The India-Bangladesh clash in the 2023 World Cup last Thursday ended controversially, with Virat Kohli turning down singles and Nasum Ahmed spraying the ball down the leg side.

Kohli needed three for his 48th ODI century, while India needed only two to win. Nasum’s attempt was not declared a wide due to a recent law change, but it wouldn’t have been the first instance of a bowler purposely denying a batter a milestone.

In the 2023 Indian Premier League, Kolkata Knight Riders bowler Suyash Sharma seemingly bowled a deliberate wide to prevent Yashasvi Jaiswal from reaching the triple-figure mark. While Jaiswal eventually got to the milestone in the end, Sharma’s antics did not go down well on social media, with experts criticising his lack of sportsmanship.

But, even though Jaiswal made his hundred despite Sharma’s intentions, there have been instances in the past when batters were left stranded in the nineties after the bowlers denied them reaching the feat.

Suraj Randiv bowls a no-ball with Virender Sehwag on 99*

Sehwag was left stranded on 99* after Sri Lanka’s Suraj Randiv bowled a no-ball with one required for India’s win in 2010. Chasing 171 for a win, India had recovered from a top-order collapse, with Sehwag taking the team to within sight of the victory.

On the fourth ball of the 35th over, Sehwag went down the track and hit a six, raising his arms in celebration as he assumed he had scored the winning runs and also reached his hundred in the process. However, it turned out to be a front-foot no-ball, which resulted in the winning run and led to the six runs not being counted in Sehwag’s tally.

Andrew Tye bowls a wide with James Vince on 98*

The Big Bash League Qualifier in 2021 ended on a farcical note when Perth Scorchers’ Andrew Tye bowled a above head-height wide down the leg side when Sydney Sixers’ James Vince was on 98*. Chasing 168 for a win, Daniel Hughes blocked the last three balls of the 17th over with one needed for a win to give Vince the chance to get the milestone.

Tye bowled the first ball of the 18th over and sent down a bouncer that sailed high over the leg side, forcing the umpire to signal a wide. Vince was left stranded on 98* and walked off after giving Tye a stare-down.

Kieron Pollard bowls no-ball with Evin Lewis on 97*

In a stunning batting effort, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots chased down 129 in the 2017 Caribbean Premier League against Barbados Tridents in only seven overs, creating a number of records along the way. Chris Gayle faced only 14 balls in the partnership, making 22 runs, with Lewis facing 32 balls for his 97* runs.

Lewis, who reached his 50 in 19 balls, was well en route to the fastest CPL hundred and the second-quickest T20 hundred ever, with St Kitts needing one more for a win. But Kieron Pollard overstepped by a big margin, resulting in a no-ball, giving St Kitts a win as Lewis was left stranded on 97*.

Alok Kapali bowls a wide with Herschelle Gibbs on 97*

Herschelle Gibbs was chasing history against Bangladesh in 2002 and would have become the first player to score four successive ODI hundreds if not for five wides by Alok Kapali. Batting on 96*, Gibbs was on strike with South Africa needing six to chase down the total of 155.

Kapali went on to bowl a wide which wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud failed to gather as the ball trickled to the boundary. Five runs were added to the total and Gibbs needed to hit a four to reach his hundred. However, he only managed a single on the next ball and he was left stranded on 97*.

Ashraf Makda bowls a no-ball with Shikhar Dhawan on 94*

In 2008, North Zone won the Duleep Trophy led by Shikhar Dhawan’s 94* but he narrowly missed out on his milestone after a number of extras sent down by the West Zone bowlers. With six needed for a win and six more for Dhawan’s hundred, Rakesh Dhruv slipped a wide down the leg side that ran away to the boundary for five wides.

North Zone’s Rajat Bhatia dead-batted the last two balls of the over to allow Dhawan the strike for the next, with one needed for a win. But a no-ball by Makda ended the game and Dhawan was denied.

Fielders allow ball to roll for a four with Zak Crawley on 99*

During the 2018 Caribbean Super50, Zak Crawley was batting on 98* as he eyed his maiden List A century with the side needing four for a win against Leeward Islands. But seamer Sheeno Berridge bowled two wides in a row, which reduced the equation for a win to two runs.

Crawley took a single on the next ball to go to 99* and his partner Sean Dickson played out the following delivery so his teammate could reach three figures. Dickson played the next ball to midwicket and didn’t take the single so Crawley could score the winning runs and get his hundred as well. But the Leewards Islands’ fielders did not make an attempt to stop the ball as it rolled over the boundary, handing Kent a win. It left Crawley on 99*.

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