The ICC Cricket World Cup has produced some nail-biting thriller contest in the past. Also, there have been instances where the match played resulted in a tie where both the teams' scores have been levelled. This accounts for more drama and tension both on and off the field as the winner is then decided by the match officials on the basis of the criteria set for that particular tournament, reports https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket.
Take a look at the matches tied in the World Cup so far.
Australia vs South Africa (Semifinal, 1999)
Regarded as one of the best World Cup matches, the semi-final of ICC Cricket World Cup 1999 is the biggest nightmares for South Africa and especially for Alan Donald.
Australia were put into bat first and were struggling to get going after losing their top-order cheaply. Courtesy of Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan's half-centuries, the Aussies managed to put up a total of 213. Pollock was in top form picking up a five-wicket haul whereas Donald grabbed 4 wickets to his name.
Chasing a modest total of 214, the Proteas started their innings cautiously but lost the momentum in the middle. However, Jacques Kallis and Jonty Rhodes stitched a partnership and carried the innings along. But soon the partnership was broken and no other batsman except for Lance Klusener was able to get going.
Klusener batted with great positive intent but got no support from the other end. He took the Australian bowlers on charge and brought South Africa close to their maiden World Cup final.
With 09 runs required from the final over the score read 205/9 with Klusener on strike, everyone was on the edge of their seat to witness a thriller in the knockouts. Damien Fleming was given the responsibility of bowling the last over but was soon taken on remand by Klusener who smashed two consecutive fours on the first two deliveries.
Now, 1 run was required from 4 balls and with one wicket in hand. Fleming bowled a dot ball and it made the batsman more tensed as all the eleven fielders were now inside the circle saving a single. Klusener tapped the next ball and called out Donald to run, who initially didn't move, dropped his bat in process and eventually got run-out trying to complete the run.
The game got tied but Australia advanced into the finals as they finished higher in the Super 6. Australia went onto win the World Cup and later on completed a hat-trick by winning World Cups in the following years 2003 and 2007.
This was the first tied game at the World Cup.
Sri Lanka vs South Africa (Group Stage, 2003)
South Africa featured in another tied match at the World Cup, the following year to their 1999 semi-final defeat to Australia. This tied game proved to be even worse as they saw themselves making an early exit from the tournament at the group stage itself.
South Africa needed to win this game to qualify for the next round as they were in a do-or-die situation. They started off well and were looking pretty much in control. Soon their run chase was hampered by the Sri Lankan spinners and they lost half of the team under 150 runs.
Mark Boucher and Klusener were at the crease to do the job for the Proteas, but rain played a spoilsport. The Proteas knew that they have to at least reach to the score of 230 runs by the end of 45th over to win the match on the basis of the Duckworth-Lewis method.
In the 45th over, Boucher went after Muttiah Muralitharan and struck 13 off 5 deliveries. The Proteas needed a single of the next ball to qualify. With rain storming in heavily, it was imperative for the batsman to take a single to win the match by D/L calculations.
Boucher played the final ball of the over towards the mid-on fielder who prevented that much needed single to the Proteas and ended it as a dot ball. Soon the players were off the field and the match was called a tie on the D/L method. With this tie, the South African team saw themselves out of the tournament with disappointment as they finished fourth in their group.
Ireland vs Zimbabwe (Group Stage, 2007)
Ireland were facing Zimbabwe in their first ever World Cup in 2007. The Irish were put into bat first by Zimbabwe. It turned out in favour of the bowling side as the Irishmen saw themselves struggling at 89 for 5 against the Zimbabwean bowlers. But opener Jeremy Bray held up one end and with some paltry contributions from the tail, Ireland managed the score of 221/9.
Zimbabwe needed 9 runs off the final over with one wicket in hand. They managed to sneak in 8 runs with a couple of singles and doubles and required 1 off the final delivery. Niall O'Brien stumped Matsikenyeri off the final ball of the over to end the match in a tie.
This was the third tied game recorded at the World Cup.
India vs England (Group Stage, 2011)
The tied game between India vs England at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 was a high scoring thriller contest, unlike the previous three tied games which were a low-scoring affair.
Playing at Bengaluru, which has always produced high scoring matches, the Indian team opted to bat first. India got off to a good start as the master Sachin Tendulkar looked in ominous touch. He scored another brilliant hundred to his name and was equally well supported by both Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh who scored their individual fifties.
In the end, the Indian team managed to put up a mammoth target of 338 for the English side to chase.
The England team got off to a good start with an opening partnership of 68 runs. After the fall of two quick wickets, Ian Bell joined skipper Andrew Strauss and together they put up a partnership of 170 runs for the third wicket. Bell scored a half-century, whereas Strauss scored a magical 158 runs off 145 balls. But the English team started losing wickets and the game went in the final over with 14 runs required off the last 6 deliveries.
Both the batsmen sneaked in a few runs and it came to the final ball with 02 runs to win.
Swann played the last ball of the over to Yusuf Pathan at extra cover and managed to sneak in just one run. This led to the match being tied.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
