IPL 2020 : Top 5 batting performances of the season
Follow Us
KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan and Mayank Agarwal (left to right)
The 13th season of the Indian Premier League once again proved why it is hailed as the best T20 league across the world. Through the course of 60 games, we saw a variety of emotions and to top it all off, a great display of T20 cricket. With league first being postponed and then relocated, many wouldn’t have imagined witnessing such an electrifying season of IPL but yet again the cash-rich league delivers.
IPL 2020 recorded the highest average of sixes across in the history of the league courtesy some top batting performances. So let’s take a look at the top 5 batting performances of the season.
5. Rahul Tewatia helps RR pull off the unimaginable
Playing just their second game of the season, Rajasthan Royals found themselves in a tough spot as they were put to chase down a humongous total of 223. They were off to a shaky start losing their star opener Jos Buttler early. The duo of skipper Steve Smith and Sanju Samson steadied the ship but they left a huge chunk of the job for the lower order. RR needed 51 runs from the last three overs and it was a struggling Rahul Tewatia at the crease with the momentous task on his shoulder.
Tewatia was struggling to make on the day and it seemed like Kings XI Punjab are cruising towards a comfortable victory. But the Haryana all-rounder had not given up yet and rose to the occasion when it was least expected. Tewatia smashed five sixes off Sheldon Cotrell to turn the tables as he went on score 52 runs off 31 balls. Although he failed to see his side home, his knock which featured 7 maximums did take his side to the doorstep fo victory when there was no hope. The Royals eventually chased down 223 to record the highest successful chase in the history of the league.
4. Ishan Kishan misses out on well deserved ton
Mumbai Indians discovered yet another game-changer in their ranks as they looked to chase down a daunting 201 against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The record five-time champions were in staring at the Herculean task of scoring 90 runs off the last 30 balls with almost half the team back in the dugout. That is when young Ishan Kishan rose up to the occasion and almost pulled off the unimaginable alongside Kieron Pollard.
Kishan smacked every bowler out of the park as he and Pollard made their way towards the target. The young southpaw took the likes of Navdeep Saini, Adam Zampa and Ishuru Udana before falling prey to the Sri Lankan one run short of the big milestone. His explosive innings of 99 came off just 58 balls. The knock featured 2 boundaries and 9 sixes during his stay in the middle. His effort eventually went in vain as RCB clinched the game in the super over. But no matter what, Ishan proved his temperament with his courageous knock
3. Shikhar Dhawan’s maiden IPL ton denies CSK an easy win
After a slow start to his IPL 2020 campaign, Shikhar Dhawan came up with a scintillating ton to deny Chennai Super Kings an easy win. Chasing a challenging 180, Delhi Capitals faltered at the top, yet again, as they lost both Prithvi Shaw and Ajinkya Rahane cheaply. But Dhawan maintained a level head and cautiously built his innings against the versatile CSK bowling line up. It wasn’t easy to even for an in-form Dhawan to change gears but three dropped chances saw him rush to a brilliant ton.
After a slow and cautious start, Dhawan changed gears as he took both the spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Karn Sharma, to the cleaners. The same was the case with pacers once he settled in as his 58 balls 101 took the game away from MS Dhoni‘s side. Dhawan’s maiden IPL ton featured 14 fours and a lone six.
2. Mayank Agarwal’s maiden IPL ton goes in vain
Put to bat first against Rajasthan Royals, in form Kings XI Punjab opener Mayank Agarwal destroyed the opposition’s bowling attack. Agarwal exploded as the Royals introduced spin early in the innings. The move that was intended to break the opening stand turned out to be the perfect foothold for the Karnataka opener to launch his attack as he took apart Shreyas Gopal and Rahul Tewatia.
Agarwal raced to his half-century off just 20 odd deliveries. Although the maximums dried up early in his innings, he continued the ground assault as he brought up his century off just 45 deliveries. The terrific innings was cut short at 106 as he mistimed a low full toss to get caught out at midwicket. The terrific ton which featured 10 fours and 7 sixes was the second-fastest hundred by an Indian in the league. But his brilliant effort was not enough has Tewatia’s late flourish saw the Royals seal the game by 4 wickets.
1. KL Rahul’s unbeaten ton stuns RCB
Only six games into IPL 2020, we witnessed a record-breaking from Kings XI Punjab captain KL Rahul as he smashed a scintillating ton. Rahul started off in his usual style with classic risk-free shot. His high percentage cricket shots saw him cruise to his half-century in just 36 deliveries. Although wickets kept falling at the other end, Rahul kept going holding his end strong. He played his natural game as he made his way to 77 of 54 deliveries and that is where the fireworks started.
In his last 15 balls, the Karnataka opener scored a whopping 51 runs as he finished off with 132 runs off 69 balls. The knock, which was aided by drop catches by Virat Kohli, went down as the highest score by an Indian and the highest score by a captain in the history of the league. The sensational exhibition of hitting, which set up an easy 97 run win for KXIP, featured 14 maximums and 7 sixes. Rahul, who went on to capture the Orange Cap this season, was adjudged man of the match for his breathtaking knock.
Also read : IPL 2020 : Top 5 bowling performances of the season
Stay Updated!
Anshuman Mahapatra
(1496 Articles Published)