2012-13: Season of the underdogs

The current cricket season has belonged largely to the underdogs. They have shown indomitable spirit in overcoming forces that have been far superior to them and many such victories have come in hostile conditions.

The current cricket season has belonged largely to the underdogs. They have shown indomitable spirit in overcoming forces that have been far superior to them and many such victories have come in hostile conditions.

Here’s a look at some of such results.

Ross Taylor (Left) and Kane Williamson (Right) setup New Zealand’s win in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Colombo © Getty Images

New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka (November 2012)

The second Test win against Sri Lanka was one of the biggest upsets of the season. Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson paved the way for a memorable victory for the visitors. New Zealand were completely outplayed in the first Test, handing the hosts a 10-wicket win. To recover from that setback was a Herculean task and Taylor & Company’s triumph in the process has added to the charm of the oldest form of the game. The Kiwis showed great intent in the second Test at Colombo and put up a spirited all-round performance to level the two-match series. After the efforts of Taylor and Williamson with the bat, the Kiwi bowlers managed to bowl out the hosts twice to give themselves a massive 167-run victory.

Bangladesh stunned the Windies in the five-match series at home © AFP

West Indies tour of Bangladesh (November 2012)

The best part of being an underdog is the lack of expectation that comes along. Even at home, Bangladesh were not the favourites against the West Indies. Bangladesh started the five-match ODI series on a wonderful note as they stunned the Caribbean side with an all-round show to register a comprehensive seven-wicket victory. Many would have expected the wounded visitors to come back hard at Bangladesh in the second one-dayer. However, it was Bangladesh that raised their bar. This time with a 160-run victory, their highest ever in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. What followed was the usual script where the stronger team on paper would pull things back. Windies did so with two wins in the next two games to take the series to the final one-dayer.  It looked like Bangladesh ran out of steam after the first two ODIs as the Windies were favourites to wrap up the series with a victory in the final ODI. But, as it turned out, the home side wasn’t done yet. After bowling out the West Indies for 217, Bangladesh survived an early set back and their middle-order strived together to earn a memorable two-wicket victory to take the series 3-2.

England caused a heavy upset as they beat India in their own backyard © PTI

England tour of India (November-December 2013)

England’s four-match Test series in India was supposed to be India’s chance to avenge the drubbing in England. Flat wickets, spinning tracks and hostile weather conditions by England standards were the perfect ingredients for a thumping series victory. There was a whiff of (over) confidence in the air and the official broadcasters of the series made that blatantly evident with their advertisements. However, the Queen’s men were not in India to face the music. They were in India to orchestrate their melody that they started composing an year ago.

The first blow for the home side came in the Mumbai Test, where the visitors felt at home and spun India out of the game. The Indian team was left groggy after this defeat and the knockout punch was served in the Kolkata Test where Alastair Cook & Co. thrashed India to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the four-match Test series. All of a sudden, the 4-0 drubbing in 2011 appeared to be second fiddle to this loss. India’s fortress had just been breached by a spirited England side.

Pakistan added to India’s recent woes by beating them 2-1 in the three-match ODI series © PTI

Pakistan tour of India (December 2012- January 2013)

The wounds from the Test series defeat to England were still fresh when Pakistan travelled to India for a three-match ODI series. Pakistan seemed like the perfect opponent in times of despair. The home side was in desperate need of a series win and one over Pakistan would have liberated them from the horrific memories of their previous losses, even if only momentarily. But, what transpired was the unthinkable. A resurgent Pakistan registered two powerful victories over India – first by six wickets and second by 85 runs — to seal the three-match series. The hosts eventually won the final one-dayer but had lost the series to their bitter rivals.

The Kiwis redeemed themselves in the ODI series against South Africa after losing in Tests © Getty Images

New Zealand tour of South Africa (January 2013)

The perpetual semi-finalists, the also-rans of world cricket travelled to South Africa at a time when the latter could do nothing wrong on a cricket field.  The Kiwis were grappling with internal politics that saw Ross Taylor opt out of the series and Brendon McCullum take charge. After losing the Tests, the Kiwis were looking to redeem themselves in the One-Dayers.

In the first One-Day Internationals (ODI), it took a cameo from James Franklin to give the visitors a win in the low-scoring thriller. Kane Willamson followed that effort up with a splendid knock of 145 in the second game to give New Zealand a series win. Before the Proteas could realise what hit them, they had conceded the ODI series. Playing for pride in the dead rubber, South Africa’s Ryan McLaren ensured a win for the hosts with a last-ball six. McCullum though had nothing to complain about. He marshaled his troops back home with utmost satisfaction of having beaten South Africa in South Africa.

(Prakash Govindasreenivasan is an Editorial consultant at CricketCountry and a sports fanatic, with a soft corner for cricket. After studying journalism for two years, came the first big high in his professional life – the opportunity to interview his hero Adam Gilchrist and talking about his magnificent 149 in the 2007 World Cup final. While not following cricket, he is busy rooting for Chelsea FC)