MS Dhoni glamourised last-over finishes. He had a penchant to take the game deep. Dhoni believed in the last over, the bowler was equally under pressure as the batman. Indian fans were so used to seeing Dhoni finishing off games in the last over. His winning hits were usually sixes. It almost became a tradition especially in the Indian team to finish games with a six.
We look at 5 such times when Indian players hit a winning six in the last over
#5 Harbhajan Singh vs Pakistan, 2010
It had come down to the last over in this high-voltage encounter. India was chasing a stiff target of 268 against arch-rivals, Pakistan. The second last over witnessed drama with Harbhajan Singh and Shoaib Akhtar engaging in a verbal duel. It sparked the fire inside Harbhajan. He took all the anger over Mohammad Amir who bowled the last over. Harbhajan smashed Amir for huge six-over midwicket to seal the win for India.
#4 Hardik Pandya vs Australia, 2020
India was chasing a steep target in the 2nd T20I of the 3-match T20I series. Virat Kohli kept India in the hunt but he departed in the 16th over. The onus was now on Hardik Pandya. But he wasn’t finding it easy to time the ball. India needed to win 12 in the final over. The first ball was a dot ball increasing the pressure on Pandya. He kept his calm and dispatched both the next two balls for towering sixes.
#3 Axar Patel vs West Indies, 2022
India was behind the eight ball right throughout the chase in the 2nd ODI against West Indies. Chasing a score of 300+, the Indian top-order never really got going. India was stuttering at 79-3. They got back into the game thanks to a solid partnership between Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson.
India was pegged further back with the quick dismissals of both the set batsmen. West Indies it appeared was in the driver’s seat to level the series. But an Axar Patel special turned tables around. India needing 8 to win off the last over with just a couple of wickets in hand had Axar as their last hope. He smashed a brilliant six to win it for the team.
#2 MS Dhoni vs Sri Lanka, 2013
India fresh from the Champions Trophy win in 2013 walked into this triangular tournament as favourites. MS Dhoni, the skipper had to miss the league games owing to an injury. He played his first game in the finals. India had made a mess of a low-scoring target. Dhoni was holding the fort. He was India’s only hope.
Needing 13 to win off the last over, India just had a wicket in hand. Dhoni missed the first ball. But he duly dispatched the next 3 balls to take India to a famous win. Ian Bishop on air called him ‘Magnificent Mahendra’ when Dhoni smashed the famous winning six.
#1 Dinesh Karthik vs Bangladesh, 2018
India needed 33 to win off the last two overs to win the Nidahas Trophy. Dinesh Karthik walked in a pensive mood as he was pushed down the order. But what transpired in the last two overs left cricketing fans stunned. Karthik collected 21 off the penultimate over to set up a brilliant final over.
But India still managed to make lives difficult for themselves as they ended up needing 5 off the last ball. Karthik hit one of the flattest sixes ever over extra cover to win the title for India. Cricketing experts and supporters went berserk as Karthik lit up the final singlehandedly.
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