5 moments of cricketing brilliance from 2021

The year 2021 saw some memorable performances on the cricket field. It began with Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari battling pain to pull off an incredible draw for India in Sydney. In the next Test at the Gabba, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant came up with brilliant knocks. The duo's efforts helped India chase down 328 to pull off an improbable triumph.

New Zealand, meanwhile, created cricketing history more than once. First, they defeated India with ease to be crowned the inaugural World Test champions. Towards the end of the year, left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel became the first Kiwi bowler and only the third overall to claim 10 wickets in an innings in a Test. The feat was all the more special as Ajaz achieved it in the city of his birth - Mumbai.

While Australia won their first-ever T20 World Cup title, Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan became the first batter to smash 1000 T20I runs in a calendar year.

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Breathtaking cricketing moments of 2021

Apart from the above-mentioned performances, there were some special efforts on the cricket field, which were brief in duration but spectacular nonetheless. We look back at five such instances from 2021.

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#5 MS Dhoni rolls back the clock

MS Dhoni played a vintage cameo in IPL 2021 Qualifier 1. Pic: IPLT20.COM

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni struggled with the bat in IPL 2021. But in Qualifier 1 against Delhi Capitals (DC), he turned back the clock briefly. The former India skipper played a blazing cameo (18* off 6) to lift CSK to the final.

Chasing 173, CSK needed 24 off the last two overs. The well-set Ruturaj Gaikwad (70) perished to Avesh Khan on the first ball of the 19th over. Dhoni, however, came in and pummeled a six over deep midwicket. The equation was still a tough 13 off the last over.

Tom Curran then dismissed Moeen Ali (16) with the first delivery of the last over. However, Dhoni smashed Curran for three thumping fours to seal the deal for CSK. A back of a length delivery was whacked over extra cover while the next one was inside edged to the boundary. Dhoni brought up the winning runs by clobbering Curran for a four to deep square leg.

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#4 Kieron Pollard’s six sixes

Kieron Pollard hit six sixes in an over against Sri Lanka. Pic: Getty Images

West Indies’ limited-overs captain Kieron Pollard hit six sixes in an over against Sri Lanka. He managed the feat in the first T20I of a three-match series in Coolidge. West Indies were only set 132 for victory. But Akila Dananjaya kept the visitors in the hunt by claiming a hat-trick in the fourth over.

Pollard, however, smashed the same bowler for six sixes when he came into the attack again. While the first one was slogged over long-on, the second was lofted down the ground. The Windies skipper completed a hat-trick of sixes by clubbing the third ball over wide long-off. The fourth delivery was slammed over deep midwicket, the fifth over the bowler’s head and the last ball again over deep midwicket.

Pollard became only the third cricketer to slam six sixes in an over in international cricket, joining Yuvraj Singh and Herschelle Gibbs. He was dismissed for 38 off 11 but West Indies eased to victory in 13.1 overs.

#3 Shaheen Afridi’s fiery spell against India

Shaheen Afridi celebrates the wicket of Rohit Sharma during the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup. Pic: Getty Images

There were the usual expectations and hype ahead of the India versus Pakistan T20 Cricket World Cup 2021 encounter. However, Shaheen Afridi blew India away with a sensational spell of bowling at the start. Pakistan decided to field after winning the toss and Afridi dismissed Rohit Sharma for a golden duck with a peach. The Indian opener was late on a yorker-length delivery that curved in late and was hit right in front of the stumps.

In his next over, Afridi dismissed KL Rahul (3) as well. The right-hander was beaten for pace by a good length delivery that shaped in and crashed into the stumps. At 6 for 2, India were well and truly on the backfoot. The left-arm seamer returned to end Virat Kohli’s innings on 57, outfoxing him with a slower bouncer in another moment of cricketing brilliance.

Thanks to Afridi’s heroics, Pakistan restricted India to 151 for 7. Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam then cracked unbeaten fifties as Pakistan registered their maiden Cricket World Cup win against India in emphatic style.

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#2 Scott Boland's 6 for 7

Scott Boland celebrates after dismissing Joe Root. Pic: Getty Images

Australian pacer Scott Boland was added to the Ashes squad ahead of the Boxing Day Test, with the fast bowling department struggling with injuries and niggles. He ended up making his Test debut at the MCG, returning with figures of 6 for 7 from four overs in the second innings.

Boland claimed the wickets of Haseeb Hameed (7) and Jack Leach (0) late on Day 2. He returned to roll over England on Day 3 with some spectacular bowling. Boland trapped Jonny Bairstow (5) lbw, beating him for pace. He also ended Joe Root’s resistance for 28 as the England captain nicked an attempted drive.

Mark Wood (0) chipped one back to the bowler as Boland completed a five-fer on Test debut. He had six as Ollie Robinson (0) edged a length ball outside off. Australia retained the Ashes, winning the Test by an innings and 14 runs. Boland, meanwhile, made a fairy tale return to international cricket, having last played an ODI in 2016.

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#1 Matthew Wade goes berserk

Matthew Wade during the T20 Cricket World Cup semi-final against Pakistan. Pic: Getty Images

Australia’s wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade has had a stop-start career in international cricket. There weren't high hopes from him heading into the T20 Cricket World Cup 2021. However, he returned a hero following a stunning cameo in the 2nd semi-final that sunk favorites Pakistan.

Set 177 for victory, Australia seemed down and out, needing 37 off the last three overs. Wade slammed Hasan Ali for a six over long-on and a four past short fine leg to keep the team’s hopes alive. With 20 needed off 10 balls, Hasan dropped a simple catch of Wade at deep midwicket to deny Afridi a deserved wicket.

The drop cost Pakistan dearly. Wade sent the next three deliveries over the ropes to lift Australia into the T20 Cricket World Cup final. He first scooped a six over short fine leg and whipped the next one over midwicket.

The winning runs came in cheeky fashion, with Wade scooping another maximum over the keeper. Wade remained unbeaten on 41 off 17 as Australia won the semis with an over to spare.