IPL 2018: 5 most dramatic turnarounds in history

It is the essence of T20 cricket that no game is over till it is actually over. This is why the shortest format of the game attracts interest and results in thrilling finishes with heart-stopping moments.

IPL is no different, and over the years, we have been treated to some incredible comeback victories from situations where teams had almost lost the match. A combination of pressure-induced mistakes and individual brilliance led to the scripts of these matches being rewritten.

Let us relive 5 such instances when the near impossible was achieved.

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#5 Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (Chennai, 2012)

Royal Challengers Bangalore set up a massive run chase, scoring 205 in the first innings on the back of half-centuries from Chris Gayle (68) and Virat Kohli (57).

In pursuit, Chennai Super Kings were off to a steady start, as Faf Du Plessis (71) held the innings together while Suresh Raina (23) and MS Dhoni (41) made aggressive, but inadequate contributions around him.

Muttiah Muralitharan (3/21) ensured that CSK could never cease the advantage in the middle overs, and when Zaheer Khan dismissed Dhoni off the last ball of the 18th over, 43 were still needed to win with Dwayne Bravo unbeaten on a 10-ball 13 and Albie Morkel yet to face a ball.

Even the most enthusiastic CSK supporters were probably doubting their chances.

RCB captain Daniel Vettori turned to Kohli for the penultimate over due to lack of better options and a decent eight-run over earlier bowled by him.

Morkel smashed 28 runs off the over, including three huge sixes and two edged boundaries as CSK stormed their way back into the match, leaving 15 to win from six balls.

The first two balls of the last over yielded just one run at the loss of Morkel's wicket, but Vinay Kumar failed to keep up the good work as he followed it up with a chest-high full toss, subsequently called a no-ball, which was pulled by Bravo for a four.

The next three balls went for a six, a dot and a single to set up a last-ball equation of three to win. Ravindra Jadeja outside-edged a four to the third man boundary to complete a scarcely believable win as RCB conceded a game they had bossed for the first 38 overs.

Chennai Super Kings (208/5 in 20 overs) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore (205/8 in 20 overs) by 5 wickets

#4 Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Mumbai, 2017)

Hardik Pandya hit the winning runs

Having been put into bat, Kolkata Knight Riders managed 178/7 in their 20 overs, anchored by Manish Pandey's unbeaten 81.

However, on a high-scoring Wankhede pitch with dew expected later in the evening, they were at least 15 runs below par.

KKR bowled and fielded remarkably well in the first 16 overs of Mumbai Indians' chase to raise hopes of a rare win against their nemesis.

Chris Woakes' dismissal of Kieron Pollard off the first ball of the 17th over nearly sealed the game- or so they thought.

60 to win off 23 balls

Enter Hardik Pandya, to join Nitish Rana, who till then was subdued on a 19-ball 23. They collected 11 runs from the rest of the over, each hitting a four, to leave 49 to win from the last three overs.

In the 18th over, bowled by Trent Boult, Rana smashed a four and a six, and Hardik added another six to make it a 19-run over and keep MI alive.

30 needed off 12

Ankit Rajpoot, who bowled impressively till then, struggled to control the wet ball and conceded another 19 runs off the penultimate over, though he dismissed Rana for 50.

11 needed off the last over

Boult started well, but it was now KKR's fielders' turn to fumble in the dew. First, a misfield by Suryakumar Yadav gifted Pandya both a four and the strike, and later, substitute fielder Rishi Dhawan dropped a sitter to ensure that Pandya remained unbeaten on an 11-ball 29 to hit the winning runs and complete a stunning heist.

Mumbai Indians (180/6 in 19.5 overs) beat Kolkata Knight Riders (178/7 in 20 overs) by 4 wickets

#3 Kings XI Punjab vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (Mohali, 2013)

Miller single-handedly won it for KXIP

Royal Challengers Bangalore scored 190/3 in the first innings, led by Chris Gayle (61) and Cheteshwar Pujara (51), and boosted by a quickfire 38 from AB de Villiers.

Kings XI Punjab were in serious trouble in their run chase, reeling at 68/4 at the halfway mark having already lost Shaun Marsh and David Hussey.

The equation steepened by the end of the 13th over- reading 96 off 42 balls- but David Miller, accompanied by Rajagopal Sathish, now had his eye in and a license to break free.

Miller unleashed a sequence of brutal hitting as he tore apart an RCB attack struggling to come to terms with what had hit them.

The next four overs, two of which were bowled by Vinay Kumar and one each by RP Singh and Ravi Rampaul, went for a total of 77 runs as the South-African southpaw moved from 27 off 17 to 95 off 37 balls.

The game had turned on its head with KXIP requiring 19 from the last three overs. Kohli had run out of ideas and went to Gayle in the hope of a miracle.

This prompted Sathish to join the party as he struck two fours and a six before giving Miller the strike with three to win. Gayle looped one up in the arc and Miller cracked his seventh six to bring up a sensational 38-ball hundred- one of the best in IPL history- and personally, a career-defining innings.

From a situation where KXIP were going nowhere in their run-chase, they ended up winning with two overs to spare!

Kings XI Punjab (194/4 in 18 overs) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore (190/3 in 20 overs) by 6 wickets

#2 Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals (Bangalore, 2014)

Smith and Faulkner pulled off a miracle

Till the 14th over of Rajasthan Royals' run chase, Yuvraj Singh had completed his involvement in the best all-round IPL performance for him individually.

First, he smoked 83 off 38 balls with the bat to lead Royal Challengers Bangalore to 190/5. Then, he picked up four crucial wickets in his full quota of overs to leave RR precariously poised at 108/5, still requiring 83 in the last six overs.

Varun Aaron conceded 14 runs in the 15th over, as Steve Smith connected three unorthodox shots and missed the rest of the deliveries.

Yuzvendra Chahal bowled an outstanding 16th over, giving away just four runs, and the required rate soared past 16 as 65 were needed from 24 balls.

The game was RCB's to lose, but once again, their bowling attack crumbled under pressure.

Mitchell Starc, of all people, missed the yorker repeatedly to be punished by compatriot James Faulkner for two fours and a six, in an over which went for 21 runs.

Ashok Dinda followed it up by conceding 23 off the 18th over- including two fours, two sixes and a no-ball. Smith raced to 48 off 21 and Faulkner was batting on 22 off 12 balls.

Still anyone's game with 21 needed off two overs.

Aaron, by bowling wides, length balls and full-tosses, ensured that Starc wasn't even required to bowl the last over Kohli kept for him, as Faulkner nailed two sixes and a four to end unbeaten on a 17-ball 41.

In an incredible counter-attack, 65 were scored off the last 17 balls bowled, as the home crowd was left stunned in Bangalore.

Rajasthan Royals (191/5 in 18.5 overs) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore (190/5 in 20 overs) by 5 wickets

#1 Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Ahmedabad, 2014)

Pravin Tambe stunned the Knight Riders

Rajasthan Royals scored 170 in the first innings with contributions from Sanju Samson (37), Karun Nair (44) and Shane Watson (31).

Kolkata Knight Riders got off to a brilliant start, with openers Gautam Gambhir (54) and Robin Uthappa (65) scoring half-centuries as KKR were cruising at 121/0 in 14 overs.

50 needed in six overs, 10 wickets in hand, two well-set batsmen at the crease, and a powerful lineup of big hitters to follow.

Calling it an easy equation would be an understatement.

Anyone fancying a turnaround at this stage?

So, RR captain Shane Watson decided to take matters into his own hands, AND HOW!

Watson nicked off his counterpart on the first delivery, had Uthappa caught in the deep two balls later and then bowled a peach to knock Andre Russell over.

Three wickets in the over, and all of a sudden, KKR were in a spot of bother at 122/3.

But they still had Manish Pandey and Shakib Al Hasan at the crease, and remained firm favourites in the match.

On came 42-year-old Pravin Tambe to bowl his leggies.

He had Manish Pandey stumped down the leg side, Yusuf Pathan caught and bowled the first ball through a brilliant catch diving in his follow-through, and Ryan ten Doeschate lbw first ball to complete a spectacular hat-trick and script a dramatic twist in the match as the Knight Riders slumped from 121/0 to 123/6 in two overs.

The setback proved too tough to bounce back from, as KKR only managed to reach 160/6 and the Royals won by 10 runs. KKR succeeded in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Rajasthan Royals (170/6 in 20 overs) beat Kolkata Knight Riders (160/6 in 20 overs) by 10 runs