World Cup 2019: The three most nail-biting matches of the tournament

The run-up to the Cricket World Cup 2019 witnessed a lot of talk about how the pitches that would be used for the World Cup in England and Wales would be absolute belters. It was anticipated that there would be a lot of 300+ scores and many 350+ or 400+ scores as well. However, some fans were worried about these predictions since such high scores being scored by the team batting first could also result in more one-sided matches detrimental to the spectacle of the tournament.

However, as the Cup progressed, the fans got to see many close matches, especially in run-chases that had targets in the range of 220-290. In this article, we take a look at the most closely-contested matches in this edition of the World Cup.

#3: Pakistan vs Afghanistan

Imad Wasim's 49 led Pakistan to victory against Afghanistan

After having won the toss, Afghanistan chose to bat and trundled their way to a final score of 227-9. An inspired spell of lethal left-arm bowling from the 19-year old Shaheen Afridi, who became the youngest bowler to take a 4-fer in World Cup matches in the same match, meant that they could never post a threatening total on the board for Pakistan to chase down.

However, Pakistan being Pakistan, can never win a match without giving their fans some skipped heartbeats. The target seemed easily achievable, especially after Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq had laid a decent platform for the middle-order to fire. However, Mohammad Hafeez threw away his wicket yet again and Haris Sohail was dismissed lbw by Rashid Khan. In typical Pakistan fashion, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shadab Khan ran themselves out to further dent Pakistan's chances of winning the match. Imad Wasim was the last recognized batsman left.

Pakistan finally got a stroke of luck when Gulbadin Naib came in to bowl the 45th over. The man-of-the-match Wasim struck three fours off Naib in that over to dramatically reduce the difference between the runs required and the balls remaining. He went on to score 49 and won the game for Pakistan.

#2: India vs Afghanistan

Mohammad Shami is ecstatic after bowling the perfect delivery.

Afghanistan had just come off the back of a drubbing from Eoin Morgan and Co. to play India at Southampton. A similarly one-sided affair was expected in this match as well, especially after Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat.

However, the pitch was a difficult one and made batting frustrating. However, the Indians had themselves to blame as set batsmen like KL Rahul and Vijay Shankar threw away their wickets. Kohli, who seemed the only batsman at ease, got out after making 67. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kedav Jadhav set themselves up for a final flourish, which, ironically, never came after Dhoni perished trying to take on Rashid Khan. India had to settle for a very modest score of 224.

Chasing 225, the Afghan top-order made a decent start and it was only in the 29th over when Jasprit Bumrah picked up the key wickets of the two set batsmen Hashmatullah Shahidi and Rahmat Shah, that India clawed their way back into the match. However, an obstinate Mohammad Nabi refused to throw away his wicket and went into the very last over of the innings with just the tail remaining. With 16 needed off the last over and three wickets remaining, Nabi hit Shami's first ball for a four but holed out to long-on in the very next delivery. With only the last two wickets remaining, Mohammad Shami bowled two back-to-back inch-perfect deliveries to become only the second Indian bowler to take a hat-trick at the World Cup.

#1: West Indies vs New Zealand

Ross Taylor consoles a distraught Carlos Brathwaite

It was just another day in the office for Kane Williamson who scored a mammoth 148 to help New Zealand reach a total of 291 after having chosen to bat first. He was ably supported by Ross Taylor who scored 69 after both the openers got out for golden ducks. It was a red-letter day for Sheldon Cottrell, who was involved in seven of the eight Kiwi wickets.

In the second innings, Chris Gayle (87) and Shimron Hetmyer (54) notched up fifties and as long as they were at the crease, it seemed that West Indies had the upper hand. However, in a typically-unpredictable fashion, Gayle and Hetmyer threw away their wickets in quick succession. To make matters worse, Jason Holder also got out for a golden duck, which put all the burden on Carlos Brathwaite's broad shoulders.

Brathwaite went on hit, what will go down as, one of the best centuries to be scored under pressure in a World Cup game. He patiently batted with the tail and took a special liking to Matt Henry, off whom he smashed 25 runs in the 48th over. Before the last ball of the 49th over was bowled, the equation read 6 to win off 7 balls with only one wicket in hand. Since his partner at the other end was a No.11 batsman, the only options available to Brathwaite were to hit the winning shot off that ball itself, or take the single to retain the strike in the 50th over. He chose the former option and almost hit the ball for a maximum, only to find Trent Boult taking a wonderful balancing catch inches off the boundary rope.