Table of Contents
One-Man Acts That Carried a Nation
One-man army performances in cricket are those unforgettable displays where a single player does it all — scoring the runs, taking the wickets, and holding the line when everyone else fades. These aren’t just knocks or spells — they’re heroic tales of one man versus eleven.
While cricket is a team sport, some matches remind us that one inspired player can flip the script, carry the weight of expectations, and deliver glory all by himself.
Here are the top 10 one-man army performances in cricket history — where one warrior stood tall while others fell.
Top 10 One-Man Army Performances in Cricket History
1. Ben Stokes – 135 vs Australia (Headingley, 2019)*
England were 286/9, chasing 359. Game over? Not with Stokes. He smashed sixes, farmed the strike, and pulled off the greatest Ashes escape ever.
One-Man Status: Scored 74 of the last 76 runs with No. 11. Won the match alone.
2. Sachin Tendulkar – 136 vs Pakistan (Chennai, 1999)
Chasing 271, India were cruising with Tendulkar. But post his dismissal, they collapsed and lost by 12 runs. He battled back pain and Waqar’s fury — and almost pulled it off solo.
One-Man Army Impact: Fought alone while wickets tumbled at the other end.
3. Chaminda Vaas – 8/19 vs Zimbabwe (2001)
Sri Lanka dismissed Zimbabwe for 38. Why? Because Vaas dismantled them with one of the greatest spells ever in ODI history.
Solo Wrecking Ball: 8 out of 10 wickets. Zimbabwe had no answer.
4. Brian Lara – 153 vs Australia (Bridgetown, 1999)*
Facing McGrath, Warne, and Gillespie — Lara scored an unbeaten 153 to chase 308 with the tail. His masterclass outshone legends.
One-Man Army Class: Took strike, dominated attack, refused to lose.
5. Shaun Pollock – 5/20 & 65 vs West Indies (2001 Champions Trophy)
He bowled with fire, then top-scored with the bat — literally doing everything for South Africa in a tight win.
Complete One-Man Show: All-round brilliance when the team needed it most.
6. Rohit Sharma – 140 vs Pakistan (2019 World Cup)
India scored 336 — 140 of them came from Rohit’s bat. He owned the game from ball one to ninety-nine.
Solo Domination: Played like he was in another league altogether.
7. Mohammed Shami – Hat-Trick vs Afghanistan (2019 World Cup)
India were under serious threat of an upset. Shami took a last-over hat-trick to seal the deal when all seemed lost.
One-Man Army in Death Overs: Saved the nation’s World Cup hopes.
8. Kevin O’Brien – 113 vs England (2011 World Cup)
Ireland were 111/5 chasing 328. Kevin O’Brien walked in and launched the most ridiculous counter-attack in history.
Miracle Chaser: Fastest WC century, iconic one-man match-winner.
9. Rangana Herath – 9/127 vs Pakistan (2014)
On a rank turner, Herath spun webs around Pakistan with 9 wickets in an innings — a solo effort that buried the opposition.
One-Man Spin Army: Made Pakistan look clueless.
10. Andy Flower – 232 vs India (Nagpur, 2000)*
He batted for nearly two days and scored more than half of Zimbabwe’s total — alone against an Indian attack in India.
One-Man Wall: Saved the match single-handedly.
When One Warrior Was Enough
Teamwork wins championships, but in moments of crisis, it’s the one-man army that makes headlines. These cricketers didn’t wait for support — they became the resistance. With bat, ball, or sheer will, they changed outcomes all by themselves.
Whether it was Stokes at Headingley or Lara at Bridgetown, these are the performances that echo louder than team totals — they remind us what greatness looks like, under pressure, alone.
FAQ: One-Man Army Performances in Cricket
âť“ Can bowlers have one-man army games too?
Absolutely. Players like Chaminda Vaas and Rangana Herath have dominated matches purely with the ball.
âť“ What is a one-man army performance in cricket?
It refers to a match where one player carries the entire team — by scoring a major portion of runs, taking most wickets, or doing both.
âť“ Who has the most iconic one-man army performance ever?
Ben Stokes’ 135 at Headingley in 2019* is widely regarded as the most heroic solo effort in modern cricket.
âť“ Are one-man army performances more common in Tests or ODIs?
They appear in all formats, but Tests often give more scope for such long, impactful solo efforts.
