BCCI CEO Rahul Johri recently expressed that an Indian Premier League season is possible post monsoon season. As most cricket fans around the world are missing this thrilling tournament, here is Part 4 of the close encounters in Indian Premier League history that allows us to relive some of the most exciting or heartbreaking matches.
Here are next three close encounters in Indian Premier League history.
Close encounters in Indian Premier League
1. Rajasthan Royals(RR) v Mumbai Indians(MI) – 2014
Mumbai Indian’s 2014 IPL season had been disastrous coming into this match. Playing at home, MI had to chase down the target set by RR in 14.3 overs to stay alive that season. Despite numerous experiments in previous matches, everything synced up for RR in first innings.
RR set a target of 190 runs for MI, and MI had to chase down the target in 14.3 overs at a run rate of 13.29 runs per over to make it to the playoffs. Cory Anderson walked in at 19/1 and he seemed ready for a challenge.
Cory Anderson scored a fantastic 95 runs from 44 deliveries, in 14th over with 9 runs required off 3 balls and single off the first ball, equation now read 8 needed to qualify from 2 balls.
It was Ambati Rayudu on strike, Mumbai Indians were so close and Rajasthan Royals could not fathom this turn of events that made this match go down to the absolute wire. To add on to this RR nightmare, Faulkner bowled a leg stump full toss that was guided with muscle over long leg for a six.
Now then, 2 runs needed from the 3rd ball of 14th over to qualify. Faulkner bowls a short ball and Rayudu could only play it to covers, a missed underarm throw but RR managed to get a run out as the MI batsmen tried to complete another run off the over throw.
That should’ve been the match, RR should have qualified to the playoffs by a margin of 1 run. MI dugout was in hue because they came so close to an impossible target while RR dugout was celebrating, they were ready to run out into the field.
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Like every amazing thriller movie, it was time for a twist. Calculators were going for a toss as commentators announced that they’ve received some new information. It was announced that MI could still make it to the playoffs if they managed to score a boundary next ball.
It all hinged on this delivery and Faulkner started to run in, on strike a new batsman facing his first delivery, Aditya Tare. Faulkner balls a full toss outside leg stump and Tare swings with all his might as the ball sailed over boundary a maximum.
Mumbai Indians had qualified and Wankhede was up in screams. The scenes were unbelievable. Tare’s shirt was over his head and he lapped across the ground, Watson took off his cap not able to digest what had just happened and in a moment of disbelief, Rahul Dravid threw his cap and walked away.
It was unbelievable how Mumbai Indians had turned around their campaign and managed to go into the playoffs. That Rajasthan Royals had lost a match against all odds and that Rahul Dravid visibly lost his temper for probably the first time ever.
2. Pune Warriors India(PWI) v Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB)- 2012
Playing in Chinnaswamy Stadium, visitors managed a total of 182/6 after Robin Uthappa’s knock of 69 from 45 balls. In response, Royal Challengers were caged in by some really good bowling by the Warriors.
Virat Kohli’s wicket fell in the 12th over and by the end of that over, RCB required 107 runs from 48 balls at 13.37 runs per over. Then followed the 13th over that really changed the whole match.
Over the 13th, Rahul Sharma was bowling with an impressive economy rate of 4. Saurabh Tiwary took a single off the first ball bringing Chris Gayle on strike. Then followed a barrage of five consecutive sixes in that over and this chase was back on track thanks to a Gayle storm.
RCB eventually required 28 runs from last 12 balls, Warriors were still ahead. Ashok Dinda did a wonderful job bowling the penultimate over, and gave only 7 runs to Tiwary and De Villiers.
Dinda had done his job, it had started to drizzle a bit as Ashish Nehra took over for last over with 21 to defend. A single from the first ball and 20 runs from 5 balls, RCB fans were asking for a miracle.
The miracle was on strike at the moment, AB de Villiers scored a 4 off his arm, a 6 over long-on and another 6 over fine leg boundary in the next 3 balls. With 4 needed from 2 balls, AB walked down the track but could not get a hold of a low full toss and could only manage a single.
It all came down to this, Royal Challengers had almost caught up and Saurabh Tiwary was under immense pressure to see them through. Nehra went for a yorker but missed it and it was in slot for Tiwary as he clobbered it flat over long on boundary for a six.
RCB had done it, they managed to score 24 runs off their last 6 balls to win a match for the home crowd. Chinnaswamy was roaring as it started pouring down amid the home crowd’s celebration.
3. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) v Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – 2012
It was the second last match of league stages and CSK needed a win to stay in the race of playoffs. Both innings were interestingly very similar to each other.
Opening for KKR, Brendon McCullum and Gautam Gambhir had both put up a partnership of 99 runs and their counterparts, Michael Hussey and Murali Vijay added 97 runs together. After 17th over KKR were 127 with 4 wickets down and CSK was at 127 for 5 wickets.
After losing Faf Du Plesis in 17th over, CSK needed 27 runs from its last two overs. MS Dhoni turned the tide as he ferociously took Marchant de Lange to the cleaners. Dhoni almost smashed Lange’s head in as he muscled the first ball down the ground for a four.
Second ball, he scored another four and followed it up with a huge maximum way over long-on boundary. This took current equation to 9 runs required to win from last over.
Rajat Bhatia was to defend 9 runs against dangerous looking MS Dhoni. After a single from Bravo in first ball, MS Dhoni was on strike. MS Dhoni tried to heave the next ball to mid-wicket region but Bhatia’s leg cutter held it’s length and crashed into middle stump.
KKR was ecstatic, they had managed to silence the bat of MS Dhoni. After’s Dhoni’s wicket, Bhatia bowled brilliantly as he conceded only 4 runs from first 5 balls, it was the last ball and CSK needed a maximum for their win. After all these leg cutters, Bhatia ended up bowling a low full toss to Dwayne Bravo. Bravo launched the ball in air and over long on boundary with a huge back lift for a maximum.
Gautam Gambhir stared in complete disbelief as CSK dugout ran into the field and manhandled Bravo. Bravo had managed to pull off a blinder and keep the Super King’s championship hopes alive.
