In a career spread across two decades, Yuvraj Singh built a strong reputation for being one of the cleanest strikers of the cricket ball, churning out game-changing performances in the middle order. Despite several setbacks, including serious illness, his resolve never gave way, as he ended his career as one of India’s all-time limited-overs greats. Back in 2008, Yuvraj Singh scored his fastest century against England in Rajkot.
Yuvraj Singh came in to bat in the 24th over and shortly into his innings, he had a problem with his back and needed a brace. Steve Harmison decided to test him with some short balls and, though Yuvraj took his eyes off them, he pulled consecutive boundaries and rounded off the over with a steer past slip for four more. Those three strokes set the tone. Yuvraj Singh diffused England’s touring attack with a rapid, 64-ball century, the then fastest hundred against England in ODIs. Strapped around his stomach, Yuvraj fought back issues to smash 16 fours and six sixes, ending with an unbeaten 138 in India’s 387. In a remarkable display of power-hitting, Yuvraj treated spinners and pacers with equal disdain, motoring along to his ninth ODI century in his 200th inning. India won the match by a whopping 158 runs and there was no doubt about Yuvraj Singh being the ‘Man of the Match.’
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