For cricket fans across the world, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has always stood for exciting run chases, thrilling finishes and an unmatchable adrenaline rush. Since its inception in 2008, the IPL has seen many matches that have held spectators at the edge of their seats long after the last ball of the match had been bowled. This article revisits some of these enthralling finishes that have built on this reputation of breathtaking duels. 96in login: Your key to unlocking a world of cricket betting excitement!
Thrillers on the Last Ball
Rajasthan Royals vs. Mumbai Indians (IPL 2008 – Final): The first-ever IPL final was a perfect example. Under Shane Warne’s legendary captaincy, Rajasthan Royals were down to 13 runs from 4 deliveries with star-studded Mumbai Indians standing in their way. Nehra was entrusted with bowling duties for Mumbai in that over. Yusuf Pathan, a young batsman representing Rajasthan hit a six off Nehra’s first delivery to be followed by a single; then Joginder Sharma who is best known as a pinch-hitter by his team came out to bat when six runs were needed from three balls; Nehra bowled one wide making it five runs needed from three balls; At this juncture, Sharma swung his bat and launched the next delivery into orbit over long-on for a huge six sending Royals to victory and subsequently immortalizing his name forever.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab (IPL 2014 – Qualifier 2): It was an action-packed contest with a nail-biting climax on the final ball. Kolkata Knight Riders had to score 13 runs off the last over against Kings XI Punjab fast bowler Sandeep Sharma if they were to win having set them up a massive total of 190 runs. Gambhir started his innings by hitting the first six off the very first delivery before Manish Pandey scored one off the following ball. Needing 5 runs from two balls, time was running out for KKR. Another single was taken by Pandey on the fourth delivery leaving Chawla on strike. Requiring 2 of the final balls, Chawla swung his bat and somehow managed to send it to boundaries making Kolkata Knight Riders enter ipl final in a thrilling climax. The IPL Full Form, which stands for Indian Premier League, refers to a professional Twenty20 cricket league in India, known for its high-octane matches featuring top international and domestic cricketers.
The Super Overs
Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals (IPL 2011 – Qualifier 1): This match that came to be known as “The Super Over Thriller” showed how unpredictable T20 cricket could be. They were chasing a low total of 146 runs but Chennai Super Kings led by ever reliable MS Dhoni fell short by just a run in their allotted overs. The game went into super over where both sides managed to score 11 runs respectively. But once again this tied super over got into sudden death, and this meant each side would get only one chance of batting with three wickets in hand during the super over format. Dhoni is known for maintaining calmness even under intense pressure so he stepped up and smashed first ball of CSK’s innings for six thus giving his team an unforgettable win.
Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings (IPL 2019 – Final): The 2019 IPL final was another nail-biter that went all the way down to the wire. Chasing a target of 288 set by the Mumbai Indians, Shane Watson’s Chennai Super Kings needed 9 runs from Jasprit Bumrah, widely seen as one of the world’s best death bowlers and who was also given the responsibility of bowling the last over. Dhoni played calculated innings taking singles and twos. Dhoni took a helicopter shot that did not clear the boundary when four runs were needed in two balls. With the scores level, this match went into a super-over. However, Mumbai Indians won it this time around capturing their fourth IPL title in a dramatic end to the season.
The High-Scoring Dramas
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians (IPL 2008 – Qualifier 1): This match which took place at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore saw batsmen smashing ball all over thereby creating an explosion of scores. Royal Challengers Bangalore batted first and they registered a total of 218/4 after twenty overs thanks to great batting performances by Brendon McCullum and Robin Uthappa. Nevertheless, Sachin Tendulkar led his explosive side to fight back like true champions for every ball and stay in contention right until the end. While Tendulkar was out there smashing his way to a breathtaking half-century off just thirty-seven deliveries, wickets fell regularly at many other places. Determining a single “loser team” (Bhikari Team in IPL) in the entire IPL history wouldn’t be fair or accurate, as all teams go through periods of winning and losing.
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians (IPL 2008 – Qualifier 1) : Despite late fireworks from Abhishek Nayar and Harbhajan Singh, Mumbai Indians ended up being five runs short of the target at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, leaving the crowd in disbelief. This match showed how much power T20 cricket has for entertainment with astounding batting displays by both teams.
Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals (IPL 2014 – League Stage): At that time, this was the highest-scoring match in IPL history. Batting first, Kings XI Punjab put a massive 230 on board with Glenn Maxwell smashing a brutal 89 off just 43 balls. In reply to that Rajasthan Royals chased down this target in 3 balls remaining courtesy of a brilliant century from Ajinkya Rahane (103 off 60 balls) and Sanju Samson’s quickfire 41. This game symbolized the evolution of T20 cricket towards a format dominated by batsmen playing aggressive shots.
The Comebacks From The Brink
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals (IPL 2018 – Qualifier 1): This game illustrated what has become typical of close finishes in IPL – grit and determination even when things look impossible. Chasing a target of 170 set by the Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders had slipped into deep trouble at 61/6 after only eleven overs. However, Andre Russell fought with his bat contributing forty-eight runs from twenty-two balls which helped them to come from behind and win it all. With Sunil Narine chipping in crucially at the other end, Kolkata Knight Riders won against all odds having taken every inch they could afford before completing it off with just two deliveries left as Royals watched helplessly and Eden Gardens erupted into wild celebration.
IPL 2020 ELIMINATOR: Delhi Capitals vs. Kings XI Punjab: This thriller was an example of how vital bowling is in down-to-the-wire contests. The Delhi Capitals had only 162 runs to make as they chased a moderate target, and they were cruising at one point with just 13 runs required from the last three overs with seven wickets in hand. However, the experienced Mohammed Shami-led Kings XI Punjab bowlers came from nowhere. In the final over, Shami derailed the plans of Delhi Capitals when he took three wickets including that of the dangerous-looking Shreyas Iyer. By a mere margin of 3 runs, it ended up for Delhi capitals indicating cricket’s ever-present possibility of an unexpected twist.
These are just a few examples among many heart-stopping finishes that IPL has come to be known for. These close encounters have their beauty in unpredictability where momentum can shift drastically within an over or even a ball. For cricket fans, these matches provide an unparalleled viewing experience, leaving them with memories that linger long after the final whistle.
Apart from that, such close finishes highlight the immense pressure under which players perform during high-stakes moments. Pressure ability and decision making is what separates ordinary players from great ones in IPL. Such matches also reveal the significance of teamwork whereby all players on the field contribute towards the outcome.
Cricket watching has been transformed by the IPL courtesy of its ever-changing nature and emphasis on entertaining fans while at it. Every time one watches IPL; they eagerly expects another exciting game since there seems to be no end to thrilling nail-biters generated by this league. As we move forward, looking through history books would reveal more dramatic wins and losses that would further confirm this league as T20 entertainment kingpin.
