Top 10 Greatest Cricket Matches of All Time

The Ashes, 3rd Test, Headingley (2019)
This is the match that turned Ben Stokes into an Ashes legend. Not only did England achieve their highest successful chase, but they did so after being bundled out for just 67 runs in their first inning. Australia themselves recovered from low totals to set England a target that seemed out of reach. To their credit, nobody could have seen Stokes coming, who appeared like a man possessed. With England still 70 runs adrift, Stokes delivered a masterclass in attacking batting, chopping away at the target while protecting Jack Leach on the other end. Each run scored brought roars from the Headingley crowd, as England dared to dream. The victory that seemed unimaginable soon became a reality, although both teams deserve praise for putting on an absolute classic.

ICC T20 World Cup, Final (2016)
At their T20 peak, there was no team who could contend with West Indies’ explosive playing style. However, a late attack down the order allowed England to set up a competitive total, which was nearly enough. Thanks to Marlon Samuels’ tenacity with the bat, the all-rounder kept his team in the hunt. Still, sharp English bowling at the death forced the Windies to get 19 off the final over. Carlos Brathwaite then turned this final into a night to remember. With power-hitting that’s still hard to believe, the batsman belted all four of Ben Stokes’ deliveries for six. Having remained a step ahead up until then, the shellshocked English players could do nothing as Braithwaite brought West Indies to glory.

2nd Test, Kolkata (2001)
There’s probably no better display of courage and determination than in this match. The mighty Australians showed why they were unbeaten for 16 matches straight by dominating India for half of the game. But an epic 376-run partnership between Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman turned it all around. The Indian batsmen overcame the follow-on and then some, piling on a mammoth 657 runs in reply. Laxman, in particular, brought the fight to the fearsome bowling attack, as he guided India to a match-winning position. Once they’d lost control, the Australian batting lineup folded to Harbhajan Singh’s spin, making this a Test of two tales. Depending on each day, either team could have won, but it was India who ultimately ended Australia’s winning streak.

ICC Cricket World Cup, 2nd Semi-Final (1999)
A contest between two of the top teams in the world was always going to be evenly matched, although few expected so many twists and turns. Australia and South Africa were neck-and-neck for the entire game, but the former were the ones to enter the final. Despite being restricted to a relatively small total, the Australians hit back to limit South Africa’s run chase. The Proteas still kept themselves afloat to match the target, but anything less than a win meant they were out. It was so close but so far, as Allan Donald’s misjudged run shattered hopes of a maiden World Cup final. If you’re a fan of South Africa, this tied match will still feel like the biggest defeat.

ICC T20 World Cup, Super 12s Match (2022)
An India/Pakistan match without heart-thumping moments? Certainly not in, arguably, the greatest T20 ever played. Pakistan bossed India around for most of the match, scoring a respectable total before tearing through India’s top order. Only one man stood between Pakistan and victory: Virat Kohli. The Indian batsman held his wicket right until the end, and then unleashed a flurry of attacks that no bowler could counter. And just like that, it was Pakistan who lost their footing. Eventually, even fate seemed to be on India’s side. Everything from umpire decisions to Kohli’s hits went their way, leaving Pakistan stunned. No T20 game has ever see-sawed to this extent. And no matter which team you support, it gave fans all of their money’s worth.

The Ashes, 2nd Test, Edgbaston (2005)
Here’s a match that ebbed and flowed with life for five whole days. In the end, the difference was just two runs. After giving away a massive lead, Australia were heading toward certain defeat. They did lose, but it was touch-and-go for both sides. Where England restricted Australia’s first inning, the latter bowled their rivals out quickly in their second. The England team was denied by Australia’s tailenders, who were close to scripting an unlikely win. But this attritional battle came down to Andrew Flintoff’s heroics. The all-rounder complemented his mastery with the bat to finish the match with the ball. With five days of riveting competition, this was Test cricket at its best.

ICC Cricket World Cup, 1st Semi-Final (2015)
Neither the Proteas nor the Kiwis had ever been in a World Cup final, so there was all to play for. Grant Elliott turned out to be the deciding factor with an absolute scorcher of an innings. South Africa gave it their all with the ball and bat, piling on a big score with limited overs in hand. But Elliott wasn’t going to be denied that night, as the batsman found one boundary after another. It was down to the last over when Elliott unleashed another ferocious assault before sealing it with a six. Another World Cup semi-final, another South Africa defeat. But the sheer quality delivered by the teams made everyone on the field a champion in spirit.

ICC Cricket World Cup, Final (2019)
New Zealand and England – vying to win their first world championship – brought their A-game. Everything from freak dismissals to incredible strokes of luck were on display. After being limited to a below-average score, the Kiwis refused to go down without a fight. Ben Stokes again proved to be England’s trump card by getting his team to the target. But the final showed why cricket is a team game, as every player on either side contributed. There was so little to separate the two teams that the winner was decided by boundary count. For New Zealand, it was a gut-wrenching result since they technically never lost. Overall, though, this was perfect, edge-of-your-seat entertainment that ranks as the best World Cup final ever played.

5th ODI, Johannesburg (2006)
No team had ever made over 400 in an ODI. By the end of this match, that record was broken twice. In the series decider, Ricky Ponting led from the front, hammering 164 to lead Australia to a then-record total. Those who thought South Africa were out had seen nothing yet. With Herschelle Gibbs cutting loose, the batsman overtook Ponting to score a remarkable 175. While Australia’s bowlers toiled hard to get nine wickets, the South Africans’ deep batting lineup kept pounding boundaries all around. Fittingly, the match went down to the last wicket and the last over. But the Proteas rode hometown momentum to score the winning runs. Before T20s were common, this match set the high-octane, no-holds-barred standard that cricket thrives on today.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

India vs. Pakistan, 1st Test, Chennai (1999)
Pakistan Conjured a Breathtaking Victory Despite Sachin Tendulkar’s Century

India vs. Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, Rajkot (2009)
The Lankans Fell Agonizingly Short of 414

India vs. Pakistan, ICC T20 World Cup, Final (2007)
A Mistimed Scoop Lost Pakistan the Match & Made India the First T20 World Champions

England vs. West Indies, ICC Champions Trophy, Final (2004)
The English Attack Was Defied by West Indies’ Tailenders Like Never Before

Bangladesh vs. India, Nidahas Trophy, Final (2018)
Dinesh Kartik Snatched Victory at the Last Moment

Austral-Asia Cup, Final (1986)
Few moments in cricket are as iconic as Javed Miandad’s last-ball six, as an extraordinary match ended with the perfect finale. Archrivals India and Pakistan have faced off in several classics, but none more memorable as this one. The two teams brought different strategies to the match, ranging from India’s controlled aggression to Pakistan’s mercurial mentality. It was India’s batting against Pakistan’s bowling, as players like Sunil Gavaskar and Wasim Akram clashed. Still, all 100 overs led to the last delivery – India needed one wicket. Pakistan one boundary. Ultimately, Javed Miandad immortalized himself by launching the ball for a six. The wild scenes that followed still can’t quite be put into words. But according to Miandad himself, this miraculous victory was a “gift from God.”