The Unwanted Hat-trick: A Trio of Heartbreak
Three players are tied for the undesirable record of being dismissed for 99 most often in international cricket. England's Geoffrey Boycott, West Indies' Richie Richardson, and India's Sachin Tendulkar have all fallen on this number three separate times.
Tendulkar's case is particularly notable, as all three of his dismissals for 99 in One Day Internationals (ODIs) occurred within a few months in 2007. He was caught behind against South Africa, bowled against England, and caught again versus Pakistan, a cruel string of near misses for the Little Master. Boycott's three instances were spread across formats, including being left stranded not out on 99 in a Test match and becoming the first-ever batsman to be dismissed for 99 in an ODI. Richardson also experienced the pain across formats, being left not out once and dismissed twice.
The Double Unlucky Club
A number of world-class players share the fate of being dismissed for 99 twice in their international careers. This list includes stalwarts like Sri Lanka’s explosive opener Sanath Jayasuriya, Pakistan’s resilient Misbah-ul-Haq, and England's Alex Hales. Misbah's story is one of acute frustration; he was left not out on 99 in one Test and then dismissed for 99 in the very next match of the same series against the West Indies in 2017. Jayasuriya's dismissals were characteristic of his aggressive style, falling for 99 in ODIs against India and England. Alex Hales holds a unique spot, being the first player dismissed for 99 in a T20 International, later repeating the misfortune in an ODI.
The Indian Contingent of 99
Beyond Tendulkar, several other iconic Indian batsmen have experienced this specific heartbreak. Rahul Dravid, known as 'The Wall' for his resilience, was bowled by a searing Shoaib Akhtar delivery for 99 in a high-stakes ODI against Pakistan in Karachi in 2004. Elegant batsman VVS Laxman also fell on 99 in an ODI against the West Indies in 2002. The list of Indian players dismissed once on 99 includes modern greats like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, proving that no batsman, regardless of stature, is immune to the pressure of the nervous nineties. Former opener Kris Srikkanth was the first Indian to suffer this fate in an ODI, back in 1984 against England.
The Agony of the Single Run
What makes being out on 99 so painful is the proximity to a landmark that defines a great innings. It's the culmination of hours of concentration, skill, and endurance, undone in a single moment. Players have been dismissed in every conceivable way: bowled, caught, run out, stumped, and LBW. David Warner of Australia found himself stumped on 99 in an ODI against Sri Lanka in 2022. Legendary Indian captain MS Dhoni was run out for 99 in a Test match against England in 2012 by a sharp piece of fielding. Each dismissal is a story of what might have been, a century recorded in history books, but instead becoming a footnote of misfortune.
