Dinesh Karthik ’s flat and adventurous lofted cover drive against Bangladesh sailed over the boundary ropes at Colombo and India sealed a last-ball-thriller against Bangladesh on Sunday.
This terrific shot by Dinesh Karthik gave cricket fans across the globe yet another sensational moment to cherish and also brought back memories of some other last-ball-six finishes in cricket.
Last ball finishes have always been special in cricket and when the last ball is smashed into the stands, the sight is too good to be explained in words. Such finishes bring the most candid emotions from cricketers as well as fans and hence these moments are cherished forever.
Dinesh Karthik ’s sensational six in the Nidahas trophy finals is the latest addition to this ‘last-ball-six’ club. Let us rewind the clock and relive such top five instances in cricket.
5. Brendon Taylor vs Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, 2006-
Zimbabwe was chasing a target of 237 runs against Bangladesh and it came down to 17 runs from 06 balls with Brendon Taylor leading the assault with an unbeaten half-century.
Taylor smashed a six on the second ball and a four on the fourth ball of the over but Mupariwa’s run-out on the fifth ball brought Bangladesh back in the game with the equation five runs needed off one ball.
Taylor then smashed Mashrafe’s last ball which was a full toss into the mid-wicket stand and delivered Zimbabwe a stunning win.
4. Ryan McLaren vs James Franklin, 2013-
South Africa needed eight runs in the last over against New Zealand but James Franklin conceded only five runs in the first five balls and also sent back Dale Steyn.
With three runs needed off the last ball, Ryan McLaren hooked a short delivery by Franklin over square-leg and sealed the game for South Africa in some style.
3. Lance Klusner vs Dion Nash, 1999-
In the fourth ODI in 1999, New Zealand scored 191 runs in 40 overs and then had reduced South Africa at 182 for eight wickets down.
But then Lance Klusner hammered 12 runs from the last four balls and snatched a victory for the Proteas.
Klausner needed four runs from the last ball but he sent the white cherry soaring into the stands as Dion Nash and New Zealand watched the proceedings in disbelief.
2. Shivnarine Chanderpaul vs Chaminda Vaas- 2008
This is the only instance of last-ball-six when the team actually needed six runs off the last ball.
West Indies needed ten runs from two balls and with Chaminda Vaas having the ball in his hand, the game was in Sri Lanka’s control. But Chanderpaul had other ideas as he smacked a four of the fifth ball and then hoicked the final delivery into the mid-wicket stand.
1. Javed Miandad vs Chetan Sharma, 1986
The game that inked Miandad’s name in history and ruined Chetan Sharma’s career was the final of Austral-Asia Cup played at Sharjah in 1986. This is arguably the most popular last-ball-six in the history of cricket as it had the atmosphere of the India-Pakistan saga.
Pakistan needed four runs from one ball and Sharma went for a yorker at middle stump. But Miandad, true to his flamboyant approach, came down the track and took the ball on full. He smashed the ball over mid-wicket boundary and as they say the rest is history.
If there is one single moment that has defined India- Pak rivalry in cricket, then this was that moment.
