5 instances when a batsman had nine lives

Luck may not always be by your side, but when it is, you must ensure that you take full advantage of it. This is something that that is applicable to cricketers as well. In the case of batsmen, luck may come in the form of dropped catches, missed run-out chances or being dismissed off a no-ball.

While batsmen fail to capitalise on good fortune on several occasions, there are times when they make the most of it and make the opposition pay a heavy price. The most recent instance of a batsman making the most of his luck came in the semi-final of the 2016 T20 World Cup.

West Indies batsman Lendl Simmons was caught twice off no-balls and made the Indian team pay for this by scoring an unbeaten 82 to lead West Indies to the final of the tournament. However, there have been a number of incidents in the past when batsmen have had major escapes and have utilised them to the fullest.

Here are 5 instances when a batsman had nine lives:

Graeme Hick - 83 vs South Africa, 1992 World Cup

One of England's greatest first-class cricketers, Graeme Hick, did not have the same amount of success in international cricket. However, he did play some fine knocks for his country in both Tests and ODIs. One of his more memorable ODI knocks was his 83 against South Africa in the semi-final of the 1992 World Cup.

Although the innings turned out to be a crucial one for England, Hick was quite lucky to have played for so long. The English batsman was facing South Africa's Meryck Pringle with his team tottering at 39 for 2 in the 8th over. An incoming delivery from Pringle caught Hick right in front of the stumps but the umpire ruled in the batsman's favour.

Graeme Hick edged the very next ball to the slips but survived again, courtesy of a no-ball signalled by the umpire. Hick's innings took England's score to 252, which proved to be a winning total as the South Africans fell prey to the controversial rain rule.

Virat Kohli - 107 vs Pakistan, 2015 ICC World Cup

Kohli is the only Indian to score a century in World Cup matches against Pakistan

India's current best batsman Virat Kohli did the hero turn for his team in their match against Pakistan in the 2015 ICC World Cup. The 27-year old took the Indians to a total of 300 with his magnificent 107 in a match which they eventually won by 76 runs.

However, it was not at all a chanceless innings by Kohli as he got as many as two reprieves during his 126-ball knock. In the 11th over of the Indian innings, Pakistan's Shahid Afridi bowled a shortish delivery to the Indian batsman, who skied the ball while attempting the pull shot. Yasir Shah ran in from the deep but could not manage to hold on to the catch.

Virat Kohli was on 3 at the time and the story of the match could have been different if he had been dismissed. Kohli survived once again on 76 when Pakistani wicket-keeper dropped a catch off the bowling of Haris Sohail. The superstar rode his luck and scored the first ever century by an Indian in a World Cup match against Pakistan.

Aaron Finch - 121 vs England, 2013/14 ODI series

Finch made the most of his luck in an ODI against England

Australian opener Aaron Finch has been one of the better batsmen for his side in limited-overs cricket in recent times. Among his top ODI innings is a knock of 121 against England in the 1st ODI of a bilateral series between the arch-rivals in the 2013/14 season.

However, Finch did have a charmed outing in the first few overs and went on to make the most of his opportunities. The Aussie was batting on 8 in the 4th over of the innings when an uppish drive from him carried straight to Gary Ballance at mid-off, who dropped the catch. A couple of overs later, the batsman survived a close lbw shout which England reviewed unsuccessfully.

Other than that, a couple of edges from Aaron Finch's bat also flew agonisingly short of the fielders. But he managed to get over his early troubles and went on to score a magnificent 121 which ensured Australia chased down a target of 270 with consummate ease.

Virender Sehwag - 219 vs West Indies, 2011 ODI series

Sehwag’s only ODI double century was a charmed innings

Iconic Indian opener Virender Sehwag held the record for the highest score in ODI cricket for a while before another Indian batsman, Rohit Sharma, scored 264 nearly 3 years late. However, the swashbuckling batsman had to rely a lot on his luck in order to score his only double century in the 50-over format.

Sehwag was nearly run out in the 6th over of the Indian innings when he reached halfway down the pitch before realizing there was no run. Although the Delhi dasher had given up hope of getting back, the fielder missed the stumps and he survived. The West Indies got another chance to get rid of him on 77, but his luck saved him again from being run-out.

Virender Sehwag would not have been able to get his double century but he was helped by Darren Sammy, who dropped a sitter when he was on 168. Sehwag did not provide any further opportunities and stormed his way to the then highest ODI score of 219.

Sachin Tendulkar - 85 vs Pakistan, 2011 ICC World Cup

Tendulkar rode his luck big time in the 2011 World Cup semi-final

Perhaps the greatest example of a batsman having nine lives was seen in the semi-final of the 2011 ICC World Cup between India and Pakistan. The beneficiary on this occasion was none other than the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who scored an extremely fortunate 85.

It all started when Tendulkar missed a ball from Saeed Ajmal when on 23 and an appeal from the bowler was upheld by umpire Ian Gould. The master batsmen reviewed the decision and it had to be overturned. Off the very next ball, Pakistan appealed for a stumping against him but replays suggested that he barely made it.

Sachin Tendulkar was dropped by Misbah-ul-Haq off the bowling of Shahid Afridi on 27 and yet again by Younis Khan when batting on 45. The great Indian batsman carried on comfortably for a while before he was put down one more time off Afridi, this time by wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal.

Things seemed to be going completely out of hand for the Pakistanis when Tendulkar was dropped for the fourth time by Umar Akmal off Mohammad Hafeez's bowling. The pain was finally over for them when the Indian genius was finally dismissed for 85; however, the night ended for them on a tragic note as they crashed out of the World Cup.