Cricketers who hit boundaries to win a T20I game

Since the inception of Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket, the game has witnessed more close finishes. Many games have gone on the wire and teams went on to win on the last ball.

The introduction of twenty overs cricket has also kept the fans on their toes with the game-changing very quickly.

Meanwhile, many batsmen have won it for their team while hitting boundaries of the last ball of the match.

Most recently, Dinesh Karthik’s six of the last ball won the match for India against Bangladesh in the Nidahas Trophy final in Colombo.

Let us take a look at the list of batsmen, who has hit a boundary to win the match in the last ball:

Dinesh Karthik:

Dinesh Karthik struck Soumya Sarkar for a massive six to win the Nidahas Trophy 2018 Trophy for India. The right-handed Karthik’s little cameo at the end will be etched in every cricket lover’s mind.

India needed five runs to win when Karthik struck a flat and rocking six to win the game. Meanwhile, he remained unbeaten on 29 of 8 deliveries including three sixes and two boundaries. He also received the man of the match award.

India won the match by four wickets to win the Nidahas Trophy.

Asela Gunaratne:

Asela Gunaratne was the last batsman prior to Karthik – to the winning shot with a boundary. Needing two off the last ball in the second T20I against Australia at Geelong on February 19, 2017; Gunaratne ended the contest in style.

It was a seam-up length ball from Andrew Tye outside off, which Gunaratne hammers it over the covers for a four which led to a wild celebration in the Lankan camp.

Gunaratne also received Man of the Match for his unbeaten 84 off 46 balls while chasing 174.

Chamara Kapugedera:

Just before Gunaratne, Chamara Kapugedera’s heroic in the last ball made Sri Lanka beat Australia in the 1st T20I at Melbourne.

Chasing 169, Lanka needed 1 off the last ball and once again it was Tye bowling. The Australian pacer bowled a full outside off length delivery, which Kapugedera drives through the covers for a four and seal the victory by 5 wickets.

Suresh Raina:

Before Karthik, Suresh Raina was the last Indian to hit a boundary to win a game for India. Playing in the 3rd T20I against Australia at Sydney on January 31, 2016, Raina used his wrist to hit a four over the point when India needed 2 off the last ball.

India needed 17 off the final over and it was once again Tye was at the receiving end. Thanks to a four and six of the first two balls of the over, India crawled their way the final delivery, where Raina became the hero of the match and celebrates the victory by punching in the air.

Vusi Sibanda:

The right-handed struck one massive six from Ahsan Malik to win it for Zimbabwe in group league matches in the World T20.

Malik missed his length for once, sending down an overpitched ball as Sibanda gets low and wallops this high over long on. Sibanda remained unbeaten on 9 runs providing good support Brendan Taylor.

Zimbabwe won the thriller of a match by five wickets.

Sachithra Senanayake:

In a nail-bitter clash with Bangladesh, Senanayake hit the winning boundary at Chittagong. Chasing only 121, Bangladesh pushed the contest to last over with their brilliant display of bowling.

Needing 2 off the final ball, Senanayake did the job for Sri Lanka with a four behind the square leg off Farhaz Reza’s bowling.

Zulfiqar Babar:

Especially a bowler, Zulfiqar struck a massive six off Marlon Samuels to help Pakistan win the 1st T20I.
Zulfiqar, playing his debut game got under one low full toss from Samuels to clear the long off boundary. He remained unbeaten on 13 runs which is his highest T20I score.

Meanwhile, Pakistan chased down the target o 153 with two wickets in hand.

Ryan Flannigan:

Scotland needed to win anyhow against Canada to ensure the 5th place in the World T20 Qualifier 2012.

Chasing 136, Ryan Flannigan did a brilliant job by hitting four of the last ball when exactly 4 runs were required to win the match. Rizwan Cheema was at the receiving end for Canada, who bowled a fullish delivery to Flannigan only to get driven powerfully.

Ahsan Malik:

Known for his bowling, on one occasion Ahsan Malik made a mark with the bat. Playing against Bangladesh at The Hague on July 26, 2012, Malik struck the winning shot off the last ball.

Chasing 129, Malik needed 2 from the last ball while Abdur Razzak was bowling the last over. Malik cuts the leather powerfully behind the point as the ball raced to the boundary. The Netherlands won the match by 1 wicket.

Eoin Morgan:

The current England skipper played a magical knock against India at Wankhede in 2012. He won the match for his team hitting Ashok Dinda a six of the last delivery of the game.

Morgan smashed the ball straight back over Dinda’s head for six. The delivery was arching for the yorker but ended up being a half-volley in Morgan’s hitting arc and he made no mistake, kabooming the ball over the rope with a free-flowing swing of the arms.

England eventually won the match by six wickets as Morgan remained unbeaten on 49 runs.

Martin Guptill:

In the second T20I against South Africa at East London, Martin Guptill single-handedly won the match for New Zealand.

Chasing 169 in a 19-over match, Guptill steered New Zealand’s victory with his unbeaten 101 off 69 balls. However, it was his last ball four which made him more popular.

New Zealand needed exactly 4 of the last ball and Guptill managed to hit it hard past the cover fielder as the ball went like a tracer bullet.

Chamara Kapugedera:

Kapugedara’s massive six in the last ball of the game handed Sri Lanka a nail-biter against India. He charged down the track and carves the last delivery from Ashish Nehra over sweeper cover for six to pull off a final-ball victory.

Meanwhile, he remained unbeaten on 37 runs off 16 deliveries including two boundaries and three sixes.

In reply to India’s 163, Sri Lanka had a poor start losing two wickets. However, it was the late cameo from Kapugedara that won the match for Sri Lanka by five wickets.

Also, he is the only batsman to achieve this feat twice.

Further, here is the newsfeed:

Speedster Kagiso Rabada awaits the result of his appeal

Bangladesh fans slam Sunil Gavaskar for doing ‘Snake Dance’