Because of their exciting ride and special restrictions, Super Overs in limited-overs cricket are a fan favorite. Originally used as a T20 tiebreaker, it was superseded by it in the latter part of 2008.
Recall that each side gets to choose three hitters under the Super Over rule, and if two of them are out, their innings are over. In the Super Over, the team who batted second in the first game bats first, and the team that bowls selects the end from which to bowl.
Additional improvements to the regulation included playing more Super Overs until an outright winner was established, in place of the boundary count, which was the decisive element in a tied Super Over.
The size of every boundary increases because it’s just a six-ball match, which makes captains reluctant to bowl spinners in the Super Over. On the other hand, if bowling out the opposition (securing two wickets) is the main objective, bowling spinners could be a preferable choice.
However, being a minority when it comes to bowling super-overs, spinners will receive even more recognition and awards if their bowling helps the team win in the one-over shootout.
Let’s examine five situations where a spinner helped his side win a Super Over in that setting.
1. Ravi Bishnoi vs Afghanistan, 2024
Recently, India and Afghanistan clashed in a T20I game in Bangalore. This game was unique, as it was the first international match to end with a double super-over decision.
In the 20-over event, the two squads battled fiercely, scoring a combined 424 runs before heading into the super-over. For Team India, fast bowler Mukesh Kumar was handed the ball, giving up 16 runs in his over.
The hosts responded by scoring 16, therefore a second super-over was needed to determine the winner. In the second one-over match, India managed just 11, giving the Afghans a winnable 12-run advantage.
Realizing that the team could only win by taking wickets, an inspired Rohit Sharma resorted to leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi. In only three deliveries, Bishnoi returned the captain’s faith by taking two wickets for just one run, enabling India to steal a 10-run victory.
In order to bowl out Afghanistan, the 23-year-old outwitted seasoned all-rounder Mohammad Nabi with his first delivery and removed Rahmanullah Gurbaz with his third ball.
2. Maheesh Theekshana vs New Zealand, 2023
Maheesh Theekshana, the new enchanting spinner from Sri Lanka, showed his skills during the super-over versus New Zealand in Auckland last year.
In a match filled with scores, both teams ended with 196. Yet, the young 23-year-old only gave away runs at a rate shy of six. With stats showing 1/22 in four overs, he artfully stopped the Blackcaps from reaching the end in the regular game time.
In the super over, Theekshana was given the ball by the Lankans, and he did not let them down, taking both wickets and conceding only eight runs.
With the last delivery of the over, Theekshana pulled Mark Chapman after dismissing Jimmy Neesham for a golden duck. Sri Lanka needed to win by just nine runs, which they easily did with just two valid deliveries.
3. Imran Tahir vs Sri Lanka, 2019
Imran Tahir is recognized globally as an elite limited-overs spinner, due to his strengths: courage, persistence, and a hunger for competition.
This spirit really shone in the initial T20I of Sri Lanka’s 2019 South Africa tour. Both teams only scored 134 runs in their 20 overs on a difficult Newlands wicket.
With the Proteas defending 14, Tahir was given the ball in the super over after a stellar 1/21 in his four overs. The big-hitting Tisara Perera and the free-flowing Avishka Fernando faced up against the now 44-year-old.
Tahir seemed unfazed as the home team won by nine runs, giving up just five runs and not giving up a single boundary.
4. Sunil Narine – CPL 2014
It makes sense that Sunil Narine, maybe the most skilled T20 bowler, works his magic in a super-over.
The game in issue dates all the way back to the 2014 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season, which was Narine’s finest season. The off-spinner, who was playing for the Guyana Warriors, shocked the Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, his local side.
Both sides finished with 118 runs in their 20 overs during a low-scoring humdinger, with Narine recording excellent figures of 2/23 in his four overs.
On a sticky Providence surface, Guyana could manage only 11 runs in their over. In a sensational over, Narine became the first bowler to dismiss a maiden after taking matters into his own hands.
In the last delivery, the once-feared Nicholas Pooran was overwhelmed by the cunning mystery spinner and played four dot balls before holing out to long-off. In one of the greatest super-over performances ever, Narine showed off all of his techniques as Ross Taylor swung and missed the last ball.
5. Axar Patel – IPL 2021
For the first time ever in IPL history, two spinners got to bowl the super over. In the 2021 season, this happened. And surprisingly, the left-arm spinner, Axar Patel, won. He played against the Afghan superstar, Rashid Khan.
Axar, who was playing for the Delhi Capitals (DC) against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), tied the score with a double blow in the seventeenth over of the initial twenty-over match. Following his four-over score of 2/26, the 29-year-old was put in charge of bowling DC’s super-over.
Axar held his own when bowling against the world-class combo of David Warner and Kane Williamson, giving up only seven runs. With a combination of his usual good-length balls and full deliveries on the blockhole, the left-arm spinner confounded the batters with his cunning.
Even with Axar’s skill, DC needed to win the last ball against Rashid with all six deliveries.