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IPL 2012: Last-ball escapes to victory

Following Mumbai Indians' thrilling last-ball win over Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, Rajneesh Gupta recounts the last-ball wins recorded in this IPL season so far.

Mumbai Indians registered a thrilling win against Chennai Super Kings. They needed 14 runs off the last three balls; Ben Hilfenhaus had bowled really well up until now. However Dwayne Smith, playing his first match this season for Mumbai Indians, hit a six and followed it with two fours to give the home side an incredible win.

It was the fifth time a chasing side won the match off the last ball in this edition of IPL. We take a look at the other four.

Mumbai Indians v Deccan Chargers, Visakhapatnam, April 9

Chasing a victory target of 139, Mumbai Indians needed 18 runs off the last over. Deccan's captain Kumar Sangakkara had bowled out his best bowler Dale Steyn, so Daniel Christian was given the responsibility of bowling the final over.

James Franklin hit the first two balls to long-off for fours, the batsmen sneaked a bye off the third. The fourth ball was dispatched by Rohit Sharma through backward point for a four. The fifth ball was drilled to long-off and Rohit Sharma just managed to survive being run-out while getting back for a couple. With three needed off the last ball, Christian bowled a juicy full-toss and Rohit promptly dispatched it over long-on fence for a six to complete a thrilling win.

Calm Jadeja sees Chennai home

Chennai Super Kings v Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai, April 12

Chennai Super Kings pulled off the second highest successful chase in the IPL, and they did it in style.

Super Kings needed 43 runs off the last 2 overs. The 19th over bowled by Virat Kohli went for 28 runs as Albie Morkel hit three sixes, two fours and a two, leaving Super Kings with 15 runs to get in the last over.

R Vinay Kumar bowled the last over. Dwayne Bravo took a single of the first ball. Morkel was caught off the second ball. Fourteen runs were needed off four balls now and target looked out of reach for Super Kings. But Vinay Kumar bowled a horrendous full-toss to Bravo, which was top-edged to fine-leg for a four. To make matters worse for Bangalore, it was declared a no-ball based on height. Vinay Kumar's next delivery was a low full-toss, which was slashed for a six.

Bravo somehow missed the next ball. A single came off the fifth ball, leaving new man Ravindra Jadeja with the task of scoring the winning runs. The last ball was edged to the third-man boundary for a four by Jadeja, giving Super Kings an incredible win and leaving Bangalore players shell-shocked.

Tiwary slams Nehra yorker for win

Royal Challengers Bangalore v Pune Warriors India, Bangalore, April 17

Royal Challengers did to Pune Warriors what Super Kings had done to them a few days earlier.

Royal Challengers needed 28 runs off last two overs. Ashok Dinda conceded only seven runs in the penultimate over, leaving the Challengers with an impossible looking target of scoring 21 runs off last 6 balls.

Ashish Nehra bowled the last over. Saurabh Tiwary managed just a single off the first ball. Twenty runs were now needed off 5 balls – a boundary off each ball! AB de Villiers then turned the game on its head by hitting next three balls for a 4, 6 & 6. With 4 needed off 2 balls, De Villiers managed a single off the fifth ball. Nehra tried a yorker off the last ball of the over, but it pitched perfectly in the slot for Tiwary and he promptly sent it over the long-on boundary for a mighty six.

Dhoni dominates Binny to clinch thriller

Chennai Super Kings v Rajasthan Royals, Chennai, April 21

At one stage the Super Kings looked clear winners as they needed only 31 runs off last four overs with nine wickets remaining. It came down to 8 runs off the last over. Stuart Binny, playing his first game, was given the task of bowling this over.

Two singles came off the first two balls. Dhoni took a couple off the third ball, but two singles off the next two balls meant Super Kings needed two runs off the last ball. Under-pressure Binny bowled a full-toss on the leg stump, Dhoni flicked it on the leg-side, Kevon Cooper fielded well at deep square-leg but a poor throw allowed Dhoni to come back for a second run, leaving the bowler inconsolable.