One-wicket Wonders

Kusal Perera vs South Africa at Durban, 2019
Sri Lanka won by 1 wicket

153* Perera’s masterpiece. Just to recap, Sri Lanka were in dire straits as they chased 304. They had not posted over 300 in any of their last 12 Test innings. They had been knocked out for 191 in their first innings, and were staring at the barrel at 226/9, Perera on 86. With 78 needed, Perera knew one good ball from Dale Steyn or Kagiso Rabada would take out No. 11 Vishwa Fernando. But Fernando lasted 27 balls and scored 6, and Perera hit out and thrashed the bowlers. He hit Styen and Rabada, among others, for sixers in a stunning display of counterpunching. His fifth six, off Steyn, came off a breathtaking pull over deep square-leg, and Sri Lanka needed just six more! Perera calmly took a single off a yorker off the final ball of the over, and completed the job with a four off Rabada next over. 

Brian Lara v Australia at BRIDGETOWN, 1999
WI won by 1 wicket

153* Chasing 308 against a bowling attack comprising Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Shane Warne, Stuart MacGill and Steve Waugh, West Indies seemed to be dead and buried when the eighth wicket fell at 248. Brian Lara was still there, having come in at 78/3. No. 10 Curtly Ambrose batted doggedly for 82 minutes, surviving for 38 balls, as Lara did his best to shield him and also score runs in a 64-run stand. Ambrose fell when only six runs were needed. No. 11 Curtly Walsh managed to survive five balls, and Lara took the team home with a cover-driven four off Gillespie. Possibly the greatest fourth-innings knock.

Inzamam-ul-Haq v Bangladesh at Multan, 2003
Pak won by 1 wicket

138* Bangladesh were on the verge of their first win away from home when they had Pakistan down at 132/6 in a chase of 261. Inzamam-ul-Haq had Saqlain Mushtaq, Shabbir Ahmed, Umar Gul and Yasir Ali as the last four batsmen to help him. But a further 129 runs were required! The four contributed only 30 runs off the bat but that proved enough — Inzamam was his usual cool self despite the desperate situation. Saqlain fell at 164/7 and Shabbir at 205/8. But Gul played 50 balls, and Inzamam did the rest. Of the 52 runs the two added, Gul’s contribution was just 5! When Gul was removed after a run-out, Pakistan needed only four runs — Yasir survived nerves and four balls and handed the strike to Inzamam, who immediately slammed a four.

VVS Laxman v Australia at Mohali, 2010
India won by 1 wicket

73* The target was only 216, but India were down at 48/4. When Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed for 38 by Doug Bollinger, India were 119/6 and there seemed little to hope for. VVS Laxman, though, kept up the spirits, despite batting with a sore back due to which he needed a runner. He came in at 76/5 and added 43 with Tendulkar before the latter fell. MS Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh departed quickly, and India were 124/8. But Ishant Sharma rose to the challenge — the No. 10 faced 92 balls and made 31 as he added 81 with Laxman. But when Ishant was dismissed by Ben Hilfenhaus, India were 11 runs short. No. 11 Pragyan Ojha survived 19 balls and made 5 runs — four of which came as overthrows after Steve Smith took aim at the stumps and missed. India scraped through.