Sachin Tendulkar produced a breathtaking 175 to very nearly take India to a sensational win in a nerve wrecking fifth One-dayer against Australia but the hosts floundered in the dying stages to succumb to a three run defeat and give the visitors a 3-2 lead in the series. It was as if Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi Stadium had been whisked back in time and dumped on the Arabian peninsula.
Sachin Tendulkar's glorious 175 (141 balls, 19 fours, four sixes) in the fifth limited-overs clash with Australia evoked memories of two magnificent innings from the little master against Steve Waugh's team in the 1998 Coca Cola Cup in Sharjah.
India skipper
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has no qualms to admit that the reason for their defeat in the nerve wrecking fifth ODI was lack of mental toughness in the lower order batsmen. Chasing an imposing 351 for win, India came close yet remain far from victory as they folded for 347 after Sachin Tendulkar's sublime 175 off 141 balls.
After Tendulkar's departure in the first ball of the 48th over, India required 19 runs from 17 balls but the remaining three batsmen succumbed to pressure and could manage only 15.
Dhoni said India matched the World Champion side as far as cricketing skills are concerned but the want of mental toughness in crunch moments did them in. We lost the mental aspect and not the cricketing part of the match.
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