In the second season of the IPL, the league had its first-ever tie game, which led to a Super Over

Since 2008, IPL matches have been thrillers on most occasions. However, if anything surpasses those matches, it is a tie game that leads to a Super Over. In the past 18 years, there have been several Super Overs in the tournament's history, but the one that remains at the top of the list is the first-ever IPL Super Over between the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Rajasthan Royals (RR).

Match no. 10 at Cape Town

In 2009, because the IPL clashed with the Indian election, it was held in South Africa. Match no. 10 of the season saw RR and KKR clash, with RR posting 150 runs on the board.

KKR were on the course to win the game, with 41 coming off Chris Gayle’s bat, followed by Sourav Ganguly’s 46 and Yashpal Singh’s 20. However, towards the end of the game, Ganguly and Ajit Agarkar were the last hope of the Knights with six required to win the game.

A victory denied by Khan

(Credit- ESPNcricinfo)

Rajasthan captain Shane Warne gave the last over to a young Kamran Khan, a name that many may not recall today. Kamran had already sent Laxmi Shukla and Sanjay Bangar back to the dugout, and he repeated his bowling prowess by removing Ganguly at 149, followed by running out Ishant Sharma at 150/8.

Kamran Khan's bowling supremacy stole a game that the Knights should've won. The match proceeded to the first-ever Super Over in IPL’s history.

No Gayle or McCullum show

During their time at KKR, both Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum became heavy hitters of the ball from the very first delivery, because of which they were selected to play the Super Over. Unfortunately, both Gayle and McCullum wasted the first two balls by scoring only two runs, followed by a wide. In another three balls, Gayle compensated with three fours. Unfortunately, in the last delivery, Gayle lost his wicket, and no run came from that ball – KKR posted 16 runs in the Super Over.

Pathan power

🗓️ IPL 2009: The very first Super Over in IPL history!
⚔️ Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clashed with Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Cape Town. Both teams scored 150.

🏆 RAJASTHAN ROYALS WONS THE MATCH #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/XUjJcE9P3c

— The Khel India Cricket (@TKI_Cricket) April 17, 2025

(Credit- The Indian Express)

From RR, Yusuf Pathan and Ravindra Jadeja took the field, with Pathan against Ajantha Mendis. Pathan started the chase with a massive six, but in the second delivery, the ball went straight in the air. Fortunately, Bradd Hodge dropped the catch, and Pathan came back to the crease with a double. The third ball saw him hitting another six, and in the fourth ball, he finished the game with a boundary.

Pathan, with his brute force of display, stole the match and the headlines the next morning, giving the South African audience a spectacular show and a glimpse of how T20 was to be played in the future.