go with an unbeaten 74-run 7th wicket stand involving Razzaq (53) and Moin Khan.

In the 4th match at Lahore, Mohammad Kaif (71* off 77) turned hero with Rahul Dravid (76* off 92). Yuvraj Singh played a crucial hand of 36 after the 4th wicket of Ganguly fell for 94 by the end of 13th over with India chasing 294. Thus, another Inzamam-ul-Haq ton was not enough for the home team, but he pocketed his second MOM award of the series in a losing cause.

In the grand finale, VVS Laxman’s 107 guided India to 293 against which Pakistan’s top order collapsed to 96/6. Shoaib Malik and Moin Khan added 99, still, it was too much of an ask for the rest of the battine line-up.

India won the series 3-2 (5)

Player of the series: Inzamam-ul-Haq – 340 runs at an average of 68.00 and a strike rate of 97.70

#2 New Zealand v Australia, 2007

The Trans-Tasmanian rivals entered the 3-match series as a preparation towards the World Cup in the Caribbean nations scheduled in a month’s time. The result was something one would refuse to believe unless explained with proof.

The Blackcaps prevailed against the reigning World Champions in all the three-closely contested matches that raised some concerns to their title defence.

In the first ODI at Wellington, Australia were shot back for a meagre 148 by Shane Bond (5/23), one of the most deadly and complete bowlers the game has seen. Openers Lou Vincent and Stephen Fleming completed Australia’s nightmarish day when they steered Kiwis home unbeaten.

Then Auckland and Hamilton witnessed the improbable. The Blackcaps chased down 300+ scores two times in a row.

Some late acceleration from Michael Hussey (105 off 84), Brad Hodge (97 off 86) and Cameron White (42 off 19) helped Australia to 336. Ross Taylor’s spectacular century (117 off 127) laid the platform after initial hiccups as Peter Fulton (76* off 65) and Craig McMillan’s 85-run partnership off 46 balls proved to be decisive. The two spinners - Brad Hogg and White were heavily targeted in the match.

In the final match, the visitors posted 346 as Mathew Hayden carried his bat through for an aggressive 181 runs off 166 balls, including 11 fours and 10 sixes. In reply, the stars of the previous game once again stood up, rescuing the innings from a worrisome 41/4 inside 10 overs.

As Fulton departed for 51 with the scoreboard reading 116/5 in the 17th over, Brendon McCullum (86* off 91) joined McMillan (117 from 96) for a 165-run 6th wicket stand. However, it required a 15-ball 28 from Mark Gillespie to keep the Blackcaps in the chase and they eventually got over the line with just 3 balls to spare, courtesy, their last set of batters. It was New Zealand’s first and only whitewash against their neighbours.

New Zealand won the series 3-0 (3)

#1 South Africa v Australia, 2006

The visiting Australian side was beaten handsomely in the first two matches of the 5-match series that started with a rain-hit encounter.

The Australians led by Adam Gilchrist in place of an injured Ricky Ponting, failed to contain Graeme Smith’s men after they were bowled out for 229 in the opening fixture. Smith single-handedly lead the chase with an unbeaten 119 and SA reached the revised target of 204 with 6-wickets to spare.

In the second match, Makhaya Ntini’s decisive 6-fer killed the Australian run chase as they surrendered for 93, losing by 196 runs. The then world champions bounced back to win the next match by 24 runs, courtesy a team effort. No.10 Roger Telemachus’ 17 ball 29 gave Australia a brief scare before Ricky Ponting’s first match of the series resulted in a win for them.

The 4th match was another nail-biting thriller in which Australia sneaked home by adding 29 runs for the last two wickets in a chase of 246 after Boeta Dippender’s patient 100 and Shaun Pollock’s quickfire 53* set the game up at Durban.

With the series tied at 2-2, the two teams produced unbelievable cricket to enter history books in the series decider at Johannesburg. A total of 872 runs were scored with South Africa prevailing over the Aussies by 1 wicket and 1 ball to spare. Ponting blasted 164 off 105 as Michael Hussey contributed 81 from 51 to post a world-record 434 after electing to bat.

In reply, Herschelle Gibbs was brutal with the bat carting the bowlers around for a 111-ball 175 in the company of Graeme Smith (90 off 55). When Gibbs fell for 299 in the 32nd over, South Africa were well on track to rewrite the record with 6 wickets in hand. But, Jacques Kallis and Justin Kemp failed to get going as Mark Boucher hung around, sustaining hopes. Johan Van der Wath’s valuable 35 off 18 took them closer and it was eventually Boucher who nailed the match on the penultimate ball with an unbeaten 50 off 43.

South Africa won 3-2 (5)

Player of the series: Shaun Pollock – 5 wickets at an average of 19.80 and an economy rate of 3.09.