Cricket is the ultimate team game. There is no scope for personal interests in a sport like cricket. But at times personal milestones do override the team’s core value. Individual brilliance often dictates the outcome of the game. These players are special and their teams bank on them to deliver. Here are Most Selfish Knocks In Cricketing History.
But there arises a situation where few players put up their self-interest first and the team’s cause on the back burner. This virtue of putting one’s interest is always associated with the batsmen as bowlers have no other option but to work in unison.
Let’s Look at Top 5 Most selfish knocks in cricket history:
#5 Jacques Kallis (48 off 63 balls)
The league game between Australia and South Africa in the 2007 World Cup was billed as the match of the tournament. And the match surely lived up to the hype for almost the entire 100 overs except for the time when Jacques Kallis got stuck. Australia had posted a mammoth score of 376.
South Africa started their chase with a bang scoring 160 in 20 overs. But post-ABD’s wicket, South Africa lost their way. Kallis labored his way to a 63 ball 48. His innings consumed entire momentum from the chase. The great Kallis cost South Africa a great chance of avenging a World Cup loss.
#4 MS Dhoni (54 off 117 balls)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is widely regarded as one of the finest finishers in the game. But even Dhoni had a few knocks that challenged this notion of him. India was chasing a paltry total of 190 against West Indies in 2017. MS Dhoni at first seemed like taking charge of the chase but he slowly let the opposition get the better of him.
Dhoni was stuck in his approach of taking the game deep. His move backfired badly and India ended up losing the game. It was a low point in MS Dhoni’s chequered career.
#3 Manoj Prabhakar (102 off 154 balls)
Manoj Prabhakar’s century might be the only ODI innings that might have resulted in the batsman getting axed the next game. India set a target of 258 to win. But Prabhakar shockingly showed zero intent of victory.
India required 62 runs in the last 9 overs. But in what can termed be as appalling, he and Nayan Mongia combined scored just 16 runs in those 9 overs. His innings of 102 in 154 balls was one of the most bizarre knocks ever played. He was rightly dropped in the next game.
#2 Ravi Shastri (25 off 67 balls)
Ravi Shastri had created a lot of buzz when he smashed 6 sixes in an over in a domestic game. But his surprisingly slow knock of 25 cost India a semi-finals spot in the 1992 World Cup. Australia had set a target of 236 for India in a rain-affected game. India’s hopes were pinned on a quickfire start.
But Shastri’s lethargic innings cost India all the momentum. India went on to narrowly lose the game. This eventually cost India the semi-final spot. It is hard to fathom that of all people in the world, Shastri would play such timid innings.
#1 Sachin Tendulkar (114 off 147 balls)
India were fighting tooth and nail for the final spot in Asia Cup 2012. They had convincingly beaten Pakistan and Sri Lanka on the league stage. India just had to defeat Bangladesh to ensure a qualification spot in the finals. They won the toss and elected to bat first. But Sachin Tendulkar chasing the elusive 100th century ended up consuming half of the overs.
He finished with a final score of 114 in 147 balls. India posted 288 that eventually proved to be inadequate as Bangladesh easily chased it down. Tendulkar’s focused century cost India the game and the spot in the finals.
Also read: Team India Is Powerful They Are Looking Very Formidable: Nazar
