3 times New Zealand stuttered in the Super Over

There is something about the Super Over that brings out the worst in New Zealand. At Wellington on Friday, they faced their second Super Over in a row, and came second once again. Chasing 166 to win, the Kiwis were impeccably placed at 96 for 1 in the 12th over. Inexplicably, they managed to end up on the losing side.

After Colin Munro was dismissed for 64 from 47, New Zealand completely lost their way. They went into the last over needing seven to win, but only managed to tie the game as four wickets fell. Shardul Thakur dismissed Ross Taylor and Daryl Mitchell while Tim Seifert and Mitchell Santner ended up getting run out.

Tim Southee again bowled the Super Over and stumbled. In his defence, he only had 14 to defend. However, stand-in captain Southee’s first two balls were rank looseners as KL Rahul took full advantage of the same with a six and a four. Here’s a look at three other instances over the last year when New Zealand faltered in the Super Over.

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#3. vs India at Hamilton 2020

Consecutive sixes, buried New Zealand

Before the Wellington meltdown, New Zealand had a Super Over heartbreak at Hamilton. Chasing 180 to win, the Kiwis needed nine to win in the last over. Ross Taylor began by depositing Mohammed Shami for six over the leg-side boundary. Shami then had Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson caught behind for a terrific 95 from 48 balls.

The Indian pacer proceeded to clean bowl Taylor for 17 off the last ball, and took the game to the dreaded Super Over. Williamson and Martin Guptill combined to pick up 17 off the Super Over bowled by an off-colour Jasprit Bumrah. At that stage, it seemed the hosts had the upper hand. But, the drama hadn’t ended yet.

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Southee conceded only three runs off the first two balls. With 10 needed off two, Rohit Sharma smashed the bowler for consecutive sixes, over long-on and long-off, to seal a famous come-from-behind win for India. Sharma was declared man of the match, having smashed 65 from 40 earlier in the match as New Zealand’s Super Over woes continued.

Note: All statistics as of February 1, 2020

#2. vs England at Auckland 2019

New Zealand had a Lord's deja vu moment in Auckland

A few months after the World Cup, England and New Zealand faced another Super Over, this time in Auckland in the 5th and deciding T20I. England needed 16 to win in the final over, chasing 147 in 11 overs. Chris Jordan hit Jimmy Neesham for a six over long-off and a four to fine leg to tie the match.

England skipper Eoin Morgan and Jonny Bairstow smashed Southee for a six each in the Super Over to steal 17 runs. After his heroics with the bat, Jordan then bowled a brilliant Super Over, conceding only eight and claiming the wicket of Seifert. In many ways, it was a repeat of what transpired in the World Cup final at Lord’s.

Coming back to the Auckland game, in a 11-over contest, New Zealand batted first and posted 146 for 5 courtesy Guptill’s 50 from 20 balls, Munro’s 46 from 21 and Seifert’s 39 from 16 with five sixes.

England were equally brilliant though as Jonny Bairstow hammered 47 from 18, also hitting five sixes. Sam Curran contributed 24 from 11 before Jordan took first took them to the Super Over with the bat, and then to victory with the ball as England claimed the five-match series 3-2.

New Zealand has an awful record in Super Overs (7 T20Is and 1 ODI) as they have won only 1 out of the 8, they have played.

#1. vs England at Lord’s (World Cup 2019 final)

New Zealand v England - ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Final

This is where New Zealand’s travails against the Super Over truly began, and there seems to be no end to their woes. Needing 242 to win the World Cup at home, England went into the last over with 15 to get.

Ben Stokes slog-swept Trent Boult for six, which was followed by that infamous deflection off Stokes’ bat as he dived that ended up costing New Zealand an additional four runs as the ball headed to the boundary. Though the last two balls produced run-outs, Stokes got the two runs that lifted England to the Super Over.

In the one-over mad dash, a boundary each from Stokes and Jos Buttler off Trent Boult took England to a competitive 15. Neesham hit a six off Jofra Archer of the second legitimate ball (first ball was a wide), whipping him over deep mid-wicket. It came down to two off one ball for New Zealand to win the World Cup.

Guptill clipped one to deep mid-wicket, but was caught well short of his ground while coming back for the second. The scores were tied, but England were declared World Champions on the basis of a controversial boundary count rule.

In regular time, after Henry Nicholls’ 55 and Tom Latham’s 47 had taken New Zealand to a competitive 241 for 8, England were in trouble at 86 for 4. However, Stokes made an incredible 84 not out while Jos Buttler chipped in with a crucial 59 to pull England back in the contest. What transpired after that was nothing short of incredible.