The current Indian team is probably one of the most lethal ones when it comes down to competing with their counterparts. On Wednesday, the Indian cricket fans and spectators witnessed another brilliant performance from India against New Zealand when they outplayed the Kiwis in the third T20I of the five-match series in Hamilton.
READ: Rohit Sharma shows mettle, wins series for India vs New Zealand in Hamilton
India grabbed the win from the jaws of defeat after taking the game into the Super Over, courtesy a fine bowling display from Mohammed Shami who defended 9 runs in the final over. The game then went into the Super Over and India were handed a target of 18 runs in 6 balls.
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Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul came out to bat and guided the visitors to an emphatic win. India needed 10 runs off 2 balls when Sharma smacked Tim Southee for a couple of sixes on the trot to take his side over the line. But this is not the first time that India have stolen away a win by a whisker.
India vs Bangladesh- 2016 World T20
Bangladesh needed 11 runs in the final over of the Group stage match during World T20 2016 in Bangalore. India captain MS Dhoni handed the ball to Hardik Pandya while Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah were out in the middle for Bangladesh. Bangladesh managed to score 9 runs out of the 11 of the first three deliveries but then lost both the batsmen on the next consecutive deliveries.
They now needed 2 off the last ball but some brilliant glovework from Dhoni behind the stumps handed a thrilling 1-wicket win to India. Pandya bowled a short delivery to Shuvagata Hom that went past his bat. Mustafizur who was at the other end called for a run to take the match into the Super Over but failed to make the ground as Dhoni clipped the bails off to run him out and win the match for his team.
India vs England- Champions Trophy final 2013
India met England in the final of the 2013 Champions Trophy in Birmingham. The rain-hit match was reduced to 20 overs aside. India who batted first managed to put 129/7 in the allotted overs with Virat Kohli top-scoring with 43.
England in reply didn’t really have a good start to the chase and lost wickets at regular intervals to get reduced to 46/4. But Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara held their nerves and guided England back in the game with a 64-run stand for the fifth wicket.
India skipper MS Dhoni then took a bold decision of handing the ball to Ishant Sharma who removed both Morgan and Bopara on the trot to get India back on track. England eventually needed 6 runs off the last ball in the R Ashwin over but failed to get over the line. India eventually lifted the Champions Trophy 2013.
India vs Pakistan- World T20 2007 final
This was probably the best match that a cricket fan could have asked for. India and Pakistan met each other in the final of the inaugural World T20 in 2007 in Johannesburg. Batting first, India rode on Gautam Gambhir’s 75 to manage a total of 157/5 in 20 overs. In reply, Indian bowlers rattled Pakistan batting line up and reduced them to 104/7.
But Misbah-ul-Haq stood strong at one end and took the game in the final over where they required 13 runs off the last over. Joginder Sharma had the ball in his hand and Pakistan scored 7 runs in the first three balls that included a wide delivery. Misbah then tried to go over the short-fine leg area for a boundary but miscued his shot and S Sreesanth took the catch. India won the inaugural World T20.
India vs Pakistan-World T20 2007 Group Stage match
This was the time when Super Over hadn’t come into the scene and a tie T20 match would be decided by Bowl Out. India batting first 141/9 in 20 overs in Durban and then restricted Pakistan 141/7 in 20 overs taking the match into the Bowl Out. The Indian bowlers were spot on with their targets while Pakistan missed them. India eventually won the match.
India vs Sri Lanka- Tri series final 2013
After winning the Champions Trophy in 2013, India went to West Indies to play a tri-series that included Sri Lanka as the third side. India and Sri Lanka met in the final in Port of Spain. Sri Lanka batted first and were bundled out for 201 and the Indian fans thought that it would be a cakewalk to chase down the target.
But Sri Lankan bowlers had other plans as they ripped apart Indian batting line up and left them tottering at 182/9. But we still had MS Dhoni at the crease who took the game in the final over where India needed 15 runs. Shamind Eranga had the ball in his hands for the final over. Dhoni missed the first delivery but then struck 6,4,6 to conclude the game and win the match for India by 1 wicket.
