5 memorable last-ball finishes in IPL history
IPL is one of the best tournaments in the world. The Indian Premier League has earned a massive fan following because of the top-quality games. Almost every game in the competition is a close encounter.
Quite a few games have also been decided on the last ball. On Monday evening at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Lucknow Super Giants beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by one wicket off the last ball.
LSG needed one run off one ball with one wicket in hand. The bowler Harshal Patel attempted a run-out at the non-striker's end but missed. He then bowled a delivery, and Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi stole a bye to complete a successful chase for LSG.
In this listicle now, we will look at the five other memorable last-ball finishes in IPL history.
#1 Kolkata Knight Riders beat Gujarat Titans, IPL 2023
History created by Rinku Singh.
What a finish.
https://t.co/NDAiGjQVoI
Kolkata Knight Riders stole a win from the jaws of defeat on Sunday against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium. KKR needed 29 runs off the last over. GT handed the ball to Yash Dayal.
Umesh Yadav took a single, bringing Rinku Singh on the strike. Rinku had to score 28 off five deliveries. The left-hander hit big shots on all five balls, connected them well and deposited them outside the boundary to score 30 off five, helping KKR win the game. His last-ball six sent the KKR dressing room into a frenzy.
#2 Mumbai Indians beat Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2011
@RayuduAmbati How many of you still remember this knock of Ambati Rayudu against KKR in 2011. Hitting 21 runs in last over against Balaji. #ThankYouRayudu https://t.co/oJLdCpNaYK
In 2011, Mumbai Indians clashed against Kolkata Knight Riders in the 70th game of the season at the Eden Gardens. KKR scored 175-7. MI were 155-5 after 19 overs. L Balaji had to defend 21 runs in the last over.
James Franklin hit four fours off the first four balls and took a single to give Ambati Rayudu the strike for the last ball. With four needed off the last ball, Rayudu smacked Balaji over deep square leg for a six to complete a successful chase for MI.
#3 Gujarat Titans beat Punjab Kings, IPL 2022
OH MY GOODNESS! 12 required off 2 balls. Rahul Tewatia smash SIX AND A MASSIVE SIX to win it for Gujrat Titans.
Odean Smith can't believe it...not even the winning captain Hardik Pandya. Tewatia has stunned everyone.
#IPL2022 #CricketTwitter https://t.co/zqy00wN3t5
Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings played out a thrilling game last season. PBKS batted first and posted 189-9. Chasing 190, GT were 171-3 after 19 overs.
Hardik Pandya and David Miller were in the middle for GT, with the team needing 19 off six. Odean Smith bowled the last over. He started with a wide before Hardik got run out on the next ball.
New batter Rahul Tewatia took a single, followed by a four and a single from Miller. The equation came down to 12 off two balls. PBKS were the favourites to win, but Tewatia stunned everyone by smashing two sixes off the last two balls, helping GT win by six wickets.
#4 Mumbai Indians beat Rising Pune Supergiant, IPL 2017 Final
#OnThisDay In 2017
MI defeated RPS by 1 run & became 1st team to win 3 IPL Trophies π₯
Johnson Defended 10 runs in last over
(4 W W 1b 2 2+W)
Least runs Defended in IPL Final
MI - 129 vs RPS*
DEC - 143 vs RCB
MI - 148 vs CSK
MI - 149 vs CSK https://t.co/7XkOalx7nQ
Mumbai Indians battled Rising Pune Supergiant in the 2017 final. MI failed to get going with the bat, managinf only 129-8. RPS were in a comfortable position when Steve Smith and MS Dhoni were in the middle. However, MI pulled things back with some dot balls, bringing the equation down to 11 off six.
Mitchell Johnson bowled the 20th over. Manoj Tiwary hit him for a four on the first ball before handing a catch to Kieron Pollard. The well-set Smith was caught out on the next ball as RPS needed seven off three.
Daniel Christian and Washington Sundar stole a bye before running two. With four needed off the last ball, Christian and Sundar ran two, but Sundar got run out while taking the third as MI completed a famous one-run win.
#5 Punjab Kings beat Mumbai Indians, IPL 2008
@ESPNcricinfo IPL 2008: MI vs KXIP
MI needed 2 to win off the final delivery, Mumbai batter Vikrant Yeligati plays it straight to cover, Yuvraj Singh collects it and inflicts a Jonty Rhodes type run out as he dislodges the bails at the non strikers end. Batter falls short Punjab win by 1 run https://t.co/L4T5tSHtXp
Punjab Kings beat Mumbai Indians by one run in the inaugural edition of the league at the Wankhede. PBKS scored 189-4, thanks to Shaun Marsh's 56-ball 81. In response, MI were 159-3 in the 17th over, with a well-set Sachin Tendulkar in the middle.
It looked like MI would complete an easy win at home, but PBKS made a dramatic comeback. Tendulkar got run out on the final ball of the 17th over, triggering a collapse.
In the space of 15 balls, MI were down to 186-9. Mumbai needed four runs off two balls when Vikrant Yeligati joined Dilhara Fernando in the middle. VRV Singh was the bowler. Yeligati took two runs off the fifth ball and attempted a single when MI needed one off one ball.
Yuvraj Singh decided against executing a direct hit and ran towards the non-striker's end from mid-off. He executed a fabulous dive to catch Yeligati short of his crease and complete a thrilling one-run win for PBKS in the IPL.