NZ vs SL: The Only Other Instance In Cricket Where A Team Won A Test On Last Ball

New Delhi: New Zealand picked up a thrilling win over Sri Lanka in the first Test to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. The pendulum swung to and fro throughout the game with hosts having their backs against the wall on most occasions but the will to fight and the never say never Kiwi attitude saw them bounce back on every instance.

Having been reduced to 151-5, chasing Sri Lanka’s first-inning total of 355, a special hundred by Daryl Mitchell and a cameo of 72 by Matt Henry scripted a remarkable New Zealand comeback. Sri Lanka again took the driver’s seat in the match after a brilliant century by Angelo Matthews to set a stiff 285-run target for New Zealand. Having lost Conway early, Kiwis had a rigid task in hand before rain washed out the first session of Day 5 and the match looked set for a draw.

However, Daryl Mitchell’s magnificent knock of 81 made New Zealand’s intentions clear when the play resumed. Kane Williamson was there at the other end as New Zealand were cruising to a win. However, the wicket of Mitchell followed by the dismissal of Michael Bracewell made things interesting. The equation came down to eight of the last over and five of the final three balls. Williamson then hit and a boundary before playing a dot and then running a bye to seal the game.

Meanwhile, this is only the second instance of a team winning a Test on the final ball of the match. The only other Test where a team won on the last ball was played in December 1948 where England chased eight in the final over against South Africa. The match had a very similar ending to the NZ vs SL Test where the batters ran a bye on the final ball to seal a win.