6 most memorable knocks in World Cup chases

The 2015 Cricket World will be played from February 14, 2015 to March 29, 2015. This is the second time the 50-over World Cup will be played in Australia-New Zealand. Pakistan won the previous World Cup in 1992 that was played in the region.Despite different formats, the 50-over World Cup remains the pinnacle of glory for all cricketing nations, and the performances here are remembered for a long time. Chases in World Cup can be tricky, especially during the knockout stages. Heroes and villains emerge from such situations and careers can take any route based on a single performance.Under such immense pressure, there have been some amazing individual innings played over the years. The importance of the match, along with the audacity of the reply from the batsman form the basic parameters for coming up with this list.Here is a look at the top 6 knocks played in during chases in World Cup matches.

#6 97 Gautam Gambhir vs Sri Lanka, Mumbai, 2011

India’s Gautam Gambhir dropped anchor and steadied the Indian run-chase at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai after India were reduced to 31-2 in the Final of 2011 World Cup.

Gambhir walked out to bat in the very first over of the Indian innings and was up against the scoring rate right from the start. India were chasing a total of 275 runs under lights and the Lankan bowlers were on a roll. Gambhir got his timing going early in his innings and paired up with Virat Kohli in the middle overs to keep up the Indian scoring rate. Kohli however was dismissed in the 22nd over with India still over 160 runs away from the target.

Gambhir himself fell in the 42nd over, just three runs shy of a century when he tried to charge a Thisara Perera delivery and was clean bowled. India were just over 50 runs away from their target at this stage and well on their way to a win.

#5 107* Aravinda de Silva vs Australia, Lahore, 1996

On 17 March, 1996, Sri Lanka became the new cricket World Champions when they beat Australia to win the 1996 Wills World Cup at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The Sri Lankan victory was led by an unbeaten century from stalwart Aravinda de Silva, who was provided good support by Asanka Gurusinha (65) and by skipper Arjuna Ranatunga (47*). Sri Lanka reached their target of 245 runs in the 47th over and won the match by 7 wickets after being reduced to 23-2 at one stage.

de Silva was deservedly voted the Man-of-the-Match for his brilliant knock in the Final.

#4 98 Sachin Tendulkar vs Pakistan, Centurion, 2003

Sachin Tendulkar entertained a capacity crowd at the SuperSport Park in Centurion when he took India’s run chase of 273 runs against Pakistan into his own hands from the very first over.

After all the build up surrounding Shoaib Akhtar’s verbal volleys around Sachin Tendulkar, the Indian maestro hit a six and two fours off the first over by the express pace bowler and India were ahead in fine style. Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag brought up the Indian fifty in just five overs.

India went to on win the encounter against their arch-rivals thanks to a Tendulkar special, who finished on 98 off 75 balls. The knock included 12 fours and one six over third-man and is among Tendulkar’s best knocks in ODI cricket.

#3 120* Steve Waugh vs South Africa, Headingley, 1999

Australia looked dead and buried at 48-3 in a crucial Super Six encounter against South Africa (who had already qualified for the semi-final). Australia’s captain Steve Waugh walked out to bat at number five and joined Ricky Ponting at the wicket. Australia were chasing a target of 272 runs to win the match.

Waugh and Ponting started to make a move together by playing strokes all round Headingley and kept the required run rate under check. Australia’s hopes depended on one of the batsmen to carry on right till the end. The duo brought up the 100-run partnership in the 30th over of the Australian second innings.

Lance Klusner nearly removed Waugh when the former Aussie skipper was batting on 56* but for an unfortunate spill by Hershelle Gibbs, who threw the ball in celebration and ended up dropping the catch instead. Ponting fell for 69, but Waugh kept batting for Australia and eventually brought up a fine ODI hundred in the 43rd over.

A fight till the very last over saw Australia needing eight runs to win off the final over, and it was fittingly Waugh who hit the winning runs for Australia. Waugh finished on 120* off 110 balls and Australia were through to the semi-finals of the 1999 Cricket World Cup.

#2 60 Inzamam-ul-Haq vs New Zealand, Auckland, 1992

One of the most amazing innings played to win a World Cup match in a chase came at Auckland in March 1992. In the first semi-final of the 1992 Benson and Hedges Cricket World Cup, Pakistan were chasing New Zealand’s total of 262 runs.

At 140/4, the match was in balance as a relatively unknown 22-year-old named Inzamam-ul-Haq walked out to join the more experienced Javed Miandad. With Pakistan needing 123 runs off just 15 overs at that stage, the match seemed out of their reach. But Inzamam had other ideas that afternoon.

In less than one hour, Inzy hit New Zealand’s bowlers all over the Eden Park, scoring 60 runs in just 37 balls. The innings took everyone by surprise and while he was run out 36 runs short of the target, Moin Khan and Javed Miandad ensured there were no further hiccups.

Inzamam sturck seven fours and one six during his innings to take Pakistan to the World Cup final, from a situation which looked hopeless at one stage. This one innings pitchforked him to stardom, making him a household name in Pakistan and rest of the world. Pakistan beat England in the final at Melbourne and won the 1992 Cricket World Cup.

#1 91* MS Dhoni vs Sri Lanka, Mumbai, 2011

In one of the most daring moves by a captain, Indian skipper MS Dhoni, with only 150 runs in last 7 innings in the World Cup under his belt, and a high score of 34 in the tournament, promoted himself up the order in the World Cup final at home, above the man who had taken the tournament by the scruff of its neck and given a brilliant all-round performance till then.

Dhoni walked out to bat ahead of Yuvraj Singh in Mumbai on the night of the 2011 World Cup final. India were chasing a target of 275 runs and still needed 161 runs at almost run-a-ball when Dhoni came to the crease.

India were under pressure playing at home and chasing a target in a final was never going to be easy. Aided by a sublime Gautam Gambhir at the other end, Dhoni started his innings slowly, but after facing two dozen deliviries decided to attack the Lankan spinners who were in operation. Dhoni was among the few Indian players whose home was pelted by angry fans following India’s shocking exit from the 2007 World Cup four years ago.

In 2011, with the burden of captaincy added to his shoulders, Dhoni zoned in and took control of proceedings. India were marching towards the finish line as Dhoni started to powerfully thump the ball and with just four runs needed for victory, Dhoni swung his bat and hit the ball over the long-on boundary to seal the match.

It was the highest ever chase in a World Cup final, and India were the new World Champions. MS Dhoni was named the Man-of-the-Match in the final.