IPL 2009 delivered plenty of nail-biters and heart-pounding finishes, especially with the tournament moving to South Africa’s pace-friendly, low-scoring pitches. Here are some of the most thrilling matches from that season:
🔥 1. Deccan Chargers vs Royal Challengers Bangalore – Final
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Result: Deccan Chargers won by 6 runs
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Why it was thrilling: A low-scoring final (DC scored just 143/6), but the bowling was clinical. RCB fought back with Ross Taylor and Boucher, but RP Singh and co. held their nerve in a tight defense.
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Standout: Herschelle Gibbs’ calm 53*, and RP Singh’s final over mastery.
🔥 2. Delhi Daredevils vs Deccan Chargers – Semi-final
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Result: Chargers won by 6 wickets
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Thrill factor: Delhi posted 153 with Sehwag and Dilshan firing, but Gilchrist’s 85 off 35 balls blew the game open in the powerplay. Fast, furious, unforgettable.
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Turning point: Gilchrist’s assault on Dirk Nannes and Ashish Nehra in the first 6 overs.
🔥 3. Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals – Super Over!
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Result: Rajasthan Royals won in Super Over
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Why it’s iconic: The first-ever Super Over in IPL history!
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KKR 150/3, RR tied it with Yusuf Pathan going berserk in the Super Over.
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Highlight: Pathan smashed 3 balls for 16 runs to seal it in style.
🔥 4. Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings – 1-run thriller
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Result: Punjab won by 1 run
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CSK needed 12 off the last over, but Irfan Pathan held his nerve.
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Yuvraj Singh’s tactical bowling changes and tight fielding helped edge a razor-thin win.
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Clutch moment: MS Dhoni’s last-ball swipe didn’t connect as intended.
🔥 5. Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders
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Result: RCB won by 5 wickets – last-over finish
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McCullum’s 84 set a tough 173-run target.
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Kallis and Boucher engineered a superb chase, with the game going down to the final over.
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Highlight: Boucher hit a boundary with 3 balls left to seal it.
🧨 Bonus Mention:
DC vs KXIP (League match) – Rohit Sharma’s hat-trick & match-winning 38*. A bowler with a hat-trick and match-winning cameo? Rare, weird, brilliant.
Want a graphic timeline of these thrillers, over-by-over? Or a “thrill meter” ranking of matches based on margin, last-over finishes, and dramatic moments?