163*- MOHAMMAD AZHARUDDIN, Kanpur, 1996
This was the 3rd Test of the three-match series between India and South Africa in 1996. The encounters had been amazing and it all came down to this Test in Kanpur with series tied 1-1. India captain Sachin Tendulkar won the toss and chose to bat first on a tricky pitch at the Green Park Stadium.
But Paul Adams picked 6/55 and stopped India at 237 runs with WV Raman and skipper Tendulkar making half-centuries. Indian bowlers hit back with Anil Kumble picking 4/71 and Javagal Srinath picking 3/42 and South Africa team was bowled out for 177, giving India a lead of 60 runs.
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India had to stretch that lead into something substantial but the top four batsmen couldn’t make much scores and it came down to the experience of Mohammad Azharuddin who slammed 163* in 229 balls with 25 fours and 1 six. With helping contributions from Rahul Dravid, Kumble, Ganguly, and Tendulkar, Azhar pummeled the Proteas bowling attack into submission and helped India reach 400/7d and set a target of 461 runs. South Africa could only manage 180 as Srinath and Joshi picked three wickets each and India won the Test by 280 runs and the series 2-1.
Azharuddin was named the Man of the Match. He has scored a brutal 109 in the Kolkata Test earlier in the series against a rampaging Donald, Pollock, and a debutant Lance Klusener. Though Klusener picked 8/64 in the second innings, he was hit for five boundaries in an over by Azhar during his century in first innings, after he was hit on his elbow and came out to seek vengeance against South African bowlers. He was rightly named Man of the Series as well.
