India cricket team – The ultimate masters of tied ODIs following Vizag humdinger

Virat Kohli’s magnificent 157*, which made him the fastest to 10,000 runs beating Sachin Tendulkar’s knock, had helped India reach 321/6. In response, Shai Hope (123*) and Shimron Hetmyer (94) put West Indies on course for an upset. Umesh Yadav had 14 runs to defend in the final over. The equation boiled down to five off the last ball and Hope hit a boundary to ensure the match ended in a tie. 

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This was the ninth tie for India in ODIs, the joint-second most by a team level with Australia. West Indies have the most ties with 10. In the last five years, India have been involved in plenty of these thrillers. Here is a list of final-over tied thrillers that India have encountered before the Vizag ODI. This list does not include the England vs India rain-affected game at Lord's as the match ended before the last over and the result was tied due to D/L calculations.

1.)        India vs Afghanistan, Asia Cup 2018, Dubai International Stadium

Mohammad Shahzad’s magnificent century (124) and Mohammad Nabi’s aggressive 64 helped Afghanistan to 252/8 against MS Dhoni’s side. In response, KL Rahul (60) and Ambati Rayudu (57) gave India a rollicking start but a middle order collapse saw India needing seven runs off the last over with one wicket to spare. The final over was bowled by legspinner Rashid Khan and Ravindra Jadeja was the batsman. After blocking the first ball, Jadeja found the boundary at deep midwicket with a slog sweep. A couple of singles got the equation down to one run off two balls. However, Jadeja miscued a pull shot and was caught at deep midwicket and the match ended in a tie.

2.)        New Zealand vs India, third ODI, Eden Park Auckland January 25, 2014

Martin Guptill’s blazing 111 and Kane Williamson’s 65 helped New Zealand reach 314 all out. Fifties from MS Dhoni (50) and R Ashwin (65) gave India hope but Ravindra Jadeja batted aggressively and got India to within touching distance. The last over, bowled by Corey Anderson who had taken five wickets, began badly for New Zealand when Jadeja smashed a four to deep midwicket. Two wides followed and India needed 12 off 3. The left-hander smashed a four and a six off two balls and India needed two off the last ball. However, Anderson maintained his nerve and India managed just a single to ensure the match was a memorable one on a disastrous tour. 

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3.)        India vs Sri Lanka, CB Tri-series, Adelaide Oval February 14, 2012

Dinesh Chandimal’s magnificent 81 was key in Sri Lanka reaching 236/9 on a sluggish Adelaide Oval wicket. Gautam Gambhir’s 91 put India on course but the middle order struggled. It was left to MS Dhoni to guide India over the line. The best batsman in the death was up against the best death-overs bowler in Lasith Malinga. India needed nine runs in the last over but Malinga ensured that only five runs came off four balls. With four runs needed off two balls, Vinay Kumar was run-out for 1 but on the last ball, Dhoni reached out to a full and wide ball outside off to carve it to deep extra cover. Three runs were the result and the match ended in chaos. 

4.)        India vs England, 2011 World Cup league game, Bangalore February 27, 2011

Sachin Tendulkar’s sublime 120 and fifties from Gautam Gambhir (51) and Yuvraj Singh (58) helped India reach 338/8. Crucially, there was a short run from Munaf Patel in the final over of the innings that would impact the result. Andrew Strauss’ inspirational 158 put England on course but Zaheer Khan’s superb spell saw a collapse in the death overs. With 14 runs needed off the last over, Munaf stepped up and conceded just three runs in two balls. However, the third ball was dispatched over long on for a six, bringing the equation down to five off three balls. A bye and two runs followed and England needed two off the last ball. Munaf held his nerve and only one run was scored, ensuring only the fourth tied-game in World Cup history. 

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5.)        Zimbabwe vs India, Standard Bank Tri-series, Paarl January 27, 1997

Zimbabwe had managed to reach 236/8 thanks to Alistair Campbell’s 61 and a blazing 40 by Craig Evans. In response, India frequently lost wickets but Robin Singh stepped up and blasted 48 off 31 balls as India needed two runs off two balls in the final over with one wicket to spare. Eddo Brandes, who picked up five wickets, bowled a wide which tied the scores, and Venkatesh Prasad at the non-striker’s end tried to steal a quick single which would have won the game. However, Robin Singh could not get to the other end and was run-out, resulting in the second tie between the two sides in ODIs.