Due to its condensed format and highly unpredictable nature, Twenty20 cricket offers a higher frequency of down-to-the-wire contests. Yet, even though the Indian Premier League – the foremost tournament of domestic T20 cricket – has produced many thrillers over the years, it has so far recorded only eight ties in more than 700 matches across 12 editions, the latest of them being between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders at Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla on March 30.
Here is a look back at the eight instances when an IPL clash culminated in a Super Over – the mandatory tie-breaker to decide the eventual winner of the game.
Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals, Cape Town, 2009
The first ever tied game at the IPL was witnessed at Newlands in the second edition, which was entirely played in South Africa due to general elections in India. Defending champions Rajasthan Royals slipped to 14/2 in the third over, before Yusuf Pathan’s counterattacking 21-ball 42 gave the innings some impetus. Replying to the Royals’ 150/6, the Knight Riders began the last over, to be bowled by 18-year-old pacer Kamran Khan, needing seven runs with four wickets in hand.
Kamran kept it tight, and grabbed the key wicket of Sourav Ganguly (46) off the fifth ball. The last ball saw Ishant Sharma get run out while going for the second run, ending the innings at 150/8. Kamran was also entrusted with the Super Over, against the likes of Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum, and managed to limit the score to 15/1. It was Pathan who had the final say, as he ensured victory for the Royals by launching off-spinner Ajantha Mendis for 6, 2, 6 and 4.
Chennai Super Kings v Kings XI Punjab, Chennai, 2010
Kings XI Punjab never really recovered from a position of 64/4 after being put in to bat, and finished at an underwhelming 136/8. Off-spinning legend Muttiah Muralitharan starred for the hosts with 3/16. The Super Kings appeared to be on course when openers Parthiv Patel (57) and Matthew Hayden put on 65 inside nine overs, but South African seamer Juan ‘Rusty’ Theron pulled things back with a haul of 2/17. Kings XI still needed ten runs at the start of the last over.
Albie Morkel hit Irfan Pathan for four off the first ball, but the left-arm paceman held his nerve, removing Ravichandran Ashwin off the final ball to restrict the total to 136/7. Theron, who was on IPL debut, conceded only nine runs in the Super Over, while also scalping Hayden and captain Suresh Raina. Mahela Jayawardene started by hitting Muralitharan for a six, but was out off the next ball. However, Yuvraj Singh struck the winning four for Kings XI off the fourth ball.
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Royal Challengers Bangalore, Hyderabad, 2013
Captain Virat Kohli (46) and Moises Henriques (44) attempted to revive the Royal Challengers after an indifferent start, but the final total of 130/8 was far from convincing. The Sunrisers also faltered in their chase, and despite the efforts of Hanuma Vihari (44*), were kept to 130/7 after Vinay Kumar conceded only six runs in the 20th over, thereby setting the stage for a Super Over.
Vinay was brought on for the one-over eliminator as well, but was taken for 20 runs by Cameron White (who hit two sixes, off the third and fifth balls respectively) and Thisara Perera. The Sunrisers decided that the fiery Dale Steyn would bowl at Gayle and Kohli, and the South African speedster did not let his team down, restricting the dangerous pair to 15 runs.
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Delhi Daredevils, Bangalore, 2013
The Royal Challengers found themselves in another Super Over just nine days later, but this time they held on for the win. The Daredevils struggled to accelerate for the best part of their innings, and it took some late fireworks from Kedar Jadhav and Irfan Pathan to spur the total to 152/5. The hosts wobbled to 26/2 in response, with Gayle and Lokesh Rahul back in the hut. AB de Villiers joined skipper Kohli at this juncture, and the duo shared in a third-wicket stand of 103.
However de Villiers’ run-out for 39 triggered a collapse to 138/7, with Kohli seventh out for 65. The final over saw Pathan cede 11 runs, bringing the innings to a close at 152/7. De Villiers hit Umesh Yadav for sixes off the last two balls of the Super Over to set the Daredevils a target of 16. Ravi Rampaul netted David Warner first ball, and though Pathan hit a four and a six, the Trinidadian quick added the wicket of Ben Rohrer off the last ball, leaving the visitors five short.
Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals, Abu Dhabi, 2014
Five years after being part of the IPL’s first Super Over, the Knight Riders and the Royals scripted a reprise in the UAE. As was the case back then, the Royals emerged as victors. Opener Ajinkya Rahane’s 72 from 59 balls was the cornerstone of the Royals’ total of 152/5, while the Knight Riders’ top order was anchored by captain Gautam Gambhir’s 45. Gambhir’s loss made the score 88/4 in the 14th over, but Suryakumar Yadav and Shakib Al Hasan soon upped the ante.
A brilliant 19th over from James Faulkner (3/11) fetched three wickets and only four runs, boiling it down to 12 off the final over, bowled by Kane Richardson. Needing three off the last ball, Shakib could only get two to end the innings at 152/8. Faulkner delivered in the Super Over as well, limiting the Knight Riders to 11/2. As it turned out, the Royals too totalled 11, against Sunil Narine. But it was enough, as they won on account of hitting more boundaries in the game.
Rajasthan Royals v Kings XI Punjab, Ahmedabad, 2015
The Royals’ tryst with tie-breakers continued the following season, but this time they would go on to lose. Rahane (74 in 54 balls) and Watson (45) powered the Royals to 191/6 through an opening stand of 95, after which Kings XI were reduced to 59/3 in the ninth over. Redemption came in the form of Shaun Marsh and David Miller, who smashed 65 (40) and 54 (30) respectively to turn the tide.
With five runs needed off the last ball, Axar Patel struck a four off Faulkner to level the scores at an identical 191/6. Three consecutive fours from Marsh pushed the Kings XI to 15/2 in the Super Over, which ultimately proved substantial as the wickets of Watson (bowled by Mitchell Johnson off the first ball) and Faulkner (run out off the third ball) meant that the Royals could only muster 6/2.
Gujarat Lions v Mumbai Indians, Rajkot, 2017
Except for Ishan Kishan (48), the Lions’ top order failed to fire in front of their home crowd as the score fell to 56/4 in the ninth over. The left-arm spin of Krunal Pandya (3/14) made sure that the Mumbai Indians’ grip was not loosened, before Andrew Tye’s rapid 25 improved the total to 153/9. In reply, openers Parthiv Patel and Jos Buttler put on 43 in just four overs. Parthiv went on to score a 44-ball 70 before being fourth out, at which point the equation was 45 in 37 balls.
A crucial spell from fast bowler Basil Thampi (3/29) brought the Lions back in the game. The score read 143/8 at the start of the final over, which would feature two run-outs, including one off the last ball. The Mumbai Indians collected an uninspiring 10/2 in the Super Over, what with Faulkner striking twice in successive balls. But the promising Jasprit Bumrah bowled immensely well to thwart Aaron Finch and Brendon McCullum, and the Lions ended up with just six runs.
Delhi Capitals v Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi, 2019
Playing their first season under a new name, the Delhi franchise registered their second win in three matches via the Super Over. The Knight Riders seemed be heading towards deep trouble at 61/5 in the tenth over, but captain Dinesh Karthik (50) combined with the marauding Andre Russell (62 in 28 balls) for a sixth-wicket partnership worth 95 that propelled the total to 185/8.
Opener Prithvi Shaw steered the Capitals’ chase with 99 from 55 balls, before getting dismissed in the 19th over. Only six runs were needed from the last over with six wickets in hand, but chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav forced a Super Over by halting the total at 185/6. Medium pacer Prasidh Krishna restricted the Capitals to 10/1 in the shootout, but South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada was even better – he gave away only seven runs, taking Russell’s wicket on the way.