Mohali ODI Ishant Sharma: What really happened during James Faulkner vs Ishant Sharma battle in 2013?

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma considers the third ODI of Australia’s tour of India 2013 in Mohali as the “lowest moment” of his professional career. Sharma, all of 25 then, had conceded as many as 30 runs in a game-changing 48th over of the match played almost a decade ago.

Sixth bowler (second Indian after former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh) to leak 30 runs in an over of an ODI match then, Sharma had registered the joint-fifth most expensive over in the history of the format. Having said that, Sharma was hurt less because of an individual blemish and more because of his over making India lose a match which they should’ve won.

Put in to bat first by then-Australia captain George Bailey, India were reduced to 79/4 in 13 overs before former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s ninth ODI century steered the team past the 300-run mark.

James Faulkner vs Ishant Sharma

Australia, who needed 91 runs off 53 balls with six wickets in hand at one point in time, were unequivocally on the back foot before all-rounder James Faulkner turned the tables on the back of a 29-ball 64* comprising two fours and six sixes. One four and four sixes out of Faulkner’s eight boundaries had come in a Sharma over as he reduced the equation from needing 44 runs off three overs to 14 off two that evening.

Having hit the first ball of the over for a four over the cover region, Faulkner then hit four convincing sixes to different parts of the ground against a clueless Sharma.

“My lowest moment was that 2013 match in Mohali against Australia. I don’t know if I could ever have moment worse than that because I was…I don’t know. It was very tough for me. And it wasn’t because I gave away a lot of runs. The thing that hurt me the most was I was the reason behind the team’s loss,” Sharma said on Cricbuzz’s show named ‘Rise of New India’ last month.

ALSO READ: Has Ishant Sharma retired from international cricket?

Not that bowlers hadn’t registered worse figures than 8-1-63-1 in the past but Sharma had very well realized that his over cost India the match. “I think the last few overs were disappointing. It is an area of concern and it is getting worse. You don’t need to spoon-feed bowlers at the international level,” Dhoni had told host broadcaster Star Sports during the post-match presentation ceremony.

Readers must note that Sharma and Faulkner faced each other thrice in ODI cricket. Faulkner, who was able to dominate Sharma only once, scored a total of 39* (16) at a strike rate of 243.75 against him across three innings.

Mohali ODI Ishant Sharma stats

In what was the last of Sharma’s eight international matches across formats at the IS Bindra Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, his ODI three wickets at the venue had come at an average of 50.66, an economy rate of 6.6 and a strike rate of 46. Other than three ODIs, Sharma had represented India in four Tests and a T20I at this stadium between 2008-2013.