When a young Rohit Sharma — not yet the Hitman — walked the tightrope and danced past the edge, leaving KKR in stunned silence
In cricket, there are finishes that become unforgettable — the moments that make you grip your seat, wondering if your screen glitched. One such moment occurred in Johannesburg in 2009 when a young Rohit Sharma transformed a dead rubber into an unforgettable thriller.
At a time when the IPL was still growing, Rohit didn’t just clear the ropes; he changed the game, leaving Kolkata Knight Riders haunted by a scoreboard that felt more like heartbreak than a match summary. But to understand the magic of that final over, we must rewind to the slow burn before the explosion.
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On 16th May 2009, in Johannesburg, the Kolkata Knight Riders aimed to end a series of close defeats. After winning the toss against the Decan Chargers, Brendon McCullum’s team chose to bat first, hoping their top order would perform. However, the start was underwhelming.
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KKR lost McCullum (20) in the fifth over. Brad Hodge and Sourav Ganguly came together, but the innings lagged. Hodge made a 48 off 41 balls but struggled against spin. Ganguly had a rough time, scoring 33 off 41 balls before being dismissed in the 15th over.
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At 85 for 2 after 15 overs, Kolkata needed a miracle. David Hussey walked in, changing the tempo. He scored 43 runs off just 17 balls, with 4 towering sixes, nearly doubling Kolkata’s score to finish at 160 for 5 in 20 overs.
The last five overs brought 71 runs — the second-highest death-overs score that season. At the halfway mark, KKR appeared in control. Deccan needed 161 — tough, especially with the pitch gripping and spinners thriving.
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Deccan Chargers started strong with captain Adam Gilchrist scoring a quick 43 off 31 balls, including 5 fours and 2 sixes. However, the innings lost momentum after his dismissal in the 10th over. KKR spinners Murali Kartik and Hodge tightened the run rate, causing Deccan to drop from 71/1 in 10 overs to 128/4 by the 17th.
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Mashrafe Mortaza bowled an economical 18th over, giving away just 7 runs. Ajit Agarkar followed up with a stellar 19th over, allowing only 5 runs. This left Deccan needing 21 runs in the final over. Match over, right? Not really.
In a tense final over, Brendon McCullum relied on Mortaza, who was playing his first match of the season. Despite looking promising, Mortaza struggled under pressure.
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The over was filled with drama: a no-ball led to a boundary, followed by a single and two dots. Rohit then hit a towering six, followed by a wide, leaving seven needed off three balls. He scrambled for two runs and then struck a fierce cut for four, needing just one off the last ball. Mortaza ran in, but Rohit smashed it for another six, sealing a remarkable 26 runs off the over and leaving Mortaza with disappointing figures of 4-0-58-0, the most expensive bowler of the match.
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Rohit Sharma— not yet the Hitman — produced a 13-ball 32*, striking at 246.15, showcasing a masterclass in calmness and timing. It highlighted skill over brute power as he located gaps and embraced the pressure.
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Thanks to his efforts, Deccan Chargers chased down 161, moving to third in the points table with 14 points, bolstering their semi-final hopes. For KKR, it was another painful déjà vu- a seventh consecutive loss in a season full of missed opportunities.
