The Nail biters- 5 Most Remarkable Last Ball Sixes And Victories

The Nail biters- 5 Most Remarkable Last Ball Sixes And Victories: Hitting a six off the last ball of a match is presumably the toughest challenge for a batsman. The weight and expectations of the whole world watching and the fear of failure may well unnerve and make your hands shiver while facing that last delivery. A make or break situation, a do or die contest, a winner or loser situation. There have been some men of steel over the years who have made a mockery of such humongous pressure and steered their sides to near improbable victories. Let’s relive 5 of The Nail biters- 5 Most Remarkable Last Ball Sixes And Victories. 1. Javed Miandad(Sharjah,1986) v India: This is easily one of the most popular last ball finishes that have gotten ingrained in the hearts of passionate Pakistani fans even today. Pakistan were facing world champs India in the final of the Austral-Asia cup. All of Pakistan’s batsmen withered away and there was no one to offer support or complement Javed Miandad who stood there fighting a lone battle. While everyone thought that Miandad would go down fighting valiantly, he showed great skill and brilliance to stay there right till the end. The match boiled down to a last over finish. Pakistan needed 4 runs to win off the last ball. Chetan Sharma bowled a low full toss and it got whacked by Miandad’s willow for a six in the square leg region. The crowd erupted and got sent into a state of euphoria. It really is one of the most popular last ball finishes of all time. 2. Lance Klusener( Napier, 1999) v New Zealand: A match that has remained close to every ardent South African cricket fan is undoubtedly this one in Napier, 1999. The Proteas needed 11 off the last over to earn a win with only 2 wickets in hand. Lance Klusener took guard. Mark Boucher was at the other end. 4 runs were needed off the last ball, and boom! it got cudgeled to a humongous six. And one of the greatest finishers of the game, Lance Klusener justified his reputation and earned South Africa a very famous win. 3. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Port of Spain, 2008) v Sri Lanka: The Lankans who batted first were restricted to a below par 235 runs owing to some brilliance by Dwayne Bravo. West Indies in reply stuttered and fumbled as they needed 13 runs off the last over. Shivnarine Chanderpaul got the strike in the last 2 balls. Chaminda Vaas one of Sri Lanka’s greatest seamers was to deliver the ball. His penultimate ball got whacked by a calm and composed Chanderpaul. The final ball was to be bowled. The home crowd waiting in nervousness and apprehension. But Chanderpaul’s last ball six stunned the Sri Lankans and sent the crowd into a state of berserk. It was as clinical a finish that you would ever see. 4. Nathan McCullum, 2013 v Sri Lanka Rangana Herath was one of the most deadly spinners that time. He still is a great bowler but was carrying ominous looking form in 2013. But Nathan McCullum of New Zealand made it look so simple smashing 25 runs in the final over off Rangana Herath sealing the win with a last ball six. His 9 ball 32 runs also earned New Zealand a 1-0 lead in the series. The fiery cameo remains one of the great limited overs cameos while chasing till date. 5. Brendon Taylor(2006, Harare) Vs Bangladesh: Arguably Zimbabwe’s greatest batsman after Andy Flower, Brendon Taylor scripted one of the finest wins and the most dramatic win in Zimbabwe cricket history. Bangladeshi pacer Shahdat Hossain had earlier rocked the Zimbabweans with a hat trick. The target of 237 looked out of reach. Zimbabwe needed 16 off the last 3 deliveries. Taylor was on strike and Mortaza delivered the ball, it was smashed for a boundary. The important penultimate delivery got bludgeoned for a six and now the equation boiled down to six runs from 1 ball. Taylor with his steely resolve smashed the delivery with all his might depositing it over the boundary line and earning a fantastic win for his side.