Nearly a decade after his match-winning heroics in the IPL 2016 final, former Australian all-rounder Ben Cutting remains a cult figure among Sunrisers Hyderabad fans—and a thorn in the side of Royal Challengers Bengaluru supporters. In a recent chat with ESPNcricinfo, Cutting revealed that he still receives many direct messages, urging him to come back as a replacement player—specifically against RCB.
“If I load up my private messages on Instagram now, there’ll be 150 every day saying, ‘Can you make yourself available for the IPL as a replacement player?’ for any team that’s coming up against RCB,” Ben Cutting said with a smile. The nostalgia comes from his blistering 39 off just 15 deliveries in the 2016 IPL final, where he turned the tide in Hyderabad’s favour and helped them clinch their maiden title.
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That night in Bengaluru remains one of the most iconic moments in IPL history. Cutting came to the crease in the 16th over with SRH on 147/4 and launched an all-out assault, particularly on fellow Aussie Shane Watson. His power-hitting took Hyderabad to 208, a total they eventually defended in a thriller.
Ben Cutting said, “if I load up my private Instagram messages, there’ll be 150 everyday saying ‘can you make yourself available as a replacement in the IPL for any team that’s coming up against RCB'”. (Espncricinfo). pic.twitter.com/7uq8P7e7bB
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 22, 2025
“What was achieved that night… it’s essentially one of the biggest sporting events in the world,” Ben Cutting said, reflecting on the magnitude of the occasion. “Even at the time, I realised that was probably going to be the highlight of my career.”
Interestingly, Cutting pointed out that social media chatter around his performance has only grown with time—especially as RCB continue their title drought.
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“The longer the years drag on and RCB still haven’t won, the more important that [night] becomes for the Hyderabadis,” he added. Describing the final, Ben Cutting shared, “The Chinnaswamy pitch was like the Gabba—fast, bouncy—and I knew if I got hold of it, the ball would fly. I just wish it hadn’t come against Watto—I love the bloke!”
While Cutting may not be returning to IPL action anytime soon, his legend lives on in SRH folklore and RCB memes.
