2019 has been a year full of special cricketing moments and exceptional surprises. People around the world have cried, laughed and prayed, watching some last ball thrillers this year. It’s like living cricket all the time, enjoying the game in emphatic wins and near losses, jumping with every six and a crucial wicket. There has been so much to celebrate this year. So let’s turn one leaf at a time and revisit the top 5 thrilling cricket moments in 2019:
1) World Cup final:
After a fantastic show by both New Zealand and England, the final match narrowed down to England needing 9 runs of the last 3 balls. Then occurred the unfortunate overthrow incident where the English team was awarded 4 extra runs in the form of an overthrow (deflection actually). The match entered into a super over, the first time in World Cup finals history. The super over also ended up in a tie with the Kiwis managing to equal England’s 15 runs. The Eoin Morgan led team won the match on a boundary count (England-26 > New Zealand-17). Stokes earned the man of the match for his unbeaten 84 runs.
2) Dhoni’s run-out:
Indian cricket fans prayed a million times, stuck to their seats and did everything superstitious just to make up for the 3 inches that caused M.S. Dhoni’s run out against New Zealand in the semi-finals of the World Cup. Neither Dhoni’s half-century nor Jadeja’s well-fought 77 could compensate for the top order collapse that match. Just when there was shimmering hope that the former Indian captain could get the job done, an extraordinary throw from Guptill cost India a probable World Cup. India managed just 221 runs against New Zealand’s 239.
3) IPL’s final:
Mumbai Indians played Chennai Superkings at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad. Both these teams had a chance to create a new record by winning 4 titles in the league’s history. While batting Mumbai could manage a modest 141 owing to Kieron Pollard’s 25 balls 41 runs. Chennai started off well with the bat but faltered owing to a disciplined Mumbai attack. This match was only one more crucial fixture where M.S. Dhoni had to go back because of a runout. However, Shane Watson fought throughout with his half-century before Malinga denied CSK a last-ball win by claiming Shardul Thakur.
4) Steven Smith’s Ashes comeback:
There were jeers and boos all around the English stadiums when Steven Smith came out to bat. The angry English crowds shouted and screamed at the former Australian captain but this didn’t push down Smith’s determination as he went on to score 774 runs in the Ashes, the highest this summer. Steven Smith marked his comeback with a fluent century and proved his worth in the entire series.
5) Ben Stokes’ Ashes heroics:
Ben Stokes scripted a one-handed test victory in addition to his World Cup finals heroics to announce himself as one of the best all-rounders of all time. Ben Stokes charged all the way to score 135* and help England complete a record chase of 359. The all-rounder did not only manage to not lose his wicket but also stitched an unbroken stand of 76 runs with Jack Leach for the last wicket. This knock is one of the best this year.
