One match immortals
Its a weird title but very true. I observed that, there are handful of cricket players who have literally become immortal just because of their performances, good or bad, in just one match. Those were surely innings of their lives.
The first one who comes to my mind is Douglas Marrilier. In these T20 times, we see paddle scoop (shot over wicketkeeper's head) very frequently, particularly by Dilshan but nobody at least Indian fans will forget the hammering at the hands of this Zimbabwean. He was the one who introduced this shot to world cricket by scoring fifty of some twenty deliveries against formidable Indian bowling attack, and in turn giving Zimbabwe rare ODI victory on Indian soil.
From the time I am watching cricket, there have been many players who came in, promised a lot but just got vanished within few months. First one is Ricardo Powell, this guy made mockery of Indian bowling attack.One another player is Phillo Wallace, this guy hit Srinath for first over sixer, truly amazing stuff but nobody knows when they went offline :-)
There have been few Indians also. Though Venkatesh Prasad went on to play for quite long time, he will always be remembered for that magic ball to Aamir Sohail. We all know him just for that one wicket as it turned the game in India's favour. Same is the story of Hrishikesh Kanitkar. Ask any Indian cricket fan, he knows him for match winning last over boundary to Saqlain Mushtaq's 'Dooosara'.
You might not agree with me, even laugh at me but I must include Joginder Sharma's name in this list. He is still trying but I dont see him coming back in Indian team. He became immortal with that match winning last over bowling against Pakistan in T20 World cup.
There are few players who regained this immortality just because of the connection with Sachin Tendulkar. Henry Olonga, Andrew Caddik to name the few. Aquib Javed, Ata-Ur-Rehman would be remembered more for their wicket of Tendulkar than their involvement in match fixing.
As they say, history of winners would be written. Most of these immortals have scripted victories for their respective sides but there have been instances when guys on the other side have also earned place. The first one should be Chetan Sharma, he has been haunted with that last ball six against Pakistan throughout his life. It was such a blemish on his career that, even a hattrick in worldcup could not wash it away. But, there is this one rare case, this one lefty, Atul Bedade has remained in fans' hearts for his heroics against Wasim Akram, world's greatest one day bowler. Call up any Indian cricket fan, and he will surely tell you how Bedade has hit Wasim Akram for three sixes in one over.
