What are some instances when a single player changed the course of a cricket match?

 2016 World T20,India vs Australia,Mohali

It was a must win game for both the sides as whoever would win the game would Qualify for the semis.

Skipper Steven Smith won the toss and elected to bat first. Australia got a blazing start as they made 52 runs within the first 4 overs as Khawaja and Finch wreaked havoked on the Indian bowlers

But Indian bowlers made a good comeback as they kept taking Wickets at regular intervals and the Aussies could make only 160 runs in their alloted overs.

The chase was never going to be easy for India, and it did so India lost both the openers within the powerplay and soon they lost Suresh Raina at the eighth over. But Virat Kohli was looking good at the crease

—

In came Yuvraj Singh to assist Virat Kohli who was already looking good at the crease . They both handled the situation and made a steady partnership of 45 in 38 balls ,before Yuvraj Singh was dismissed by Watson in the 14th over.

Skipper Ms Dhoni made his way into the ground to join his partner in crime Virat Kohli , they both tried to add stability in the middle . Kohli completed his half century in the 17th over ,but he knew his job was only half done.

—

The equation was now 39 off 18 deliveries.

Faulkner to bowl.

18th over

• Ball 1: Kohli starts the over with a boundary towards backward square leg
• Ball 2: Kohli opens the face of the bat and hits an incredible square drive for a 4
• Ball 3: Kohli steps out of his crease and delivers the ball into the stands.
• The last three balls of the over yielded 5 runs as the Captain and the vice captain showed their running skills.

—

20 off 12 now.

Nathan counter Nile to bowl the penultimate over.

19th over

• Ball 1: Dot ball. Pressure increasing rapidly.
• Ball 2: Kohli uses his wrist to open the face of the bat and Square drive through the point for a boundary
• Ball 3: Another boundary,Kohli pulls and beats the fielder inside the circle
• Ball 4: Another boundary, Kohli on a role here. Run a ball required for the first time.
• Ball 5 :Dot ball
• Ball 6: Kohli, he unfurls his favourite shot, that drive and it is too good for every man on the field, he has bossed this chase. Game set and match now !

4 off 6. James Faulkner has the ball.

20th over

• Dhoni hits the winning runs , India wins the match and it's all over for the Aussies in the tournament.

It was one of the best innings played by Virat Kohli in international cricket, wickets kept falling under regular intervals but Virat hold on one end and made sure that India remain in the game. In the last three overs when the required run rate was going high , Virat Kohli tattered the Aussie bowlers and unleashed the attacking demon in himself to power India towards victory. He rightly won the man of the match award for his fantabulous innings.

Which was the most one-sided cricket match ever?

 29 Oct 2000, Finals, Coca Cola Champions trophy, Sharjah.

It was the finals of the tri series between Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and India. SL led under Sanath Jayasuriya remained unbeaten throughout the tournament.

On the day of finals, Sanath won the toss and opt to bat on a sunny noon. Indian bowlers made the most of the movement available early on. They reduced SL to 116/4 around 28 overs.

At the other end was the captain of SL who was playing an uncharacteristic knock. He anchored the innings for some time to avoid further collapse. Some dropped chances helped him to get his hundred in 118 balls.

And then, it was all Jayasuriya’s show. He hammered the fast bowling trio of Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar and Venkatesh Prasad for fun. In the next 43 balls, he hit 89 runs and just killed the game.

And how did he do that.. He didn't even wear helmet in the later part of his innings. What else a fast bowler can be hurt more of !!

Russell Arnold at the other end played his part with a 62-balls-52.

India had no time to look what happened with them. SL scored whopping 183 runs in last 22 overs. In the last 10 overs, they scored almost 100 runs.

Sanath Jayasuriya alone scored 63.21% of team's runs. He surely led from the front and boy, Indian shoulders were down.

---

300 was a big target those days. But the Indians were just mentally bruised by Jayasuriya’s epic knock. And it affected their batting.

The duo of Vaas and Muralitharan just ran through the Indian batting lineup. Indian batters fell like a pack of cards.

Vaas bowled an amazing spell of 9.3–1–14–5, while Muralitharan spun his magic with a spell of 6–3–6–3.

India were dismissed for their lowest Odi total of 54. It remains their lowest Odi total till date.

Sri Lanka beat India by a massive margin of 245 runs. Sanath Jayasuriya alone had outscored India by 135 runs.

It was one of the most one-sided match in the history of cricket.

Image courtesy - Google, YouTube.