Some knocks might have been in the losing cause, but their character was exemplary.
Some players always find ways to step up on big occasions and perform in knockout matches. Several great innings in do-or-die ICC matches have come in adverse conditions, where batters have shown their pedigree under pressure.
From the World Cup to the Champions Trophy, batters have found ways to stamp their authority by performing in these games. Some knocks might have been in the losing cause, but their character was exemplary.
We look at four best-ever centuries in ICC knockout matches.
Adam Gilchrist had a knack for scoring in big matches, one such knock came in the final of the World Cup 2007. While opening the innings against Sri Lanka, the southpaw amassed a whopping 149 in a mere 104 balls, including 13 boundaries and eight maximums, at a strike rate of 143.27.
His knock helped Australia post a massive first-innings score in Barbados. Sri Lanka fell short of the target to let the Aussies add another World Cup to their cabinet. In a high-octane clash, Gilchrist won the Player of the Match award for his blitzkrieg century.
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World Cup final vs India at Wankhede – it doesn’t get any tougher for the opponent. But Mahela Jayawardene didn’t fluster and came up with a marvellous ton in front of a packed crowd.
He scored 103 runs in 88 deliveries, including 13 boundaries, at a strike rate of 117.05 against a formidable bowling outfit. Unfortunately, Jayawardene’s knock wasn’t enough to take Sri Lanka through, as India ended their 28-year drought to lift the cup.
There’s something about David Miller scoring under pressure and his team still losing the game. A similar incident unfolded in the latest World Cup edition, where Miller played a knock for the ages in a losing cause.
Coming in to bat at 24/4, Miller scored 101 runs in 116 deliveries. His knock comprising eight boundaries and five maximums revived South Africa’s innings. Sadly, his knock was in vain as Australia clinched a nail-biter by three wickets to hand another heartbreak to the Proteas.
It doesn’t get any bigger; Travis Head has given India scares for a lifetime. Australia were under immense pressure, with wickets falling on the other end under the lights.
But Head kept his composure and weaved a magnificent 137-run knock to guide Australia to another title in front of a packed Ahmedabad crowd. He won the Player of the Match award for his marvellous ton. This knock is easily among the finest ever in history, considering the match situation, quality of attack, and crowd pressure.
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