Chennai Super Kings needed 10 runs in the final over which was bowled by Kamlesh Nagarkoti in the IPL 2020 clash versus Kolkata Knight Riders at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. After the first four balls yielded only three runs, Chennai Super Kings needed seven runs off the final two balls. Ravindra Jadeja, who has finished well for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2020, stepped up and showed his class. The left-hander tied the game with one big six over deep midwicket as Kamlesh Nagarkoti missed his length. In the final ball of the match, Jadeja pounced on a length ball and blasted it over wide long on to seal a memorable win for Chennai Super Kings as they once again played party-poopers to the side.
This was the sixth time in IPL history that Chennai Super Kings won a game on the last ball of the match, overtaking Mumbai Indians who had secured victory off the last ball on five occasions. Speaking after the end of the match, Ravindra Jadeja backed himself to clear the ropes on a regular basis.
“I was hitting the ball well in the nets and kept thinking about that and I managed to do that in the match. We (me and Curran) were talking about going after the bowlers, and in the last 12 balls you don't think much. Just see the ball and hit the ball. I was looking to not loose my shape, and I knew if they bowled in my arc, I could hit a six. Winning every game always means a lot to us,” Jadeja said.
Other last ball six instances
Sir Jadeja’s accomplishment in the game against Kolkata Knight Riders was the 10th time that a six was hit off the last ball of the match to seal victory. Rohit Sharma is the only player to have finished the game off with a last-ball six on three different occasions. The first one came in 2009 during the game between Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders. Rohit smashed a six off Mashrafe Mortaza and won the game for the Deccan Chargers.
Rohit Sharma did it again in the game against Sahara Pune Warriors in 2011 and in 2012, playing for Mumbai Indians, Rohit Sharma hurt his former franchise Deccan Chargers with a last ball six. Ambati Rayudu, while playing for Mumbai Indians, also hit a last ball six in IPL 2011 against Kolkata Knight Riders while Saurabh Tiwary hit a six for Royal Challengers Bangalore in their tense win against Sahara Pune Warriors in IPL 2012.
Dwayne Bravo hit a full toss off Rajat Bhatia in the final ball of the match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens in IPL 2012. However, MS Dhoni memorably did the ‘double Javed Miandad’ for Rising Pune Supergiant in IPL 2016 against Kings XI Punjab. Axar Patel bowled the final over with Rising Pune Supergiant needing 23 runs. After a wide, Dhoni hit a six followed by a boundary and two dots. 12 runs were needed off two balls and MS Dhoni hammered two sixes in the final two balls to seal an epic win.
Mitchell Santner hit a six off the last ball during the tense game between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2019 at Jaipur with the unlucky bowler being Ben Stokes. Nicholas Pooran sealed the game with a six off the last ball during Kings XI Punjab’s win against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Sharjah when one run was needed in the final over bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal.
