10 best finishes in the history of T20I cricket

10 best finishes in the history of T20I cricket: If there is one format in cricket which has changed the dynamics of the game it is undoubtedly the T20 format. It is a mind-wobbling experience for the spectators as in shortest of times they are served with pills of delight, exhilaration and entertainment. With the advent of this format now the batsmen back themselves to chase down any total whatsoever in last 10 overs of the game even in the 50 overs format. Talking about T20I cricket, it started a decade ago in 2005 when the New Zealand side took on the Australian’s. And since then it has given us several occasions to celebrate cricket with some of the most close and edge of the seat thrillers ever witnessed in cricket. Let’s have a look at the 10 best finishes in the history of T20I cricket: 1. India v Pakistan, Johannesburg, 2007: Indian captain MS Dhoni celebrates after winning the final against Pakistan. (© Getty Images) Can it get any bigger than a World Cup final between the arch rivals India and Pakistan? Certainly not and those who witnessed the match were left biting their nails as the match did go right down to the wire. In this pressure match India batted 1st and Gautam Gambhir (75) marched the side towards a competitive total of 157 runs. Irfan Pathan wrecked the Pakistan innings but it was the valiant efforts of Misbah-ul-Haq which nearly got his side past the victory line. But with his team just 6 runs away from a win in the last over Misbah didn’t go for an orthodox shot and went for the scoop shot and ended up miscuing it and Sreesanth held on to the catch at fine leg which won India the World T20 2007. 2. India v England, Mumbai, 2012: India v England, Mumbai, 2012. (Photo Source: BCCI) Coming into the match, the Indian’s were 1-0 up in the 2-match T20I series. Batting first the home side amassed a big total of 177 runs with MS Dhoni (38), Virat Kohli (38) and Suresh Raina (35) playing quick-fire innings. In reply England got off to a flyer as the openers Lumb and Hales added 80 runs. In the final 3 overs the tourists needed 37 runs but English skipper Eoin Morgan was going strong. But ultimately it came down to the last ball of the match with England needing 3 runs to win. But, Morgan smashed a straight six over Ashok Dinda’s head and won his side a jaw-dropping encounter. 3. New Zealand v Australia, Christchurch, 2010: New Zealand v Australia, Christchurch, 2010. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Whenever there is a Trans-Tasman clash the spectators are guaranteed with heavy doses of entertainment and this match was no exception. Brendon McCullum smashed a blistering century as New Zealand piled up 214 runs on the board. But Michael Clarke and Cameron White piled up blazing half-centuries and Australia needed 12 runs off the last over. Tim Southee’s first 3 balls accounted for only 4 runs but in the 4th ball White hit a boundary. In the last ball of the match, Clarke could score only 2 runs which meant the visitors also ended up on 214 runs and the match was tied. But, it was New Zealand that won the one-over eliminator. 4. Australia v Pakistan, St. Lucia, 2010: Australia v Pakistan, St. Lucia, 2010. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Batting 1st Pakistan made 191 runs which meant the Australian’s needed some magic to win this semi-final match of World T20 2010. It was Akmal brothers Kamran (50) and Umar (56) who emerged as the protagonists of the Pakistani innings. The Australian team was reeling at 144-7 after 17.1 overs which meant they needed further 48 runs in 17 balls. But, when a team has Mr. Cricket aka Michael Hussey in their ranks then nothing is impossible. His side needed 18 runs off the final over. Hussey hit 3 sixes and a four en route to his 24 ball 60 run knock to take his side past the victory line and stunned the Pakistani side, which looked assured of a win until then. 5. Sri Lanka v England, Chittagong, 2014: Alex Hales. (© Getty Images) In this match the Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene (89) played a gem of a knock as a result Sri Lanka scored 189 runs while batting 1st. Now, the English side was left with an improbable total to chase down and they got worst of starts losing two wickets in the first over. Eoin Morgan and Alex Hales combined for a 152 run 3rd wicket stand. But Morgan as well Jos Buttler departed in the 17th over. The match headed towards a tense finish as England needed 34 runs in the last 3 overs. But Hales hit 3 sixes in the last two overs to win his side a thrilling match. It is notable that in the last 11 overs England required 134 runs. 6. Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Colombo, 2015: Anwar Ali won Pakistan the match with his 17 balls 46-run blinder. (Photo Source: AFP) Coming into the 2nd and final T20I match of the series, the Pakistani team was just one step away from winning series after winning the Test and ODI series earlier. On back of brilliant innings of Chamara Kapugedera (48) and Shehan Jayasuriya (40), the hosts posted 172 runs on the board. But when Pakistan lost 5 wickets at the score of 40 runs the task seemed out of their reach. But, Shahid Afridi played a glittering innings of 45 runs to give the side an outside chance. But then came an unlikely hero in the face of Anwar Ali who hammered 46 runs off just 17 balls and Pakistan won the showdown match by 1 wicket in the last over. 7. New Zealand v West Indies, Pallekele, 2012: West Indies team celebrate after winning the superover. (Photo Source: Getty Images) In this match the disciplined Kiwi bowlers had restricted the West Indian’s to a mere total of 139 runs which looked almost a cake walk for them at the start. But the Black caps didn’t play as well as they would have liked. But they were ahead of West Indies as they needed 27 runs in last 4 overs with 6 wickets in hand and Ross Taylor set at the crease. But Sunil Narine gave away only 5 runs in 2 out of the last 4 overs of the game. In the last 3 balls Kiwi’s needed 9 runs and Taylor hit a six to bring down the equation to 3 runs from 2 balls. But, they could manage only 2 runs and the match ended in a tie. West Indies won the match in the super over. 8. New Zealand v South Africa, Chittagong, 2014: New Zealand v South Africa, Chittagong, 2014. (Photo Source: Getty Images) The dazzling South African southpaw JP Duminy had played a 43 ball 86 run knock to take the Proteas side to a total to 170 runs in the match. In reply the Kiwi opener Kane Williamson amassed a quick fire half-century upfront and Kiwis were ahead in the game till the 19th over. In the last over they required 7 runs off 6 balls with Taylor batting at 62 runs. But Steyn turned the tides as the first 3 balls of the over were dot-balls. Finally on the last ball of the match Ross Taylor got the strike with team needing 3 runs to win but he couldn’t induce a run as Steyn delivered an absolute ripper and led his side to victory by 2 runs on back of his last over heroics. 9. South Africa v Pakistan, Colombo, 2012: South Africa v Pakistan, Colombo, 2012. (Photo Source: ICC) The Pakistani trio of Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Hafeez and Shahid Afridi made full use of the Colombo pitch and exploited Proteas weakness against quality spin bowling as they gave away only 75 runs in their 12 overs and took 3 wickets as well. The South African’s could make only 133 runs and JP Duminy top-scored with 48. The chase seemed too much of a task for Pakistani’s as they were tottering on 76-7, at one stage. But then Umar Gul stroked a blazing 17 ball 32-run knock. But he departed just before the penultimate over in which Pakistan required 9 runs for win with 2 wickets in hand. Umar Akmal hit a six on the 2nd ball of the final over and then Ajmal finished the match with 2 balls remaining. Pakistani team won the nerve-wracking match by 2 wickets. 10. India v Pakistan, Durban, 2007: India v Pakistan, Durban, 2007. (Photo Source: Getty Images) The clash between India and Pakistan is the mother of all clashes. In the match the Indian team batted first but Mohammad Asif broke their backbone as he left India reeling at 36-4 in a hazardous spell of bowling. Robin Uthappa played a valiant knock of 50 runs and took India’s total to 141 runs. Chasing the target of 142 runs Pakistan lost their 4 wickets at 47 runs. But Misbah-ul-Haq stood on the 22 yards like a pillar. The match came down to the wire as Pakistan needed 12 runs off the final over. Misbah hit two fours in the first 4 balls of the over but couldn’t help his side cross the line even though they just required just 1 runs of the last 2 balls. The match ended in a tie but India won it in the bowl out. Also read : Top 7 batsmen with most Test runs – debuted after 2000

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10 best finishes in the history of T20I cricket

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