Matthew Wade has consistently shown his ability to perform under pressure in chase situations throughout his white-ball career. One of the most unforgettable moments occurred in the 2021 T20 World Cup semifinal against Pakistan. Tasked with the challenge of scoring 22 runs in the final over against the formidable Shaheen Afridi, Wade demonstrated exceptional composure and smashed three consecutive sixes, securing a sensational victory for Australia.
Punjab Kings Brutally Trolled Shaheen Afridi After Arshdeep Singh’s Last Over Heroics vs Wade
On Sunday, Wade found himself against another left-arm bowler, with 10 runs to chase and only 2 wickets in hand during the fifth and final T20I match against India. However, Arshdeep Singh, displaying impressive composure, outsmarted the Australian batsman. IPL franchise Punjab Kings later playfully referenced Shaheen Afridi’s heroics in the 2021 T20 World Cup in response to Arshdeep’s performance.
The challenge was no less daunting for Arshdeep, who struggled on the Chinnaswamy track against Australia on Sunday, conceding 37 runs for just one wicket in three overs. Despite the pressure of defending nine runs, Arshdeep delivered two crucial dot balls before dismissing Wade. The Australian captain expressed frustration with the umpires after the first delivery, believing it was a wide ball, but his appeal went unanswered. He was eventually caught out attempting a yorker, landing in the hands of Shreyas Iyer at long-on.
The left-arm fast bowler then restricted the batsmen to just three singles in the remaining deliveries, securing a thrilling six-run win for India and sealing the series with a 4-1 victory.
Following the over, PBKS, the IPL franchise represented by Arshdeep, shared a video of Wade’s dismissal and captioned it: “Not against this left-arm pacer.”
“I guess for the big part of the game, for almost the first 19 overs, I was thinking that I gave away too many runs and would be the culprit of the game,” Arshdeep said on the official broadcast. “But god gave me another chance and I believed in myself. Thanks to god that I defended it and thanks to the staff as well who believed in me.”
When asked about his plan for the final over, he added: “To be honest, nothing was going through my mind. Surya [Suryakumar Yadav] bhai told me that whatever happens, happens. The credit goes to our batsmen as well. They gave us a really good total here on a tricky wicket and we had a cushion of an extra 15 to 20 runs.”
