When Steve Smith Helped Rajasthan Royals Win a Super Over Through Boundary Count

Whenever the Boundary Count rule is mentioned, most cricket fans immediately think of the 2019 ODI World Cup final, where England edged past New Zealand to lift the trophy. But only true cricket lovers remember that this rule played a crucial role much earlier, in IPL 2014, when Steve Smith’s brilliance helped Rajasthan Royals secure a thrilling Super Over victory against Kolkata Knight Riders. Rajasthan and Kolkata battled fiercely, ending with both teams tied even after the Super Over. With no clear winner, the match was decided based on the boundary count rule and Rajasthan Royals emerged victorious, thanks to the extra boundaries they had hit. But how did it all unfold? Let’s dive into the full story.

29th April 2014: KKR vs RR

It was the night of April 29, 2014, and cricket fans were in for a treat as Rajasthan Royals faced Kolkata Knight Riders in match number 19 of the IPL at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Both teams were hungry for victory, making this a high-stakes clash. As the captains, Gautam Gambhir and Shane Watson, walked out for the toss, the tension was high. Watson called it right and chose to bat first, aiming to set a big target and put pressure on Kolkata.

Rajasthan’s opening pair, Ajinkya Rahane and Karun Nair, stepped onto the field, looking to give their team a solid start. They played cautiously at first, settling in against Kolkata’s bowling attack. But in the third over, the momentum shifted. Vinay Kumar struck on the first ball, dismissing Karun Nair for just 1 run. Rajasthan was now 13/1, and they needed a partnership to rebuild.

Out walked Sanju Samson, a young and fearless batsman. With Rahane holding one end, Samson wasted no time making an impact and by the sixth over, he went after Morne Morkel, smashing four boundaries in a single over. The crowd erupted as Rajasthan raced to 45/1, setting the stage for an exciting contest ahead. However, with the partnership growing, Gambhir took the gamble and brought Shakib Al Hasan who dismissed Sanju Samson for 20 runs off 19 balls, to get the Rajasthan Team at 57/2.

With Sanju Samson dismissed, it was time for Rajasthan Royals’ captain, Shane Watson, to join Ajinkya Rahane at the crease. The two experienced players started cautiously, rotating the strike with singles and doubles, building a steady partnership. But once settled, they began to accelerate. In the 14th over, Watson took charge, smashing Piyush Chawla for three fours, bringing up 100 runs for Rajasthan. The team was now eyeing a big total with six overs left. In the 16th over, Rahane continued his fine form, reaching his half-century in 44 balls with a beautiful six.

The momentum was with Rajasthan, but then came an unfortunate twist. On the last ball of the same over, a miscommunication between Watson and Rahane led to a run-out. Watson had to walk back after scoring 33 off 24 balls, leaving Rajasthan at 118/3. Stuart Binny was the next man in, but his stay was short-lived. In the 18th over, Morne Morkel dismissed him for a duck, bringing Steve Smith to the crease. In the final overs, Smith found the gaps for two crucial boundaries, but KKR managed to get Rahane out for 72 off 59 balls. Rajasthan finished at 152/5 in 20 overs, setting up a thrilling chase.

Chasing 153, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) sent their experienced opening pair, Gautam Gambhir and Manvinder Bisla, to set the platform. They started cautiously, rotating the strike with singles and doubles to keep the scoreboard moving. However, in the 4th over, Rajasthan’s Kane Richardson struck early, dismissing Bisla for just 3 runs off 9 balls. KKR was now 21/1, and the pressure was on. With Bisla gone, Jacques Kallis walked in to join Gambhir.

The two looked to rebuild, playing carefully. But Rajasthan’s veteran spinner Pravin Tambe broke the partnership in the 9th over, dismissing Kallis for 13 off 17 balls. KKR was now at 50/2, needing a strong partnership to stay in the game. Enter Manish Pandey, who provided some momentum. In the 13th over, he took on Tambe, smashing 10 runs in the over. But Tambe had the last laugh, dismissing Pandey for 19 off 11 balls on the final ball. KKR had now slipped to 85/3, still needing 68 runs from the last 7 overs.

To make matters worse, in the next over, Rajasthan struck again. Gambhir, who had been anchoring the innings, fell for 45 off 44 balls, leaving KKR in deep trouble. At 95/4, the match was slipping away. That’s when Shakib Al Hasan and Suryakumar Yadav took charge. Playing smart cricket, they kept the chase alive. By the end of the 16th over, KKR had reached 111/4, needing 42 runs from 24 balls.

Then came the big push. In the 17th and 18th overs, Suryakumar Yadav unleashed his strokes, smashing 26 runs and bringing the equation down to 16 needed off 12 balls. Just when it looked like KKR was back in control, Kane Richardson struck again in the 19th over. Suryakumar fell for 31 off 19 balls, leaving KKR at 137/5. The drama continued as Richardson took two more wickets in back-to-back deliveries, dismissing Robin Uthappa and Vinay Kumar for ducks. Suddenly, KKR was 141/7, needing 12 runs off the final over.

With 13 runs needed off the final over, the tension was sky-high. The first ball brought hope for KKR, a boundary! But on the next ball, Piyush Chawla was run out, leaving KKR in trouble. With 5 runs needed from 2 balls, the pressure was unbearable. A wide, a single, and a dot ball kept everyone on edge. Then, with just two balls left, KKR scrambled for two doubles, tying the match! The IPL 2014 had its first Super Over, setting the stage for more drama!

Drama in Super Over!

With the match ending in a dramatic tie, it was time for the Super Over — the first of IPL 2014. Kolkata Knight Riders batted first, sending Suryakumar Yadav and Shakib Al Hasan to face James Faulkner. The tension was high, and on the first ball, chaos struck! Suryakumar Yadav was run out while attempting a second run off a bye. Manish Pandey walked in, and KKR looked to recover. The next two balls produced only singles, but on the fourth ball, Pandey changed the momentum with a huge six. Just as KKR hoped for a strong finish, Shakib was run out on the last ball, trying to steal a double. KKR had set a target of 12 runs for Rajasthan Royals.

Chasing 12, Shane Watson and Steve Smith took the crease against Sunil Narine. The first three balls brought only 4 runs, leaving Rajasthan needing 8 runs from 3 balls. The pressure was mounting, but Watson kept his cool. On the fourth ball, he smashed a crucial boundary! With 3 runs needed off the final ball, the Rajasthan camp was on edge. This is when Steve Smith showed his brilliance. Instead of attempting a risky big shot, he remembered that Rajasthan had hit more boundaries (19) than KKR (15) in the match. If they tied the Super Over, Rajasthan would win based on the boundary count rule.

On the last ball, instead of swinging for glory, Smith calmly guided it for two runs, ensuring a tie in the Super Over, but a victory for Rajasthan Royals! It was a stunning finish, and Smith’s intelligence shocked everyone. Rajasthan Royals had won in the smartest way possible!