IPL: Which are the top five innings across 18 seasons that defined matches and left a lasting impact?
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has over the course of 18 seasons witnessed some extraordinary batting performances; innings that have shaped and defined the legacy of the league. While T20 cricket and the IPL is known for its high scoring games, it is the match situations that truly set a knock stand apart from the rest.
Here, we take a look at some of the finest knocks in IPL history; innings that showcased exceptional batting brilliance, rose to the occasion under pressure, and ultimately turned the game on its head.
Shane Watson – 117* (57) – 2018 Final – CSK vs SRH
Shane Watson played one of the defining knocks of his career, a knock that would go on to become a cornerstone moment in Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) history. Returning from a two-year absence, CSK stormed into yet another final with their eyes set on the third title.
On one of the biggest nights in CSK’s journey thus far, Watson produced a knock for the ages. The Men in Yellow were set a challenging target of 179 and the Aussie batter opened the innings along with Faf du Plessis. In his first 10 balls, Watson didn’t get off the mark but all of a sudden, he exploded.
He upped the ante to score run-a-ball 19 at the end of powerplay and progressively increased the pace as his innings went on. Watson reached his half-century in 32 balls, finding boundaries at will. In the 13th over of the innings, Watson smashed 26 runs off Sandeep Sharma bringing the equation down to 48 runs needed off the last seven overs.
Watson continued his carnage as he got to his century in just 51 balls and finished unbeaten on 117 to seal a comfortable 8-wicket win for CSK with nine balls to spare.
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Kieron Pollard – 60* (32) – 2013 Final – MI vs CSK
CSK reached their fourth successive IPL final and were in pursuit of a record third title. On the other hand, Mumbai Indians (MI) who were chasing their maiden title opted to bat and faced a jolt in no time.
In under four overs, MI lost three of their top-order batters and faced a further dent when Dinesh Karthik, one of MI’s batting mainstays of the season fell in 10th over. At the halfway mark, MI could muster only 58 and this was when Kieron Pollard took the centrestage. With Ambati Rayudu going steady at the other end, Pollard started scoring boundaries at will against different bowlers.
His aggressive intent meant MI’s run-rate began to rise as they got to their 100-run mark with five overs to go. Pollard was on 32 off 19 at that stage, and went on to add 28 more runs in his next 13 deliveries to take MI’s total close to 150 (148/9). While it was not a huge total by any means, Pollard’s finish ensured MI had the momentum with them, especially when they were 52/4 at one stage. He later starred with the ball and played a key role in MI winning the game by 23 runs.
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Wriddhiman Saha – 115* (55) – 2014 Final – KXIP vs KKR
Wriddhiman Saha, the diminutive wicket-keeper played one of the best knocks in the history of IPL, albeit in losing cause against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Playing for the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), who were featuring in their first-ever IPL final were struggling at 30/2 after five overs while batting first. They had lost their in-form opener Virender Sehwag and skipper Goerge Bailey without much on the board.
At this crucial juncture, Saha, batting at No.4 joined hands with the other opener, Manan Vohra. The latter played more of a second fiddle during the pair’s 129 run-stand for the third wicket and Saha was the one who took the attack to the opposition. Initially taking some time to acclimatize to the conditions and avoiding further collapse, the keeper-batter quickly changed the gears. From being at 19-ball 21 at the end of 11 overs, Saha took just 10 more balls to complete his half-century.
The right-hander made merry in the end overs as he smashed the best of KKR bowlers – Umesh Yadav, Morne Morkel, Sunil Narine and Piyush Chawla – to all parts of the ground. He took just 20 balls to score the second fifty, and with this he became the first batter to score a century in an IPL final. His stunning knock of unbeaten 115 came off 55 balls and it included 10 fours and eight sixes, propelling Punjab’s total to 199. Though they lost the game, Saha’s blistering knock will be remembered as one of the finest in IPL history.
Manish Pandey – 94 (50) – 2014 Final – KKR vs KXIP
If one wonders why Saha’s brilliant 115* came in a losing cause, Manish Pandey’s 94 can be termed the reason. In a pressure chase situation, the first India batter to score a century in IPL, rose to the occasion on the night of the final.
The Knight Riders lost opener Robin Uthappa, one of their best batters of the tournament, in the fourth ball of the chase and in walked Pandey who opened his account with a solid boundary. Post this, he never looked back as the right-hander scored 29 off KKR’s tally of 59 in the powerplay. They lost Gautam Gambhir immediately after this phase but Pandey continued his carnage, in the company of big-hitter Yusuf Pathan.
With Pathan going all guns, Pandey took those calculated risks and brought his half-century off just 31 balls. Together they added 72 runs for the third wicket, and once Pathan departed, Pandey started playing those big shots. From being at 63* off 39 balls, Pandey shifted gears adding 31 runs in next nine balls, before getting dismissed for 94. At this stage, KKR needed 21 off the last 18 balls and they comfortably finished the chase with three balls to spare.
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Shubman Gill – 129 (60)- 2023 Qualifier 2 – GT vs MI
The Orange Cap winner of the 2023 season, brought his A game with the bat against Mumbai Indians in the Qualifier 2. After scoring two centuries and a 94* in the last five innings prior to this, Shubman Gill came into this game with plenty of runs under his belt.
After being made to bat by MI, Gill, leading Gujarat Titans (GT) for the first time, smashed the hapless bowlers all round the park. He decimated the bowling attack and took the game completely away from them.
The right-hander took 32 balls to complete his half-century where he played his usual array of strokes. But once crossing his first milestone, Gill started dealing in sixes as he brought his third century of the tournament in mere 49 balls. He then continued to assert his dominance post his century and when he departed for a well made 129 off 60, GT were placed comfortably at 192/2 at end of 17 overs.
Some big hitting towards the end of the innings took GT to 233/3 and Mumbai could respond with just 171 in their chase.
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