The Indian Premier League (IPL) has witnessed several iconic encounters that have changed the cricketing landscape to a great extent. There have been occasions where teams have won from situations that were hard to think of before T20 came into existence. Nowadays 200 has become a par score and anything less than that is considered a fighting score. However, today we bring to you some of the most iconic IPL matches that shaped the cricketing trends.
Chris Gayle’s knock of 175 (Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Pune Warriors India: IPL 2013)
When Brendon McCullum scored 158 in the inaugural match of the tournament in 2008 everyone thought that it would be impossible for batters to break this particular record in the future and the argument seemed to be true until Chris Gayle scored a breathtaking 175 at a strike rate of 265 which included 13 fours and 17 sixes one of which broke the roof of the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
During his inning, Gayle broke a host of records one of which was the record for the highest individual score in T20 cricket. Gayle’s knock of 175 also helped Royal Challengers Bangalore register the highest IPL total by a team a record which is intact till date. RCB also holds the record for the lowest team total in IPL.
The Smith-Faulkner Show (Royal Challengers Banglore vs Rajasthan Royals: 2014)
The IPL 2014 match between Royal Challengers Banglore and Rajasthan Royals was the first occasion a team chased more than 60 runs in the last three overs. Needing 191 runs to win RR were 126-5 in 17.1 overs and required 65 more runs to win in 17 balls with Australian duo of James Faulkner and Steve Smith at the crease.
Chasing more than 60 runs in the last three overs was a big thing at that time unlike today where teams have a realistic chance of winning from that position. Everyone thought that RCB would easily win the match but Faulkner and Smith had other ideas as the pair did the unthinkable and scored 65 runs off the last 17 balls to hand RR a memorable win
Tied Super Over (Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals: 2014)
The IPL 2014 match between KKR and RR was arguably one of the best matches of that season. Chasing 153 to win on a tricky wicket KKR got off to a slow but decent start as the Gautam Gambhir-led side scored 85 runs for the loss of 3 wickets after 13 overs and was on course to chase the target.
But due to the slow nature of the wicket, the batters found it difficult to play big shots as KKR was soon reduced from 85-3 in 13 overs to 145-8 in 19.2 overs needing eight runs off four balls of which only seven were scored resulting in a super over which also ended in a tie helping RR win a nail biter by the virtue of superior boundary count
The Opening Act ft. Lynn and Narine (Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders: 2017)
When RCB took on KKR in Bangalore the Virat Kohli-led side would have thought that it would be just another match of the tournament. But what transpired made this encounter iconic. Batting first RCB posted a challenging score of 158 runs on the board considering the fact that the pitch at Chinnaswamy stadium was a bit slow that year with a lot of assistance for the spinners.
Chasing a target of 159 the opening duo of Lynn and Narine gave KKR a blistering start as they brought up the century stand for the first wicket inside the powerplay something which was hard to believe. The duo added 105 runs for the first wicket in 6.1 overs and notched up there half centuries ensuring that KKR won the match comfortably in the end
Tewatia’s one-man show (Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings: 2020)
In T20 Cricket all it takes for a player to redeem himself is one over. A lot can happen in six balls a classic example of which was seen during the match between Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings in IPL 2020. Chasing a mammoth target of 224 Punjab Kings (Known as Kings XI Punjab back then) got off to a good start.
Captain Sanju Samson led the way by scoring an attacking half-century. Royals were in the game till the 16th over with seven wickets in hand and 63 runs to win off the last 24 balls. But Rahul Tewatia was struggling to time the ball at one end which transferred the pressure back on Royals with 51 needed off the last 18 balls. The pressure was mounting on Tewatia as he was promoted up the batting order in that particular match because of his power-hitting abilities.
Fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell was given the responsibility of bowling the 18th over and that is when Tewatia decided to take Cottrell to the cleaners and hammered 30 runs of Cottrell’s over sealing the match for his team in the process
Rinku’s last-over heroics (Gujarat Titans vs Kolkata Knight Riders: 2023)
KKR’s performance hasn’t been up to the mark since 2019 barring the 2021 season where the team made it to the final. Having said that the team did give a glimpse of what KKR is capable of if they play to their full potential in the previous season. An example of the kind of talented batting lineup KKR has was on show when Rinku Singh hit five sixes off the last five balls against Gujarat Titans to help the team register a come-from-behind victory that defied all the odds. Chasing a target of 205 runs KKR was down and out of the contest and needed 29 off the last six balls.
After getting the strike on the second ball of the last over the left-hander cleared the ropes on five occasions to do the unthinkable and register a victory that will go down as one of the finest in the history of the tournament.
Also Read: IPL 2024: MS Dhoni To Bat Higher For CSK? Former Teammate Reveals Reason
