The shortest version of cricket, T20s can change course in the space of a few deliveries. Every over bowled completes 5% of a T20 innings, thus underlining how crucial every ball in this format is, leaving nothing to be predictable.
Teams can go on to lose matches even after having dominated them for over 90% of the duration, thus making it a contest not to be watched by the weak hearts. Here is an account of the seven instances in IPL history when a team won by hitting a six off the final ball of the match (the last ball of the 20th over of the second innings).
Deccan Chargers v Kolkata Knight Riders, Johannesburg, May 16, 2009
Put into bat by Deccan Chargers’ captain Gilchrist, KKR, playing to salvage pride in an otherwise forgettable season, managed to compile a modest 160 runs on the board with useful contributions from David Hussey (43) and Brad Hodge (48).
In their reply, Deccan Chargers were going steadily before losing the plot, the equation reading 45 runs from 22 balls when Rohit Sharma came to the crease. Kolkata bowled two tight overs and with 21 required from the last over, Brendon McCullum's team were firm favourites.
Mashrafe Mortaza, playing on IPL debut, got off to the worst possible start as Rohit scored a boundary off a no ball which was called as only three fielders were inside the inner circle. Sharma and batting partner Venugopal Rao then picked two singles to bring it down to 14 from 4.
Next ball, the Hitman unveiled his batting class by clubbing Mortaza for a 115-metre-long six over mid-wicket. With 8 required off 3 balls, the Bangladesh pacer bowled a wide which Rohit followed up by scoring a couple. The Mumbaikar then creamed a four through covers and with just a single required off the last ball, only formalities needed to be completed.
Rohit Sharma, who was later adjudged Man of the Match for his 13 ball 32, hoiked a short ball over the fine leg boundary to finish the match in style and help his team take a giant stride towards the playoffs. The Chargers went on to be crowned Champions after being wooden spooners the previous season.
Mumbai Indians v Pune Warriors India, Mumbai, April 20, 2011
Mumbai Indians were up against IPL debutants Pune Warriors India as the Maharashtra Derby took place in front of a packed Wankhede crowd in the 21st match of IPL 2011.
Batting first, Pune could never get off the blocks on what looked to be a belter of a pitch. Losing wickets at regular intervals, they ended up with a paltry 118, courtesy a 64 from Robin Uthappa.
Mumbai’s chase, which should have been a stroll in the park, did not prove to be one as they seemed to be in the slowest gear throughout their innings. After requiring 41 from the last 8 overs and 9 wickets in hand, the match should not have reached a situation where they still needed five runs from the final over.
Rohit Sharma was once again the man of the moment, this time in home team Mumbai’s colours. Murali Kartik bowled tightly as the batting duo of Rohit and Symonds collected three singles of as many balls before the latter played out a dot. With two needed off 2, the Australian picked another single, avoiding a run out that was missed by Kartik who failed to collect the ball cleanly.
In a deja vu situation with one needed of the last ball, Sharma drove through the line of a flighted delivery outside off as the ball went sailing over the extra cover region, ensuring a Mumbai victory.
Mumbai Indians v Kolkata Knight Riders, Kolkata, May 22, 2011
Rivals Mumbai Indians faced Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens in the last match of the league phase of IPL 2011. Both teams having booked their spots in the playoffs, the match would have only decided whether the home team would go on to play the qualifier or the eliminator.
Batting first, Gambhir’s team rode on notable contributions from Kallis (59), Yusuf Pathan (36) and Manoj Tiwary (35) to pile up a strong 175 on the board. Mumbai squandered the advantage of a decent start by losing quick wickets and with Pollard heading back to the pavilion with 39 still required off the last 15 balls, the match seemed in KKR’s grip.
The batting duo of James Franklin and Ambati Rayudu brought the equation to 21 off the last over for a Mumbai victory. Balaji’s first four balls of the the last over largely titled the balance in Mumbai’s favour as Franklin scored boundaries of all, three of them being cheeky one’s coming off the edge of his bat.
A single off the penultimate ball meant that Rayudu needed to hit a boundary off the last ball of the match. Balaji bowled a juicy full toss on middle stump and Rayudu obliged as he deposited the ball into the stands behind the square leg fence. Mumbai pulled off one of IPL’s most dramatic victories and booked a repeat clash against KKR for the Eliminator.
The defeat though, served as an alarm bell for KKR who came together post this loss and went on to win the tournament by defeating Chennai in the summit clash.
Mumbai Indians v Deccan Chargers, Visakhapatnam, April 9, 2012
Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and decided that his team Deccan Chargers would bat first against the Mumbai Indians in the 9th match of IPL 2012.
A brilliant bowling effort by Munaf Patel (4-20) and Lasith Malinga (3-27) kept the Chargers to a below par 138. In reply, Mumbai’s chase did not quite get the impetus it needed. With 44 required off half as many balls and 4 top order batsmen back in the hut, the visitors were staring down the barrel.
However, Rohit Sharma, the batting showman who had made a habit of pulling his team out of such situations, was still at the crease. Dale Steyn (3-12) tightened the screws on the Indians by delivering a terrific penultimate over that conceded just 5 runs.
Dan Christian was given the responsibility of defending 18 runs in the final over. James Franklin, once again came to the party as he started off the over with a boundary before running a couple and stealing a bye.
The match equation read 11 from 3 balls for Mumbai’s victory. The fourth ball of the over, a wide full toss, sailed over the point boundary as Rohit managed to get enough part of his bat. He then ran out of his skins to complete a couple the very next ball.
With three needed of the final ball, Christian once again presented the Mumbaikar with a juicy full toss that was clubbed over long on for a massive six that elated the Mumbai camp and helped a jubilant Rohit win another Man of the Match award for his unbeaten 73.
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Pune Warriors India, Bengaluru, April 17, 2012
Pune Warriors’ skipper Sourav Ganguly won the toss and elected to bat first against an RCB team that was coming off three consecutive losses in the 21st match of IPL 2012.
Taking full advantage of the batting friendly wicket at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, PWI compiled a competitive 182 on the board. 12 overs into the chase RCB looked all set for their fourth straight defeat as they still needed 107 runs with Saurabh Tiwary having just joined Chris Gayle.
The 13th over though, proved to be the inflection point in the match as Gayle smoked Rahul Sharma for five consecutive sixes. Gayle got out with 56 still needed off 26 balls as de Villiers came to the crease. Ashoke Dinda uncharacteristically bowled a tight second last over that went for just 7 runs, leaving Bangalore with 21 to get from the final over.
Tiwary picked a single off Ashish Nehra’s first ball before Mr. 360 AB de Villiers swung his wand-like bat to create magic. ABD hit 4,6,6 as the crowd went R-C-B. A single next ball meant Tiwary had to score 3 off the final delivery of the match.
Nehra landed the ball at a good length, well in range of Tiwary’s arc as the ball cleared long on and out came the RCB team, running to celebrate with their on field heroes.
Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders, Kolkata, May 14, 2012
The business end of IPL 2012 was in full swing when Chennai Super Kings met Kolkata Knight Riders in the latter’s den in what was a do or die encounter for the former.
Put into bat, Gambhir led his team from the front with a quick fire 62 as Kolkata settled for 158, albeit a flying start. Needing 159 to stay alive in the tournament, the Yellow Army was racing towards victory when their innings experienced jolts similar to those felt by their opponents.
27 from 12 was the task at hand when MS Dhoni’s belligerent best came to the fore. Dispatching de Lange for a couple of brutal boundaries and a towering six in the second last over, ‘Captain Cool’ brought his team in the driver’s seat as 9 were left to get in the final over.
Rajat Bhatia, who had given away just 5 in his previous over, started off brilliantly as he followed up a single off the first ball with the massive wicket of Dhoni on the second. Incoming batsman Ravindra Jadeja only managed 3 runs in the next two balls. With five needed off the last two, the first of which happened to be a dot, there was immense pressure on Dwayne Bravo.
Soaking in all the pressure like a sponge, Bravo pulled out a trick from his hat by depositing Bhatia’s last ball low full toss above the long on fielder for a six that kept his team in contention for a playoff spot.
Rising Pune Supergiants v Kings XI Punjab, Visakhapatnam, May 21, 2016
In what was meant to be a dead rubber for the crowd, Kings XI Punjab were up against Rising Pune Supergiants, each of whom was looking to avoid ending the tournament as the wooden spooner.
Batting first after winning the toss, Punjab rode on half centuries from captain Murali Vijay and Gurkeerat Singh to end up with a fighting total of 172 on the board. Ashwin was the wrecker-in-chief as he picked up 4 wickets.
At 86-5, still needing 87 runs in the remaining 40 balls, the match seemed done and dusted. So it may have turned out, had there not been a phenomenon called Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Pairing up with Thisara Perera, Mahi brought down the match equation to a very doable 29 off two overs. Mohit Sharma then bowled a magnificent 19th over that also accounted for Perera, leaving Dhoni with an uphill task of 23 runs to get from 6 legal deliveries.
Axar Patel began the last over with a dot followed with a wide. The second legitimate delivery was clubbed over the long on fence for a six as 16 were left to get from 4. The next Dhoni drive had four written all over it, save a diving Amla at the boundary line, denying Pune four runs. The next ball though, did find its way to the boundary ropes leaving 12 to get from 2.
The last two balls saw vintage Dhoni taking centre stage as he hit them as clean as a whistle, bringing his bottom hand into play and clobbering them over the mid-wicket boundary to the utter dismay of Axar and Punjab. Everything on display- from the big hitting to the celebration (read poker faces handshakes)- was typical Mahi-way.
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