Top 5 Chokes Ever in Cricket

The Black Caps choked big time last night against South Africa snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and handing them an unexpected victory in the Twenty20 series.

But is it one of the biggest chokes in cricket ever?

Here are 4 others which feature the South Africans quite prominently -

1992 Cricket World Cup semifinal, South Africa v England, Sydney
Ok it wasn't quite a choke and the South Africans were quite unlucky to have rain force them to score 22 runs from 1 ball instead of 13. But it was still a bit of a choke. England won to advance to the Final where they lost to Imran Khan's Pakistan.

2006 2nd Ashes Test, England v Australia, Adelaide
England had batted superbly in their first innings as they sought to bounce back from their opening test defeat  with Paul Collingwood scoring a double ton and Kevin Pietersen chipping in with 150. They started with a 551 run lead but mediocre bowling from England and typical gritty Aussie batting ensured the Aussies finished only 38 runs behind. The match seemed set for a draw until England's nemesis, Shane Warne, struck  with a magical spell of 32-12-49-4 to reduce England to 129 all out and set Australia 168 runs to seal an unlikely win on a thrilling final day.

2003 Cricket World Cup group stage, South Africa v Sri Lanka, Durban
Another great South African choke and probably the most painful in their history as it resulted in them being eliminated from their own World Cup. A horrible miscalculation by captain, Shaun Pollock, meant the Proteas ran one run short on their last ball and therefore, missed out on the Super Six stage by one run. Pollock was dropped as captain thereafter.


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1999 Cricket World Cup semifinal, Australia v South Africa, Birmingham
Arguably the most infamous choke in cricket so far. And again South Africa were the chokers. South Africa were finishing strongly in a game they needed to win to advance to the Final - a draw would send Australia through due to their win over South Africa in the Super Six stage. Allan Donald will always be remembered as a great fast bowler but unfortunately, his running or lack of will also be remembered as it cost South Africa it's best chance of World Cup glory.

And finally..