10 Unforgettable performances that ended in defeats
Cricket is a team sport but there are instances when an individual performance steels the show. However, it doesn't always end up in a winning cause.
6. Mahela Jayawardene's 103* vs India (2011)
On the grandest stage, in the 2011 World Cup final, Mahela Jayawardene produced one of the finest innings from a Sri Lankan batter. After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Sri Lanka got off to a very cautious start. When Jayawardene stepped out of the dressing room to bat, Sri Lanka had put on just 60 runs and lost two wickets in 16.3 overs.
The experienced Sri Lankan batter formed crucial partnerships with captain Kumar Sangakkara, Nuwan Kulasekara, and Thisara Perera to take the team to a competitive 274/6 in 50 overs. When Jayawardene got to fifty, the camera panned to his wife in the stands, who was seen gesturing to him to stay there at the crease. The right-handed batter didn't disappoint as he went on to score 103* off 88 balls with the help of 13 boundaries.
India were 31/2 in their chase, having lost Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar early. Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni scored 97 and 91* to help India win the ODI World Cup for the second time. Jayawardene's knock went in vain but will be remembered forever.
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