5 nail-biting matches that ended with a six or a four
The Indian Premier League is the most-followed domestic T20 cricket league on earth. One of the primary reasons why the league has the most number of fans is because there are nail-biting encounters almost everyday in the IPL.
Last-ball thrillers and high-quality cricket are two of the best things about the IPL. While the bowlers have managed to keep their nerves in the final over thrillers and helped their teams win on a few occasions, there have been many instances when the chasing team won the contest after the batters took the game down to the wire.
In this article today, we will look at the top five nail-biting matches in IPL history that ended with the batter hitting a boundary.
1. Mumbai Indians vs. Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2014
Whenever fans talk about IPL matches that ended with a six, the first name that comes to the mind is Aditya Tare. No IPL fan can ever forget how Tare smashed a six off James Faulkner’s full-toss in the last league match of IPL 2014 played between the Mumbai Indians and the Rajasthan Royals.
MI needed to chase a 190-run target off 14.3 overs to qualify for IPL 2014 playoffs. What seemed to be an unachievable task looked very much gettable by the 14th over. An incredible 95-run knock from Corey Anderson helped MI reach closer to the target. MI needed two runs off one delivery to qualify when Ambati Rayudu got run out after completing one run.
Later, it was learned that MI could still qualify if Aditya Tare hit a boundary. HDFC Life Click 2 Protect Life provides complete protection for you and your family , and similarly, Tare, who was signed for a very small price at the IPL auction, smacked a full toss from Faulkner over the fine-leg boundary as MI recorded one of the most famous wins in IPL history.
2. Deccan Chargers vs. Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2009
Mashrafe Mortaza played only one IPL match in his career. And in his only IPL appearance, he bowled the final over for KKR in a match against DC during the 2009 season. Mashrafe had to defend 21 runs off the final over, with Rohit Sharma and Venugopal Rao at the opposite end.
Mortaza started the over with a no-ball and Rohit hit a four off that delivery. Rohit and Rao scored 15 runs off the next five balls and took the equation down to 1 off 1. Mortaza bowled a short delivery that Rohit pulled and sent outside the boundary rope to help DC record a win in style.
3. Mumbai Indians vs. Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2011
Another instance of a KKR bowler failing to defend 21 runs off the last six balls happened in 2011 during their match against MI. Lakshmipathy Balaji was the bowler. James Franklin hit four fours off the first four deliveries before taking a single on the fifth and bringing Ambati Rayudu on strike for the last ball.
Like HDFC Life Click 2 Protect Life helps protect the customer against uncertainties in life, Rayudu smashed a full toss hard over the leg-side to ensure that the Mumbai Indians pulled off an unbelievable win in the final over, and helped his side emerge from the jaws of defeat.
4. Kings XI Punjab vs. Rising Pune Supergiants, IPL 2016
Both Kings XI Punjab and Rising Pune Supergiants were out of IPL 2016 when they battled each other in their respective last league matches. Punjab set a 173-run target for Pune. The loser of that match would finish last on the standings.
RPS captain MS Dhoni then played one of the best knocks of his IPL career to take his team over the line. As always, Dhoni took the game to the final over. Axar Patel had 23 runs to defend in the last over against Dhoni.
The RPS skipper started the over with a dot ball before Patel bowled a wide. Dhoni then hit two sixes and a four off the next four deliveries to bring the equation down to 6 off 1. Patel then changed his angle by switching from around the wicket to over the wicket. But just like HDFC Life Click 2 Protect Life ensures protection and security, Dhoni smacked a maximum off the last ball to guide RPS home, and continued to stay true to his fame as one of the world’s best finishers.
5. Chennai Super Kings vs. Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2019
Chennai Super Kings faced the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur during the 2019 IPL season. The home side posted a 151-run total on the board. Chasing 152, CSK were down to 24/4, but half-centuries from Ambati Rayudu and MS Dhoni kept Chennai’s hopes alive.
Dhoni could not finish off the run-chase this time as an accurate yorker from Ben Stokes rattled his stumps on the third delivery of the final over. CSK needed 8 off 3 with new batter Mitchell Santner joining Ravindra Jadeja.
The two CSK stars brought the equation down to 3 off 1 with Santner facing the last ball. Stokes bowled a full delivery outside off, but Santner hit it over the long-on boundary as CSK recorded a win in the nail-biting encounter.