IPL 2023: Top 3 instances when IPL stars won the match with a last-ball six
Winning a cricket match with a last-ball six is the dream of every player. However, not everyone is able to fulfill that dream. Even the best batters in the world come under pressure while chasing a total, especially in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Over the years, fans have witnessed some thrilling finishes in the IPL. The matches that go down to the wire can finish either way, but the following three batters ensured their team emerged victorious in the final-over thrillers by hitting a last-ball six.
Abdul Samad recently helped the SunRisers Hyderabad win a thriller against the Rajasthan Royals. The youngster was under enormous pressure, having failed to live up to expectations in the last few matches. SRH backed him and gave him another opportunity to prove himself against RR.
Samad was on strike when SRH needed 5 runs off 1 ball. Sandeep Sharma, who previously defended the exact same equation against MS Dhoni, was the bowler. Sharma bowled a full toss outside off, and Samad hit the ball straight into the long-off fielder Jos Buttler's hands.
Celebrations started in the RR camp, but the no-ball siren echoed in the Sawai Mansingh Stadium soon after. SRH received a free hit, and Samad had to score 4 runs off the last ball. Sharma went back to his mark and bowled a full delivery outside off, which was dispatched down the ground for a six by Samad.
Speaking of Samad's heroics, we look back at the top three instances in IPL history when the batters won it with a last-ball six in this article.
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1. KS Bharat - Latest player to win a match with a last-ball six
KS Bharat had not played a single match in the IPL before the 2021 season's UAE leg. Bharat made his debut for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a match against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Although Bharat did not impress much in the first few matches, the RCB team management backed him. It eventually paid off as the wicketkeeper-batter played a match-winning knock against the Delhi Capitals (DC).
Chasing 165 to win, RCB were down to 6/2 in 2.1 overs. Bharat then rebuilt the innings with AB de Villiers, adding 49 runs for the third wicket. Axar Patel dismissed De Villiers in the 10th over, and it seemed like DC would win the game.
However, Bharat stitched a game-changing partnership of 111 runs for the fourth wicket with Glenn Maxwell to help RCB win. The match went to the last over, with RCB needing 15 to win. Avesh Khan conceded nine runs off the first five deliveries.
The equation was down to six off one. However, the DC pacer bowled a wide delivery and brought it down to five off one. Khan then bowled a low full-toss which was smashed over the long-on boundary by Bharat as RCB recorded a famous win.
2. MS Dhoni - Hit a last-ball six against Punjab in 2016
MS Dhoni's final-over heroics power RPS to four-wicket win over KXIP
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One of the most incredible finishes in IPL history happened during the 2016 edition of the tournament in a match between Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) and Punjab Kings. RPS needed 173 runs to win their last league game.
The Pune-based franchise were 150/6 after 19 overs. MS Dhoni was in the middle with Ravichandran Ashwin. Axar Patel bowled the last over, and Dhoni decided not to rotate the strike on the first ball. The equation was 23 runs off five balls when Patel bowled a wide.
Dhoni then hit three maximums and a boundary off the next five deliveries to help RPS record a four-wicket win.
RPS required a last-ball six to win the match, and Dhoni smacked a full delivery from Patel over the mid-wicket boundary to help his team end their campaign on a winning note.
3. Dwayne Bravo - 1st batter to hit a last-ball six when 4+ runs were needed
Happy Birthday, Bravo!
One of the most calmest player and an exceptional allrounder. The final ball six against KKR in 2012 and the insane knock of 68 runs against MI when CSK were down and out in 2018 be carved in our memories forever. T20 GOAT!
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The first player to finish an IPL match with a last-ball six when his team required more than four runs was DJ Bravo. He accomplished the feat while donning the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) jersey against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the league stage of the 2012 season.
Chasing 159 runs to win at Eden Gardens, CSK reached 150/4 in 19 overs courtesy of Michael Hussey's half-century. Dhoni and Bravo were in the middle. Bravo took a single off the first ball of the over bowled by Rajat Bhatia.
Rajat then dismissed Dhoni by rattling his stumps on the second delivery. Bravo and Jadeja could only score three runs off the next three deliveries. CSK required five off the last ball.
Bhatia then bowled a low full toss which was hit hard by Bravo. The ball cleared the long-on boundary as the CSK dressing room celebrated in joy.