7 match-winning performances which were single-handed
There is no ‘I’ in team, so goes the saying. Never has there been a team sport where a tournament was won purely because of one player’s individual brilliance. Be it the Aussies in cricket or the Germans in football, every champion team were titleholders because of that: they were a fine unit of one, instead of great one players of a team.However, there are anomalies. Not always does teamwork reap victories—sometimes, individual genius carries the team across to the victorious shores after defeating tumultuous waves. Sometimes, something out of the ordinary is done for the fans to be in awe and sing glories of the sport and the player.And here are 7 such instances…
#1 Michael Bevan v West Indies
God sent mosquitoes to ruin sleep and Michael Bevan to finish off games in his team’s favour. The Australian team of that time rarely let matters get to the hands of Michael Bevan, but on the off occasion that they did, he barely ever disappointed.
It all started against West Indies. Chasing a meager target of 173 in 43 overs in a rain-afflicted game, the Australians found themselves reeling at 38 for 6. Michael Bevan, along with Ian Healy, took the score to 74 before the next wicket fell. It was all looking gloomy for the Kangaroos, but there stood Michael Bevan like a Sun in his own right.
In the end, he took Australia to a 1 wicket victory with the very last ball of the game. Paul Reiffel’s 34 runs knock came in handy, but it was Bevan’s brilliant 78 runs off 88 that won the game for Australia and began his journey as the greatest finisher of his era.