Cricket is a religion in India and the Indian Premier League is nothing less than a festival in the country. Every year, top players from all across the world come to participate in the high-voltage T-20 series. Every year, viewers from all across the world wait eagerly to watch their favorite players performing in the Indian league. IPL gives both the players as well as fans to watch their favorites from different countries play for the same team. The Indian league has transformed the careers of many players. It is a series full of high scoring shots, gigantic sixes, and unbelievable fielding efforts. The T-20 league has seen so many match-winning innings in the past 12 years. From Chris Gayle to Suresh Raina and from Andre Russel to Brendon McCullum, so many players have shown their talent in various editions of the series. Here are the top 5 innings played in all the 12 seasons of the Indian Premier League.
5. David Miller 101* vs Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013: David Miller, also known as Killer Miller for his explosive batting style has won Kings XI Punjab many matches with his aggressive batting style. The inning came in 2013 against Royal Challengers Bangalore. RCB rode on Chris Gayle and Cheteshwar Pujara’s half-centuries and a quick cameo of 38 by AB de Villiers to put a challenging total of 190/3 in 20 overs. In response, Punjab was reduced for 64/4 in 10 overs after attempting to play attacking cricket. The South African absorbed the pressure with his attacking batting style and hammered 8 fours and 7 sixes while chasing the target. Miller went on to score the third-fastest fifty of the tournament. Miller snatched the victory from RCB’s hands with his flamboyant innings and was adjudged man of the match.
4. Suresh Raina 87 vs Kings XI Punjab in 2014: Suresh Raina is also known as Mr. IPL for his consistent performance in the Indian Premier League. The number 3 batsman for Chennai Super Kings has won his side many matches with his spectacular performances. It was in the 2014 edition of the league when a storm called Virender Sehwag hit CSK. Sehwag’s explosive 122 off 58 balls helped Punjab post a mammoth total of 226/6. In response, Chennai lost their first wicket cheaply. At number 3, Suresh Raina came in the middle and started his inning on the top gear from the first ball. It was a flurry of boundaries and sixes from Raina’s bat. Raina clobbered a majestic 87 of just 25 balls. If it was not for an unfortunate run out, the southpaw would’ve gone to take the game home.
3. AB de Villiers 129* vs Gujarat Lions in 2016: Also known as Mr. 360, AB de Villiers is a nightmare for bowlers across the world. It was a usual day in business for de Villiers when he came out to bat to join his skipper Virat Kohli who was already on fire. Kohli managed to score 109 runs but his century was overshadowed by de Villiers’ heroics. AB de Villiers smashed 10 fours and 12 sixes to score a mammoth 129 runs off just 52 balls. Virat and AB managed to put up 229 runs for the 2nd wicket. AB’s heroics helped RCB post 112 runs in the last 5 overs. This storm helped RCB post a mammoth total of 248 runs at the loss of just 3 wickets.
2. Brendon McCullum 158 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2008: Anyone who has followed the Indian Premier League from the beginning would remember the storm that McCullum brought in the opening match of the league in 2008. Kolkata Knight Riders were asked to bat first in the opening match of the league and Kiwi T-20 giant Brendon McCullum stepped out to overwhelm the crowd with his blistering knock. McCullum hit 10 boundaries and 13 sixes off just 73 deliveries to score a gigantic score of 158 runs. McCullum went back to the pavilion unbeaten after scoring in every corner of the ground. KKR scored 112 runs in the last 5 overs of the inning. KKR managed to put a mammoth score of 222/3 and to increase the misery of RCB, they were reduced to a low score of 82.
Chris Gayle 175* vs Pune Warriors India in 2013: Chris Gayle has the record of the highest individual score by any batsman in the IPL. There’s hardly any team that has not faced the wrath of Gayle and his muscle power. Rising Pune Supergiants were overwhelmed by Gayle’s brutal thrashing. Gayle scored a mammoth 175 runs off 66 deliveries with the help of 13 boundaries and 17 sixes. 154 of Gayle’s 175 came in boundaries. It was the fastest T20 century by any batsman then. Gayle’s 17 sixes were the most in an inning by any batsman. This helped Royal Challengers Bangalore put the highest T20 score by a team (263/5) and the most sixes by a team in a T20 inning (21).
