5 bowlers who defended less than 6 runs in the last over of an ODI

Kagiso Rabada bowled very well in the last over to help South Africa win the first ODIAs much skewed as the game may appear in the batsman’s favour, tight chases and last over results have often amounted to the best of matches and made unlikely heroes out of bowlers.The ever changing fielding restrictions and the advent of T20 might have made life difficult for them, but bowlers have had their share of last over heroics.Here’s a list of those who didn’t buckle under pressure: five bowlers who managed to defend less than six runs in the final over of an ODI.

#1 Chris Gayle, 5 runs

A young Chris Gayle led his side to victory in the ninth match of the 2000 Natwest Series

The ninth match of the NatWest Tri-series in 2000 was a warm up for England, who played Zimbabwe in the finals. Despite Alec Stewart’s unbeaten century, England faltered in the final part of the chase, losing three wickets in the final over. Stewart could only watch helplessly from the other end as the lower order crumbled to the pressure of the chase.

The last over panic was initiated by a run-out. Paul Franks (playing his only ODI) was caught short by a direct hit from Mahendra Nagamootoo at point. The innocuous off-spin of the then twenty-year-old Chris Gayle got the better of Darren Gough and Alan Mullally, leaving England short by three runs.

#2 Glenn Maxwell, 2 runs

Maxwell performed with the ball for Australia to lead them to an extraordinary win

Maxwell has done some extraordinary things on the pitch, but a double-wicket maiden as the last over is something he will cherish for long. With Sohail Tanvir and Zulfiqar Babar at the crease, Pakistan needed just two runs in six balls, with two wickets in hand in an ODI at Abu Dhabi in 2014.

Maxwell, however, kept bowling flat and quick. What ensued was unprecedented drama. Tanvir, in the mood to finish off the match, went for a wild slog across the line and was bowled.

Mohammad Irfan, the number eleven that followed him, had hit Maxwell for two sixes in the previous match. In a bid to reproduce the same, he couldn’t make contact with the bat for the next three deliveries. When he did, the ball ballooned in the air and was gobbled up at cover. In bizarre fashion, Maxwell had handed Australia their narrowest victory against Pakistan.

#3 Imran Khan, 4 runs

Imran Khan led his team by example to victory many times

Famous for his reverse swinging yorkers, Imran Khan gave a master-class on how to defend a small target in the last over, even twenty years into his international career.

In the twelfth match of the World Series Cup, 1990, Khan provided Pakistan a two-wicket win over hosts and world champions Australia. With a target of 221 in 49 overs, Australia looked on course for a win, when the wicket of Allan Border initiated a collapse. A late charge from Simon O’Donnell reduced the deficit to only four runs with one over to go.

Imran Khan gave away just one run, dismissing O’Donnell and Rackermann in the process to set up a two-run win. The result had no bearings on the qualifying table of the World Series Cup, but the game, that comfortably looked like Australia’s, was undone by Imran’s experience and skill. Bowling full and straight, he hardly gave the batsmen any space to play their strokes.

#4 Chris Pringle, 2 runs

Pringle was the first person to defend two runs in the last over to lead his side to victory

Before Maxwell accomplished the feat, 22-year-old Chris Pringle managed to defend two runs in a Benson & Hedges Cup match in 1990. Bowling to the 6’8’’ Bruce Reid, he bowled a maiden, varying his pace and pitching it full. Australia had already booked their spot in the finals of the tournament, with England and New Zealand fighting for the other spot. Pringle had been in fine form throughout the tournament, and he showed another glimpse in the final over of the match.

Things were going well for Australia, when a middle order collapse left them reeling at 153-7, and although they managed to reach very close to the target, the remarkable maiden overturned the tide in the Black Caps’ favour. Pringle ended as the highest wicket taker of the tournament.

#5 Manoj Prabhakar, 5 runs

Manoj Prabhakar's brilliant last over set up a one-run victory for India against Sri Lanka

Prabhakar, who had also essayed the role of an opener in the match, giving India a solid start alongside Navjot Sidhu, dismissed the last Sri Lankan batsman to give India the slimmest possible margin of victory at Colombo in 1993. Known for his deceptive slower balls, he was also adept at bowling yorkers.

Sri Lanka required five runs off the last over, with the last pair of Ruwan Kalpage and Wickramasinghe on the crease. Kalpage struck the first one to midwicket and pushed for three runs. With the last batsman on strike, Prabhakar unleashed a swinging yorker that cleaned up Wickramasinghe and gave India a single-run victory.