"Brad Haddin came in front of me while I took a run" - Suresh Raina recalls how India overcame Australia's sledging during 2011 World Cup quarterfinal
Former Indian batter Suresh Raina played a crucial role in helping the Men in Blue beat Australia in the 2011 World Cup quarterfinal at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad. It was his 74-run stand with Yuvraj Singh that helped the hosts get over the line and progress to the semifinals.
Raina recalled just how intimidating the Australian team was and how they used sledging as a tactic to disrupt his concentration during that partnership.
Here's what Suresh Raina told ANI:
"I remember they (Australia players) sledged us many times and even Brad Haddin came in front of me while I took a run, but we kept calm and focused."
Raina also opened up on the message that the great Sachin Tendulkar gave him before walking out to bat. He said:
"The Australian squad of 2011 was strong and led by Ricky Ponting, from sledging to strong bowling and exceptional fielding they had everything, I clearly remember Gautam, Sachin, Dhoni all got out and it was my time to bat. Paji (Sachin) was sitting next to me in the dressing room and he told me to go and finish the match.
"Yuvraj and I stitched up a partnership, though we didn't require lots of runs we still had pressure to win, but, at the same time we also had to play aggressive cricket."
Suresh Raina on upcoming India vs Australia final
Suresh Raina believes Australia's champion mentality is due to them being able to raise their game in knockouts of big tournaments like the World Cup. He feels India need to be wary of the Aussies, but also reckons the hosts have the quality to make it a memorable encounter.
On this, Raina stated:
"Australia is a team that loves to play semi and finals and they are the team of big games as they know how to play better, their mindset is pretty strong and with the double century of Maxwell and back-to-back wins will boost their confidence to next level, so we can't take them lightly.
"But, on the other hand, Indian squad is quite dangerous this time with batting and bowling and their strong fielding is icing on the cake, so I am sure the encounter on 19th will be full with entertainment."
India have a chance to win their third World Cup crown on Sunday (November 19), while the Aussies will be looking to extend their record with a sixth title.