Cricket at its best: Famous one-wicket victories in Test history

There is nothing in cricket, or perhaps in any other sport, that quite compares to the drama of a close Test match finish. All the tension of an evenly-contested battle between bat and ball is hugely amplified by the fact that all the hours – days even – of effort by both sides has led to such a conclusion.

The thought that despite the vast amount of cricket played in a game, one side has been unable to decisively break away from the other adds a little something extra, that regardless of all their toil one side will end up with nothing.

With well over 2400 Tests having been played in the history of the sport, only 15 have ever culminated in a one-wicket victory, 15 times bat has overcome ball by literally the finest of margins.

The Business Standard (TBS) takes a look at five of the most famous one-wicket Test victories ever. 

Pakistan vs Bangladesh, September 3-6 2003, Multan

Who can forget the epic Multan Test? Bangladesh went so close but yet so far of winning their first Test match, that too away from home, against Pakistan. 

As Bangladesh went into the last match of an already-lost series against Pakistan, a glance at their Test record would have made clear how torrid a time the team had had since gaining Test status: 23 games played, with no wins, one draw and 22 defeats.

Opting to bat first, Bangladesh had a steady first innings with contributions from several players, with captain Habibul Bashar's 72 the standout performance. Their total of 281 would end up giving them a 106-run lead over Pakistan, who were rolled over for just 175 thanks to Mohammad Rafique's five-for.

The home side were not about to surrender so easily, however, as their bowlers came roaring back to peg back Bangladesh, dismissing their top order cheaply.

Batsman Alok Kapali was unfortunate to be on the receiving end of a particularly poor decision, having been given out despite Pakistani wicketkeeper Rashid Latif clearly dropping the ball. Only a key 42 from Rajin Saleh and some useful contributions from the lower order kept them afloat as they limped to 154 all out, leaving Pakistan a target of 261 to win.

Their chase did not start well, as they lost regular wickets to fall to 164 for 7. Only Inzamam-ul-Haq, the hero against Australia nearly a decade previously, stood tall, scoring one of the finest centuries of his career. Partnered by obdurate tail-enders, he managed to pull off an incredible turnaround, hitting the winning runs with only last man Yasir Ali for company.

The Bangladeshi players were understandably devastated having come so close, and would have to wait until 2005 for their first victory, but the day belonged to Inzamam.

Windies vs Australia, March 26-30,1999, Bridgetown

To any West Indian fan, this Bridgetown Test needs no introduction. Rightly considered among the great cricket matches, it is memorable for fine performances on both sides, a remarkable comeback, and of course the necessary tight finish that left one unfortunate player with a nasty sense of deja vu.

The finale was high in drama, with each team looking in good positions at certain points only to have the upper hand snatched away from them. 72 for no wicket became 105 for 5, before a hefty rebuilding effort saw the West Indies reach 238 for 5, only for that effort to be scotched as they lost 3 more wickets for 10 runs. Seemingly the only permanents in an innings of great change were the two legendary figures who went head to head: Brian Lara, who made the most sublime of centuries, and Glenn McGrath, who claimed 5 wickets.

Lara would win the day, though, putting on a crucial fifty partnership with number 10 Ambrose and seeing his side to victory alongside last man Walsh. There had been a late twist, however, as Ian Healy dropped Lara with 7 runs still to get. Once again, the normally sublime wicketkeeper became the unlucky fall guy for a 1-wicket defeat.

England vs Australia, August 22 - 25, 2019, Headingley

Ben Stokes took the cricketing world by storm when he played one of the greatest Test knocks ever witnessed to lead England to a miraculous victory over Australia in the third match of the Ashes series at Headingley.

Stokes's unbelievable knock of 135 not out off 219 balls helped England chase down the mammoth target of 359, which was also their highest successful run chase in Test history.

England were bowled out for 67 in their first innings but bounced back really well thanks to Stokes's all-round effort.

Stokes's knock was laced with 11 boundaries and 8 towering sixes. It was his 8th Test hundred and third in The Ashes against Australia.

There were switch hits, reverse swats, scoops, slog sweeps, slashes, inside out lofts and merciless wafts. Never once did Stokes lose control. Never once did his grip get sweaty. Never once did his eyes waver. Never once was he out of balance.

Stokes was part of a 76-run unbroken partnership for the final wicket with Jack Leach, who scored just 1 run from the 17 balls he faced in the match as England crossed the finish line in the second session on Day 4 to level the 5-match series 1-1 and keep their chances of reclaiming the Ashes alive.

Not just the United Kingdom, but cricket fans all over the world were in awe of what Stokes managed to pull off.

Sri Lanka vs South Africa, Feb 13 - 16, 2019, Durban

A see-sawing Test match reached an incredible finale on the fourth afternoon at Kingsmead as Kusal Perera and Vishwa Fernando put on a record-breaking 10th wicket stand to see their team home in an atmosphere of almost unbearable tension.

Sri Lanka's last pair came together with 78 still needed and victory virtually assured for South Africa, but as Vishwa clung limpet-like to the crease Perera slugged, slapped and swiped his way to the target. Along the way, both men reached their highest Test scores - Perera finishing on 153, while Vishwa's more modest - but no less vital in the final analysis - contribution was 6 not out.

Vishwa faced 22 balls before he got off the mark, but an otherwise shotless Vishwa knew his only job was to only survive. At the other end, with so many runs needed and so much time left in the Test, it seemed the best that Perera might hope for was to reach his hundred.

Perera sensed his chance to keep the scoreboard ticking over against the hard, new cherry.

Perera and Dhananjaya's stand revived the chase thereafter, but it was the historic partnership between Perera and Vishwa that took Sri Lanka home, and it is that stand for which this match will be most remembered for. This was only the third time a 300-plus total has been chased at Kingsmead and only the second time that has happened since the turn of the millennium. 

Windies vs Pakistan, August 12-15,  2021, Kingston

Veteran fast bowler Kemar Roach and his teenage protege Jayden Seales combined in a dramatic 17-run partnership Sunday which carried the West Indies to a one-wicket win over Pakistan in the first cricket Test.

The match was in the balance when Jason Holder was out to the last ball before the tea interval with the West Indies on 114-7, still 54 runs from victory.

In a thrilling final session in which each run and each wicket altered the balance of the match, Roach shared a partnership of 28 with Joshua Da Silva before finally combining with Seales to see the West Indies home on 168-9.

Roach said his unbeaten 30 was the most important innings of his 66-Test career "by far, by far."

Roach batted on with unbreakable determination to eke out every run. With six runs needed, he edged a ball between the wicketkeeper and first slip which just eluded Rizwan's despairing dive.

He then confidently struck a ball from Shaheen, wide of off stump, through cover for the winning runs.

"It was a remarkable Test," West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite said. "It is about patience. Who has more patience will come out on top."

Pakistan captain Babar Azam said the "nail-biting" match showed the beauty of Test cricket.