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Sachin likes it here
Wisden CricInfo staff - January 30, 2002
Tomorrow sees Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla stadium host its 11th one-day international. It's a lucky ground for the home side: India have won six out of the nine matches they have played there.
But England's record is even better: played one, won one. However, that was over 12 years ago, in the 1989-90 Nehru Cup against Sri Lanka, not India. Robin Smith cracked an unbeaten 81 to see England to a five-wicket win after Aravinda de Silva had hit a 89-ball 80. England were only chasing 194 for victory - if they can limit Sachin and friends to that they will be happy.
Seven of the 11 games have been won by the team batting second, and the highest total chased is the 281 India made against Sri Lanka in September 1982. They scored at very nearly seven an over. But the toss seems incidental: only five of the captains who called correctly went on to win the match.
The bad news for Nasser Hussain's beleaguered bowlers is that Sachin Tendulkar enjoys this ground. He averages 53.50 in his four matches here, including a run-a-ball 137 in the 1996 World Cup against Sri Lanka and 62 against New Zealand in 1994-95. He is also the second-highest runscorer in the ground's ODI history with 214, only 53 behind Mohammad Azharuddin. But there is some hope for England: on Sachin's last outing here (Nov 1999) he made a third-ball duck against New Zealand - caught-and-bowled by Daniel Vettori. Maybe Ashley Giles should take the new ball this time ...
Ricky Ponting also has happy memories here. He smashed 145 against Zimbabwe in 1997-98 - the highest individual score made here. Ponting's century helped Australia to 294, the highest ODI total at Delhi.
Bowling-wise it's a good ground for the surprise package. The best bowling figures belong to a certain IVA Richards, who took 6 for 41 against India in a 45-over match in 1989-90. Just for good measure he biffed a 42-ball 44 as well. Steve Waugh has also taken six wickets, although his were spread over four matches. He has never failed to take a wicket in an ODI here and secured 2 for 42 on his most recent appearance, against India in 1997-98. That, along with his unbeaten 57, earned him the Man of the Match award.
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