5 greatest fourth innings knocks where teams won by one wicket
Kusal Perera's 153* at Durban is being considered as one of the greatest knocks of all time and deservedly so. South Africa have had the best bowling average at home among all teams since 2016. So the fact that Perera's magnificent knock came against the most threatening home attack at the moment makes his match-winning innings even more special.
His last wicket partnership of 78 with Vishwa Fernando is the highest in a one-wicket win. With it, Sri Lanka became only the second team to achieve a one-wicket win away from home.
While Perera's innings will be one for the ages, we look at 5 such fourth innings knocks in one-wicket wins.
#5 Inzamam-ul-Haq (58*) vs Australia (Karachi, 1994)
Australia were in driver's seat in Karachi, aiming for a rare Test win in Pakistan when they set a target of 314, and were even more optimistic when they reduced Pakistan to 184/7. But the Aussies faced setbacks in the form of injuries to Glenn McGrath and Tim May and that made them heavily reliant on Shane Warne. Inzamam-ul-Haq, coming in at no.8, was the last hurdle for the Aussies.
Shane Warne registered a five-wicket haul after Inzamam added 52 with Rashid Latif. Pakistan were left with 56 to win with Mushtaq Ahmed being the last man to partner Inzamam, who was quite stable at the other end. Australia seemed clear favorites at that stage, but as the game got closer, it became a case of who held their nerves better.
And it was the Aussies who failed to hold their nerves, with Ian Healy missing a stumping of Inzamam when only 3 runs were needed to win. The missed stumping resulted in byes, and Pakistan won by one-wicket, courtesy Inzamam's gutsy knock of 58*. The 56-run partnership was the record last wicket partnership in a one-wicket win at that time.