In 12 years of the Indian Premier League, there have been plenty of thrillers that have enthralled fans. Here is a list of five matches which produced an epic thrillier in IPL history. There are some notable mentions also.
In 12 years of the Indian Premier League, there have been plenty of thrillers that have enthralled fans. Here is a list of five matches which produced an epic thrillier in IPL history. There are some notable mentions also. In this, we will feature the Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore clashes in three of them as they were spectacular. The Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals 2014 match had a freak ending and a cruel heartbreak while the 2019 final was one of the ages.
1. IPL Thrillers
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Chennai Super Kings needed nine to win off the final over. Lasith Malinga - three overs for 42 until then, a dropped catch, ordinary fielding and a missed run-out to his name - turned up one final time to concede just seven. With two required off the last ball, he bowled the most magical slower-ball to win it for Mumbai when most bowlers would have been happy to bowl a slower wide ball to try to ensure the tie first. On a night when experience came to the fore, Shane Watson nearly enjoyed a similar fairy-tale. Trusted through what can conventionally be seen as a horror run, Watson carried Super Kings in the final with 80 off 59, twice undoing Mumbai's good work with his targeted assault of Mumbai bowlers, but his physical struggles got the better of him in the last over. With five required off three balls and with Malinga nailing his yorkers, Watson set off for a suicidal second, not only running himself out but also leaving Ravindra Jadeja stranded at the non-striker's end. Mumbai Indians won the title for a record fourth time and it was for the third time that they had beaten Chennai Super Kings to secure the title. (Image credit: Twitter)
2. IPL Thrilling matches
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Chennai Super Kings needed 70 from the last five, and 26 off the last over. Off those last six balls, Dhoni crunched three sixes - one clean out of the ground - and a four, but couldn't lay bat on the final delivery when two runs were needed to win. Called through for a bye, Shardul Thakur dived to make his ground, but Parthiv, who had his right glove removed, threw down the stumps with the batsman inches short to secure a vital win for Royal Challengers by the narrowest of margins. (Image credit: Twitter)
3. IPL Thrillers
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Albie Morkel ransacked 28 runs off the first six balls he faced - the 19th over - to pull off an incredible heist for Chennai Super Kings, the second highest successful chase in the IPL. Pursuing 206, Super Kings needed 43 off 12 balls and Royal Challengers Bangalore would have thought the match safe, only for Morkel to shatter the notion by savaging Virat Kohli's over. Morkel launched three sixes, two fours and ran a two, to leave Super Kings with 15 to get in the last over. Chennai Super Kings needed 14 off four balls, Dwayne Bravo was on hand to finish it off, helped by a no-ball and a full toss from Vinay Kumar. It was a compelling finish to an innings that had its platform laid by aggression from Faf du Plessis. In hindsight Royal Challengers were left to rue a late collapse in their innings, when five wickets fell in six balls and they scored only 11 runs off the final ten deliveries. (Image credit: Twitter)
4. IPL thrilling games
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Deja-vu again in 2013. The last time Royal Challengers Bangalore went to Chennai, Virat Kohli lost a won match when he bowled one over. In 2013, Kohli lost a won game by handing over the ball to RP Singh, who conceded 16 in the last over, including a huge no-ball, which was caught at third man and would have won them the match had RP not overstepped - it was meant to be the final ball of the game. Ravindra Jadeja, who mixed educated edges and meaty blows superbly, took Chennai Super Kings home with 38 off 20. (Image credit: Twitter)
5. IPL Thriller
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Rajasthan Royals completed the most spectacular of meltdowns to lose in the IPL 2014 clash. Mumbai Indians, having decided to chase, needed to achieve whatever target they were set in 14.3 overs to get ahead on net run rate. Royals set them 190. Corey Anderson smashed 95 off 44 balls and take his place at the non-striker's end. Rayudu was eventually run out attempting the overthrow that would have given Mumbai all they needed. As Rayudu sank to his knees after his dismissal, gutted because he thought Mumbai had fallen so agonisingly short, chaos broke out around him. The batsmen and fielders crowded the umpires for clarification, and play halted for several minutes. Some Royals players had begun to celebrate - 14.3 overs had been bowled and the scores were only tied, Mumbai had not won - but substitutes ran out with the message that it was not done yet. If Mumbai hit a boundary off the next ball, they would make it. And then Faulkner bowled a staggeringly loose full toss, Tare hit it for six and sealed a place in the playoffs for Mumbai Indians. (Image credit: Twitter)
