The final one-dayer between Australia and Pakistan in the UAE on Monday went all the way down to the wire, with Australia clinching victory off the very last ball courtesy Glenn Maxwell’s double-wicket maiden. Maxwell was handed the ball with only two runs needed off the last six balls. He did not concede a single run during the over, and also picked up two wickets, those of Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Irfan. Pakistan were all-out for 230 chasing 232. Here’s a look at some other last-over thrillers in one-day cricket.
India vs South Africa (November 24, 1993): This is memorable match of the Hero Cup semi-final. South Africa needed only six runs to win the match. Sachin Tendulkar took the ball, after Kapil Dev apparently expressed unwillingness to bowl the last over. As things turned out, Tendulkar bowled some excellent yorker-length deliveries, and conceded only three runs in the over. Though he did not pick up any wickets, the pressure exerted by Tendulkar led to two run outs being effected. South Africa finished with 193 for 9, chasing 196. Skipper Mohammed Azharuddin was declared the man of the match for his 90.
South Africa vs Australia (June 17, 1999): This was the incredible semi-final of the 1999 World Cup played at Edgbaston. South Africa needed 214 to win the match. The Proteas were in trouble at 198 for 9, but Lance Klusener blasted two fours in the last over to tie the scores. South Africa needed one run with four balls to spare. However, Zulu’s famous ‘mad dash’ led to the run out of Allan Donald. The scores remained tied, but the Aussies went into the final on the virtue of having beaten South Africa in the previous league game. This was arguably the best one-day game ever.
Australia vs West Indies (January 1, 1996): This was as incredible a finish as any in the one-day game. The fifth match of the Benson & Hedges series played at Sydney, Australia were chasing 173 to win this clash in 43 overs. They stumbled to 196 for 7, but the uber-cool Michael Bevan took them home with a four off the very last ball of the innings. Bevan remained unbeaten on 78 from 86 balls as Australia won by one wicket. Bevan’s knock outdid Carl Hooper’s unbeaten 93 earlier in the day. However, Paul Reiffel was the man of the match for his four wickets and 34 runs.
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka (December 31, 2006): This game was played at Queenstown as part of the five-match ODI series. New Zealand were chasing 225 to win the game. They were 223 for 9 with two balls to spare. Number 11 Michael Mason then blasted a boundary off the final ball to take the Kiwis past the finishing line. James Franklin was unbeaten on 45 from 48 balls at the other end. James Marshall made a fifty at the top of the innings. Kumar Sangakkara made 89 for the Sri Lankans.
--By A Cricket Analyst