5 unsung last over heroes for Team India

Last-over humdingers in cricket make for a riveting watch for supporters of either side. Often, such matches make heroes out of the ordinary. India has been part of a fair number of last-over thrillers, most recently the India-Bangladesh clash that gave India a victory with the narrowest of margins. The T20 game has made the game closer and even more tighter, with narrow margins and little scope for error.

Here's a list of five unsung heroes of the last-over for India:

Rajesh Chauhan

Javed Miandad’s last ball six off Chetan Sharma was the highlight of the Indo-Pak cricketing ties that set the mood for a fiery rivalry throughout the 80s and 90s.

Rajesh Chauhan, part of the spin trio also comprising of Anil Kumble and Venkatpathy Raju, was a lucky mascot for the Indian team, as they never lost any of the 21 Tests he played. However, the off-spinner from Ranchi is remembered best for his last-over six off the bowling off Saqlain Mushtaq in 1997 at the National Stadium, Karachi.

Chasing a steep target of 266 from the stipulated 47.2 overs, the Indians managed only two runs off the penultimate over, and were left with eight runs from the final over. The No.8 Chauhan stepped out and launched Saqlain Mushtaq on the on-side for a massive six. Robin Singh, unbeaten on a well-made 31, scored the winning runs.

Hrishikesh Kanitkar

Saqlain Mushtaq was on the receiving end of another nail-biting finish featuring India and Pakistan, this time in Dhaka in early 1998.

Hrishikesh Kanitkar, who retired from cricket last year after a 17-season long career, hit a boundary off the penultimate ball of Mushtaq, resulting in a world record chase.

Needing 315, India were cruising along at 250-1 in 39 overs. A dramatic batting collapse followed, leaving Kanitkar and Javagal Srinath to face Mushtaq in the final over. Kanitkar’s boundary gave India the Independence Cup, and obliterated some of the pain of the Miandad six.

Joginder Sharma

The legend of MS Dhoni started with the lifting of the inaugural World T20 trophy in South Africa nine years ago, a victory that instilled belief in a young team.

With thirteen runs required of the last six, Dhoni tossed the ball to the unheralded Joginder Sharma, a decision which could have gone either way. Misbah-Ul-Haq, who had carried Pakistan agonizingly near the target, was on the crease.

After being hit for a six off the second ball and reeling under enormous pressure, Joginder delivered a ball outside the off-stump, which Misbah scooped up in the air. Sreesanth completed the catch at short fine-leg, and the Indian fans erupted in joy.

Sadly, that ball was the last in the Indian jersey for Joginder Sharma, who never got to play for India again. He is now the Deputy Superintendent of Haryana Police.

Praveen Kumar

The second match of the India-South Africa ODI in 2010 is best remembered for the first ODI double century by Sachin Tendulkar, but the match preceding it was nothing short of a thriller. India eked out a one-run victory, and went one-up in the series.

Chasing a target of 299, South Africa required ten runs off the final over. Praveen Kumar, who had figures of 7-0-38-1 before the start of the over, gave away eight, giving India a victory with the narrowest of margins.

He flattened Dale Steyn’s stumps with the second ball of the over, and held his nerve to give away only one run off the final ball.

Hardik Pandya

Hailing from Choryasi in Gujarat, Pandya is in the first year of his International career, and has already been established as the hero of a thrilling Indian win against Bangladesh in the ICC World T20.

After India had made an under-par 146 at the Chinnaswamy ground, Bangladesh looked set to overhauling the target, although the regular loss of wickets was worrisome for them. With 11 required off the last over. Dhoni gave the ball to the young Pandya, who had conceded 20 runs in his first two overs.

He got wickets of the fourth and fifth delivery, and Dhoni effected a run-out of the last one, leaving Bangladesh one-run shy of the target. Pandya became an overnight sensation, and the legend of Dhoni just grew bigger.