Decoding the top-five knocks in IPL playoffs
Gujarat Titans have advanced to the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) final following a convincing 62-run triumph over Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2. Shubman Gill was the chief architect of GT's win as he smoked a brilliant 60-ball 129. It is now the highest score in the IPL playoffs. Here we look at the top-five knocks played in IPL playoffs.
Gill's carnage versus MI
Gill was at his absolute best versus MI as he smothered runs all over the park. He reached his ton off just 49 balls, the joint-fastest in IPL playoffs. The opener shifted gears even further after getting the milestone as his final 29 runs came off just 11 balls. His knock was laced with 10 maximums and seven fours as the Titans posted 233/3.
Suresh Raina's storm versus Punjab Kings
It was the Qualifier 2 of IPL 2014 and Chennai Super Kings needed to chase down a mammoth 227 versus Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). Suresh Raina arrived at number three and put on a six-hitting exhibition. He made optimum utilization of the powerplay overs, smoking a 25-ball 87. His jaw-dropping knock ended with a heart-breaking run-out as CSK lost by 24 runs
Sehwag's mayhem versus CSK
Prior to Raina's dream knock, the Qualifier 2 of IPL 2014 witnessed a fiery century from Virender Sehwag. The veteran opener was at his absolute best as he smoked a brilliant 58-ball 122. No other KXIP batter could touch the 40-run mark in the high-profile clash. It was the highest score in IPL playoffs before Gill took over.
AB de Villiers's mayhem versus Gujarat Lions
Chasing 159 against the now-defunct Gujarat Lions in the IPL 2016 Qualifier 1, Royal Challengers Bangalore suffered a top-order collapse and were reduced to 29/5. RCB were rescued by AB de Villiers, who paced his knock to perfection. The dasher brilliantly operated with the lower-order batters and smoked an unbeaten 79 off 47 balls. Thanks to his brilliance, RCB claimed a four-wicket win.
When David Warner led SRH from the front
Another fine knock against GL in the 2016 edition was recorded by David Warner in the second Qualifier. Chasing 163, Sunrisers Hyderabad were off to a poor start as wickets fell in a cluster. Skipper Warner, however, held one end. The southpaw shifted gears after settling in and smoked an unbeaten 58-ball 93. SRH eventually won by four wickets.
