5 instances when out-of-form players turned the tides in a final

It is extremely essential for an athlete to have self-confidence in order to perform well in any sport. A lot of it is built in the rigorous training that s/he undergoes. However, the form of a player is also of vital importance for his/her self-fulfillment.

Form, along with experience are the best equipments in the hands of a player. A purple patch boosts the morale of the player to take on tougher oppositions.

Teams have been able to win entire tournaments riding on the good form of their players. Returning not out after a successful chase, or bowling economical overs with a few wickets, these factors provide a sense of mental satisfaction.

Thus, when on song, players can punch well above their weight by defeating much higher ranked opponents. Similarly, a bad run of results even the best of the class to falter against not much fancied oppositions.

It is vital for the squad, especially the key players, to maintain a healthy run ahead of big tournaments, as it enables them to take the field with added mettle.

While legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, and Sanath Jayasuriya have made the most of their dream run in multilateral tournaments, there have been occasions where out-of-form players have outshone in the final, bringing ultimate international glory for their country.

Let's have a look at five such instances:

---

#5 Kumar Sangakkara 52* vs India, ICC World T20 2014 Final

This was the second big final between the neighbours, the previous being the World Cup Final in 2011.

The Indian team had been in scintillating form throughout the tournament, riding on the form of Virat Kohli, enjoying an unbeaten run till the final. Sri Lanka had also claimed their spot in the final on a complete team performance.

However, veteran Kumar Sangakkara was not having the greatest of tournaments. He managed just 19 runs in four matches, at a dismal average of 4.75. He was a vital cog in the Sri Lankan unit and the Islanders required something special from him in the finals.

Sri Lankan captain Lasith Malinga won the toss and invited India to bat first. A disciplined bowling effort restricted India to 130/4 in their 20 overs as nobody apart from Virat Kohli got going.

However, the Indian bowling line-up boasted of three quality spinners and a part-timer in Ashwin, Jadeja, Amit Mishra and Raina.

With MS Dhoni to channelise them, the four promised to be lethal on a subcontinental track. Sri Lanka lost a wicket their first wicket early and got another setback in the form of Dilshan in the powerplay.

When India started to look threatening, it was Sangakkara who walked into the middle. The chase was not daunting but required patience and a calm mindset. Sri Lanka just required one good partnership to win the game.

The southpaw realised this and combined with his longtime partner Mahela Jayawardene and started off cautiously.

The wicket-keeper batsman did not allow his form to impact him in the big final and played a crafty knock.

He negotiated the Indian spinners adeptly. Though the boundaries did not come easily, Sanga kept the scoreboard ticking.

With Sri Lanka losing another two wickets quickly, Sanga held on to one end, putting all his experience and technique into play. He defied his form to play a match-winning 52* off 35 balls, with six fours and a six.

Sangakkara was rightly adjudged Man of the Match for his vital knock.

#4 Marlon Samuels, 85* vs England, ICC World T20 2016 Final

Marlon Samuels was the mainstay of the West Indian innings.

This was the first World T20 final between two previous champions. With the West Indian women already have won the title on the same day, the onus was on the men's team to bag the honours and create history for the Caribbeans.

West Indies were having a dream run in the tournament, having entered the final by overpowering hosts and favourites India. Known as T20 specialists, West Indies had ticked all the checkboxes in their campaign.

However, one player who was having an underwhelming tournament was Marlon Samuels. He held one end together in the low scoring thriller versus South Africa and was adjudged Man of the Match for the effort. 53 runs in four matches apart from that; Samuels had much more potential than those numbers.

In the big final, captain Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to field. The knocks of Joe Root and Jos Buttler and some late onslaught by David Willey enabled England post a decent 155/9 on the board.

The chase started like a nightmare for Windies. Openers Johnson Charles and Chris Gayle fell prey to part-timer Root's off-spin. Soon after, the hero of the semi final, Lendl Simmons departed for a duck.

A scoreboard of 11-3 was staring at the Caribbeans, and suddenly it seemed a huge target ahead of them.

Samuels rose up to the occasion at this stage. He stitched a partnership with DJ Bravo and provided stability to the innings.

He did most of the scoring in the partnership, as Bravo ensured that the team kept wickets in hand. The pressure of increased run rate and not finding the gaps got the better of Bravo, as he fell prey to leggie Rashid. Pinch-hitter Andre Russell and captain Darren Sammy departed soon after.

But Samuels was determined at the other end. He brought up his 50 in 47 balls and ensured that West Indies remain alive in the game till the end. The Jamaican was joined by Carlos Brathwaite in the death overs, with 45 runs to be made.

The duo took the game till the end, with Brathwaite hitting giant sixes off the first four balls of the last over from Ben Stokes, scripting a dramatic win for Windies at the Eden Gardens.

Samuels scored an unbeaten 85 off 66 balls and won the Man of the Match award, emulating his feat of the 2012 edition.

#3 Shane Watson, 2-11 and 57* vs West Indies, ICC Champions Trophy 2006 Final

Watson was the Man of the Final for his

all-round

performance

This tournament took place in an era which was largely dominated by Australia. If there was something left to be won by them, it was this - a Champions Trophy title that had been eluding them since quite a long time. Entering into the tournaments as World Champions, Australia were the favourites to lift the silverware.

Australia entered into the finals with a rampant all-round display. They were up against defending champions West Indies in the final and had lost a match to them in the group stage. With Chris Gayle being in red-hot form, and Jerome Taylor being the joint-highest wicket-taker, the final was not going to be easy for the Kangaroos.

Someone who could be singled out from the dominant Aussie line-up on the basis of current form was Shane Watson.

71 runs including two ducks and six wickets in four matches, these figures did not do justice to Watson's all-round abilities. Expectations from him were high ahead of the big final.

Watto stepped up just on the right occasion. He picked up the scalps of Marlon Samuels and Carlton Bough, preventing any onslaught towards the end. It was a lacklustre performance by the Caribbeans as they managed to put a mere 138 on the board.

Australia had to make 116 runs from 35 overs under revised conditions. The early dismissals of Adam Gilchrist and captain Ricky Ponting did send some nerves in the dressing room, but Shane Watson came to the party once again, this time with the bat. He scored a steady 57*, handing Australia their first Champions Trophy title.

Watson was rightly awarded the Man of the Match for his all-round performance, as Australia became the first country to hold both the ICC Titles at the same time.

#2 Adam Gilchrist, 149 vs Sri Lanka, ICC World Cup 2007 Final

Adam Gilchrist made the highest score in a World Cup Final

This was the first World Cup final to be repeated, with both sides having clashed in the 1996 edition. Australia was two times defending champions and were in sight of a hat-trick of World Cups.

The team was at their ferocious best, and absolutely ruthless in their approach. The golden generation of players rampaged every team which came in their way.

One player who had failed to fire in the tournament was Adam Gilchrist. Though he started the tournament well, he seemed to have lost touch in the Super 8 stage.

After 140 runs in the group stage, Gilly managed just 159 runs in the next seven games, with an average of 22.71. These figures were extremely shy of his ability as an aggressive stroke player.

A rain-curtailed match reduced the quota to 38 overs per match. Gilchrist came out all guns blazing as he smashed the Sri Lankan bowlers to all the parts of the ground.

A bad run in the tournament seemed to be a thing of the past. Gilchrist was back at his own-self, as he hit 13 fours and eight sixes, scoring a century with boundaries.

He brought up an opening partnership of 172 runs with Matthew Hayden, scoring 105 of them. Gilly was the next batsman to be dismissed, after playing an inspired knock of 149.

Though he missed his 150 by a run, Gilchrist made the record for the highest World Cup Final score. In the second innings, a disciplined effort by the bowlers enabled Australia to clinch their third successive World Cup title.

The knock was later marred by controversies of Gilchrist playing with a squash ball in his glove, and the incident was even criticized by the Sri Lankan team as an act against sportsman spirit. Nonetheless, it would remain one of the finest knocks ever in crunch situations.

Gilchrist was awarded the Man of the Match for his swashbuckling innings.

#1 MS Dhoni, 91* vs Sri Lanka, ICC World Cup 2011 Final

MS Dhoni played a Captain's knock of 91*

This knock shall be etched in the memories of Indian fans forever. This tournament was an emotional rollercoaster throughout, as it was being held in the subcontinent after a span of 15 years, and was supposed to be the last World Cup of Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar.

There was immense pressure on India to go all the way. The fact that no team had previously won the Cup on its home soil added more pressure.

The Indian team had been in sublime form, with most of the areas covered and the players perfectly complementing each other.

Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan had been some of the riding forces who had powered the team to the finals.

The tactical brilliance of MS Dhoni had been instrumental in the tournament, especially in the knockout games.

However, the wicket-keeper batsman was having a quiet World Cup with the bat. Dhoni scored just 150 runs in his seven innings, at an underwhelming average of 25. These figures were far from his destructive abilities with the willow.

However, Dhoni seemed to have saved his best for the last. India had to chase the highest score in a World Cup Final, after Sri Lanka put 274/6 on the board. India made a dismal start to the innings, losing both the openers inside 7 overs.

Known for his unorthodox thinking, Dhoni came in to bat at five ahead of an in-form Yuvraj Singh.

This ensured a left-right batting combination for India. Dhoni added 109 runs for the fifth wicket with Gautam Gambhir.

He paced his innings judiciously bringing up his 50 in 52 balls. After that, he just did what he is best known for - sending the ball out of the park, as he brought up his next 41 runs in just 17 balls, making 36 of those in boundaries.

Dhoni stayed till the end and finished the innings with a six, a shot that has become the heart-throb of cricket fans across the globe. He played a Captain's knock, as he ended the 28-year World Cup drought for the subcontinental juggernauts, that too, at their home soil.

Dhoni was adjudged the Man of the Match for his crucial knock under pressure, as he became the third captain after Clive Lloyd and Ricky Ponting to win this award.

---

Which of these knocks are in your favourites list? Sound off your opinions in the comments sections below!