Ben Cutting - remembering SRH's IPL final hero

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will play their third IPL Final tonight. The Hyderabad-based franchise played their last IPL Final in 2018, where Shane Watson's century denied them the trophy.

Two years before that, SRH played their maiden IPL Final, and it was another Australian all-rounder, who emerged as the game-changer. This time, it was SRH's Ben Cutting, who played a magnificent cameo with the bat and then bagged two wickets with the ball to help the Orange Army lift the trophy.

Interestingly, Cutting destroyed IPL 2018 Final's hero Watson, who played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in that game. SRH won the toss and opted to bat first at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Skipper David Warner continued his top form and aggregated 69 runs off 38 balls at the top.

However, Chris Jordan's triple strike brought RCB back into the contest. SRH were 174/7 in the 19th over. It looked like they would finish around 190-195, which was a chaseable score at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Ben Cutting then took charge. Jordan first bowled five wides to him, and then, Cutting hit him for a four on a missed yorker. The SRH all-rounder took a single to end the over.

RCB captain Virat Kohli gave Shane Watson the responsibility to bowl the 20th over. Watson was in great touch that season and was among the contenders to win the Purple Cap as well. However, it was not his day at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

In his book, Watson has revealed that the sand around the crease disturbed his rhythm, and he lost the plot completely as he tried hard for yorkers but ended up bowling full-tosses. Cutting took advantage of that, hitting two fours and two sixes in the over bowled by Watson.

What was supposed to be a total of 190-195 ended up becoming 208/7 in 20 overs. Cutting ended with a fantastic 15-ball 39 at a strike rate of 260 in the IPL Final 2016.

Ben Cutting then got rid of Chris Gayle in the IPL Final 2016

Although SRH set a 209-run target for RCB, it looked like the Royal Challengers would easily chase that down because Chris Gayle was in the mood for destruction. He raced to 76 runs off 37 balls, building a 114-run partnership with Virat Kohli in just 63 balls.

Had Gayle and Kohli continued for a few more overs, the game would have been in RCB's pocket. However, Ben Cutting broke the partnership by dismissing Gayle caught out. The Universe Boss could not pick the off-cutter and went for a swing. He mistimed it and the ball went to Bipul Sharma, the fielder at third man.

Gayle's wicket turned the momentum in SRH's favor. The Orange Army dismissed Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in quick succession, and when KL Rahul tried to form a partnership with Watson, Cutting came back to rattle Rahul's stumps.

In the end, RCB reached 200/7 in 20 overs, losing the contest by eight runs. It goes without saying that Ben Cutting was the difference between the two teams.