Sachin Tendulkar inspired me to play such a clam knock under pressure:Raina

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Having played one of the most mature match- winning innings of his career, Yuvraj Singh feels beating Australia in the quarter- final of the World Cup meant more to him that anything else he had felt before.

Guiding the team to victory, along with Suresh Raina, at a time when the match could have gone either way, Yuvraj said playing straight and on the ground was the main aim. “ The pressure was something else today. I don’t know if I have hit the purple- patch, but this was definitely the best cricket I have played in a while. After Raina came in, I asked him to play straight and down the ground. Beating Australia in the quarter- final is something special,” he said.

Raina on his part said that it was little master Sachin Tendulkar who had inspired him to play such a clam knock under pressure.

“ When I was sitting in the dressing room, Sachin came up to me and gave me a high- five and said that he expected me to play calmly and do well. I just wanted to follow what he had said,” he said.

India’s brilliant show on the field finally brought a smile to Dhoni’s face. “ We are not known for our fielding, but I think we had the best fielders on the ground today. We all gave in more than a 100 per cent,” the skipper said.

Ponting almost chocked as he bid adieu to his dreams of lifting his third successive World Cup trophy for Australia as captain. “ We competed hard, but India was a better side. We have had moments in the tournament and it is disappointing to bow out at this stage,” he said.