India enjoy triumph thanks to Yuvraj’s brilliance

Yuvraj scored 50 off 75 balls to back up his best World Cup bowling figures of 5-31, as India overhauled the giantkillers’ target of 207 for victory in 46 overs.

The left-hander added 67 with Mahendra Singh Dhoni (34), but Ireland gave India some anxious moments throughout by picking up some crucial wickets.

Earlier captain William Porterfield scored a workmanlike 75, but lack of contributions elsewhere meant Ireland were bowled out inside 48 overs.

Bowling first after winning the toss, Zaheer Khan gave India a terrific start by scalping Paul Stirling and Ed Joyce in successive overs.

Porterfield and Niall O’Brien then added 81 in 20 overs, but a piece of brilliance from Virat Kohli saw off O’Brien, who made a patient 46.

By then Porterfield, who was dropped in the first over by Yusuf Pathan, had reached his second World Cup half-century off 67 balls and added 113 with Kevin O’Brien for the third wicket.

Wickets fell in a heap thereafter as Ireland batsmen were bamboozled by Yuvraj and the visitors crashed to 184-8 from 122-3 in 26 overs.

Yuvraj took all the five wickets that fell during this period, including O’Brien, the hero of Ireland’s stunning victory over England.

The fall of Porterfield then dashed the hopes of a late surge. The opener departed to a loose shot, but had dug deep for his 75 off 104 balls.

Yuvraj dismissed Cusack (24) in his final over and became the first left-arm spinner to pick up five wickets in a World Cup match.

Ireland inched past 200 in the 47th over, but Zaheer and Munaf Patel soon polished off the tail with 13 balls remaining. Zaheer finished with 3-30.

India got a scare withVirender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir departing with just 24 on the board.

But Tendulkar and Kohli eased the nerves by adding 63 in 15 overs, although George Dockrell trapped the former for 38.

India reached 100 in the 24th over, but a mix-up with Yuvraj sparked Kohli’s dismissal for 34.

Yuvraj and Dhoni added 37 in 10 overs to keep the chase on track.

India had to endure another scare when Dockrell trapped Dhoni lbw for 34, but a couple of sixes from Pathan brought the equation down to 25 runs off nine overs. The duo rattled off the required runs with four overs to spare as Pathan scored the winning boundary to remain unbeaten on 30 off 24 balls.