6 Instances when Indians finished the match with a six in the last over of the match

Sometimes cricket fans witness a nail-biting thriller-packed match in ODI and T20 internationals. The results of these matches were decided in the last over or sometimes closer than that, on the last ball of the match. Finishing the match for the team is a skill in itself that any player has.

Advertisment

These are the moments when the contest between the finishers and death-over specialist bowlers comes into play. One of these two prevails in this intense situation and helps the team to cross the line. These kinds of battles are always interesting for the fans who enjoy watching limited-overs cricket.

So, here we’ll have a look at 6 instances when Indian batters finished the match with a six in the last over or the last ball to finish the match. This list consists of Indian finishers including the likes of Dinesh Karthik and former legendary skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Here is a look at 6 chances when Indian players finished off the match with a six in the final over of the match.

Advertisment

Axar Patel against West Indies, July 2022, Port of Spain

India and West Indies locked horns with each other on the 24th of July, 2022 in the second of the three-match ODI series. Both teams played this match at Port of Spain’s Queen’s Park Oval Stadium. Batting first. The hosts posted a decent total of 311 runs for the loss of six-wicket in the allotted 50 overs. While chasing the target, the men in blue started strongly as young opener Shubman Gill played a knock of 43 runs. Number three and number four batters Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson scored individual innings of 63 and 54 runs respectively.

Advertisment

But all of sudden, India went into collapsed and all-rounder Axar Patel came into the middle when India required 107 runs off 68 balls with five wickets left.

The Gujarat-based all-around rescued the team from a miserable to a decent condition in the match. When India required eight runs in the last over of the match. Axar smashed a six on the third ball of the over to cross the line for the team in a fashion.

MS Dhoni against Sri Lanka, July 2013, Port of Spain, 2022

MS Dhoni amazed and impressed everyone with his blistering form during the final of the triangular series of 2013 against Sri Lanka. Although, the match was a low-scoring encounter. Sri Lanka could score a total of only 201 runs in the first innings. Legendary southpaw Kumar Sangakkara played a struggling knock of 71 runs off 100 balls to take the charge for his team.

Chasing the target, Indian opener Rohit Sharma played a vital knock of 58 runs off 89 balls to stable the innings for the team. But this chase was not that much easy for the men in blue. At one instance Indians lost their eight wickets on the score of 167 runs in 41.5 overs and later on, lost the ninth one on 182 in 46.2.

Now, the whole responsibility was on skipper MS Dhoni, with India requiring 15 runs off the last over. Sri Lankan skipper introduced Shaminda Eranga into the attack to bowl against MS Dhoni. Eranga successfully beat MS on the first ball but then the Indian skipper a six, four, and a finishing six in the next three deliveries to get India across the line.

Dinesh Karthik against Bangladesh, March 2018, Colombo

The Indian team was in action during the T20 Tri-Series Nidhas Trophy. In one of the matches of the series, India was playing against Bangladesh. Notably, this match is still remembered as one of the memorable T20I encounters for Indian cricket fans. Bangladeshi team managed to post a decent total of 168 runs on a tough surface of Colombo.

Sabbir Rahman played an excellent knock of 77 runs off 50 balls to take his team to a good total.

While chasing the target senior Indian opener and stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma played a half-century knock of 56 runs off 42 balls. But it became tough for India as its middle order collapsed in the critical situation. Things were looking tough for the Indians as they needed 34 runs from off 12 balls. All-rounder Vijay Shankar was struggling for runs whereas Dinesh Karthik held the one end and rescued his team.

Karthik smashed 22 runs in the penultimate over of the match, which reduced the score for India to 12 runs off the last six balls. After a few strike rotations, it came to five runs required off the last ball. Karthik was facing the pacer Soumya Sarkar, the bowler went on to ball a half-volley, and Karthik smashed it over the covers for a flat six to take India home.

Hardik Pandya against Australia, December 2020, Sydney

Another high-scoring nail-biter played between India and Australia. Both teams locked horns in this T20 international at Sydney Cricket Ground. The hosts posted a big total of 194 runs for the loss of five wickets. Opening batter Matthew Wade played a crucial knock of 58 runs off just 32 balls. Former skipper Steve Smith accompanied him by scoring 46 runs off 38 balls.

The Indian top order started very well for the team to reach the target. But there came a time when the men in blue needed 56 runs off 23 balls with a required run rate of almost 14 runs per over. Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya and batter Shreyas Iyer were on the strike on a mission to rescue India.

With all efforts from both the batters and bowlers, the match entered the last over when India required 14 runs off the last over. Skipper Aaron Finch handed the ball to Daniel Sams for the last over. Pandya was facing him. In the first three balls, Pandya got a double, a six, and a dot ball. Now, India required six off three balls when Pandya finished the match with a six over the mid-wicket boundary and ended up with an individual score of 42 runs off just 22 balls.

Harbhajan Singh against Pakistan, June 2010, Dambulla

One of the encounters two arch-rivals India and Pakistan are known for. It was a must-win match for the Pakistani team to stay in the competition during the Asia Cup. Shahid Afridi decided to bat first after winning the toss against the men in blue. The individual knocks of 74 and 51 runs from Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal respectively helped Pakistan to post a good defendable total of 267 runs.

While chasing the target, senior opener Gautam Gambhir and skipper MS Dhoni played the knocks of 83 and 51 runs respectively. But the match swung at the moment when India started losing wickets in quick succession. There came a time when Dhoni & co. lost six wickets on the score of 219 runs after 46 overs Pakistan was easily leading the match.

Afridi introduced Mohammad Amir into the attack against Harbhajan Singh to defend seven runs off the last over. Suresh Raina was also there in the middle with Bhajji for India. Amir scalped the wicket of Raina on the second ball, and now the responsibility was on Harbhajan Singh to cross the mark for the team.

Now, India required three runs off the last two balls with the turbanator on strike. Amir went on to deliver a short-of-length delivery and the Punjabi lad smashed it to the on-side for a winning six to take India home.

Irfan Pathan against Sri Lanka, February 2007, Colombo

Sri Lanka and the then-T20I World Champion Indian team locked horns in a T20I match. The hosts’ skipper decided to bat first after winning the toss. Skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan played a captaincy knock of 61 runs off 47 balls. With the help of this knock, the Sri Lankan team posted a total of 171 runs for the loss of four wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

Chasing the target, Indians kept losing wickets at quick successions. Although senior batting all-rounders Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh played vital knock they also got out under the 30s. The visitors were struggling on 115 runs for the loss of seven wickets after 15.1 overs. It was the time when India required 56 runs off just 29 balls with a run rate of almost 12 runs per over.

Pathan brothers, Irfan and Yusuf were on the crease to rescue India from the tough situation. The duo of brothers turned the match in the favour of the men in blue and in the end, they only required five runs off the last over. Lasith Malinga came up with the last over. Yusuf rotated the strike on the first ball with a single. Now, younger Pathan was on strike. He smashed a brilliant six over the mid-wicket on the second ball of the over to take India home.