From Steyn to Narine: The Super Overs That Defined IPL History

On Sunday, the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow witnessed something that it was not prepared for.

Kolkata Knight Riders edged Lucknow Super Giants in a pulsating Super Over after pacer Mohammed Shami tied the match with a last-ball six.

Sunil Narine with ice running in his veins was trusted to bowl the super over. And the Caribbean delivered as he always does.

Narine conceded just one run, took two wickets in the super over, and gift-wrapped KKR its much needed second win of the tournament.

Rinku Singh sealed the win on the very first ball with a boundary. According to Crictracker, the IPL has produced over 15 Super Overs since 2009.

Here are the five that made the format legendary.

SRH vs RCB: When Steyn denied Gayle (2013)

In a 2013 IPL thriller, SRH and RCB headed to a Super Over after both finished on 130.

Batting first, SRH’s Cameron White smashed two sixes off Vinay Kumar, powering them to 20/0. Facing a steep target of 21, RCB relied on Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli.

Despite a six from Gayle, Dale Steyn’s clinical bowling restricted RCB to 15/0, securing a dramatic victory for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

RCB vs MI: Saini’s masterclass (2020)

Navdeep Saini bowled a masterful Super Over for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2020, restricting Mumbai Indians to a low total.

RCB pulled off a rare win after both teams scored 201 runs in their 20 overs. RCB restricted MI to 7/1 in the Super Over before chasing down the target.

RR vs KKR: The first of many (2009)

Rajasthan Royals' Yusuf Pathan smashed 6, 2, 6, 4 to chase it in four balls, finishing 18/0 against Kolkata Knight Riders in the inaugural Super Over in IPL history.

It established everything the format would come to represent: explosive power, zero margin, and instant drama at Newlands.

DC vs RR: The one with the run-outs (2025)

The IPL 2025 clash between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals ended in a tie at 188 runs each.

In the Super Over, Mitchell Starc restricted RR to 11/2, featuring two crucial run-outs. Chasing 12, KL Rahul started with a double and a boundary.

Tristan Stubbs then sealed the victory with a massive six off Sandeep Sharma on the fourth ball, finishing at 13/0 to secure DC’s win.

KXIP vs MI: When Cricket demanded more than one (2020)

The 2020 clash between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians made history as the first IPL match featuring two Super Overs.

Initially, both teams finished on 176. In the first tie-breaker, MI’s Jasprit Bumrah restricted KXIP to just 5 runs, but Mohammed Shami miraculously defended the same for Punjab.

In the second Super Over, MI set a target of 12, which Chris Gayle and Mayank Agarwal chased down clinically to secure a legendary win.

As IPL 2026 adds new classics like Narine's one-run masterclass yesterday, the Super Over continues to be the league's most unforgiving stage.

Each edition raises what came before, and the format's hold on fans shows no sign of loosening.

(With inputs from yMedia)