The IPL is not only the wealthiest competition in the World of Cricket but also carries a bag of surprises every year. There may be many exciting moments in the current edition of that year but only a few moments or events stay alive in the spectators’ minds. These are indeed unforgettable moments and survive the passage of time.
We have chosen ten such moments considering all the previous IPL matches. So it’s not only personal achievements but also team moments.
1. Chris Gayle’s 175:
Chris Gayle melted the hearts of the Indian Cricket fans and the Pune Warriors bowling attack. He scorched them with an unbeaten 175, which had 17 six’s. He took 30 deliveries to score his century, and the innings were called the ‘ Gayle Storm “!
2. RR crowned Champions in Inaugural IPL.
RR had few international cricket superstars at the time. However, with Shane Warne as skipper and head coach, the Royals were led by a reliable individual. They stunned the competition by emerging victorious in eleven of their 14 league games. In the semi-final, the Royals met Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), whom they defeated by 105 runs. The Final against CSK was nothing short of a thriller, with Yusuf Pathan scoring runs off the final delivery to win the championship.
3. Brendon McCullum’s 158 launch IPL
It was the inaugural match in 2008. Even while the cricket fans were pondering what IPL was about, Brendon McCullum’s 158 served as the best launch pad for IPL.
In the first match, his 158* (10 fours and 13 sixes) for Kolkata Knight Riders versus Royal Challengers Bangalore kept the record for the most individual score for several years.
4. Acrobatic catch by Chris Lynn:
Apart from the heroics with the bat and ball of many, the fielders also got their due. Lynn’s catch to remove de Villiers turned the match around in favour of KKR. The net was of such a quality that would have made an acrobat applaud. Lynn’s catch set up a new benchmark, and fielding standards in the IPL were never the same.
5. Pollard’s Infamous “Hatrick.”
No. Not with the ball; tut on the field. Pollard, regarded as the best fielder and catcher in the game, dropped three catches from the bat of Mike Hussey. All three were consecutive deliveries, and the bowler to suffer was Mitchell Johnson. Pollard got injured trying to catch the third time around. It was a nightmare for the MI squad and the fans; they would never forget it.
6. Jet lag of an Innings!
Dwayne Smith landed on the ground to play his first match for MI against CSK. The thriller of a game saw Smith shake off his jet- lag and score 14 runs off just three deliveries to ensure an unforgettable win for the Mumbai Indians.
7. Five for Five!
RCB thrashed RR by 75 runs in the second IPL edition’s opening encounter at Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa. Anil Kumble was the mastermind behind Bangalore’s rout, taking five wickets for only five runs.
RCB had made 133 in their slotted overs, and Anil Kumble ran through the RR, defending the low score. RR was all out for a paltry 58!
8. Yusuf Pathan’s Blitzkrieg
It’s usually game over for the chasing side when the scoring rate exceeds ten; in this situation, RR required 212 runs to win. However, Yusuf Pathan’s 37-ball tonne was the quickest T20 tonne at the time, bringing his side to the edge of triumph despite the excessive run rate. Although Mumbai prevailed by just four runs, it was a glorious knock by Pathan, never to be forgotten.
9. A double Whammy!- Adam Gilchrist
Who can refuse Adam Gilchrist if he wants to bowl an over in his last professional match? He bowled his off-breaks and took Harbhajan’s wicket. His bowling figures were .1- 0- 0 – 1. Yes, a wicket of the first ball and an unforgettable moment for him and the fans.
10. A Partnership to Remember
The batting performances of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers will forever define what IPL is all about. Both batsmen struck dazzling hundreds in a partnership worth 229. There was a deluge of fours and sixes at the Bengaluru stadium, as both players smashed 15 fours and 20 sixes. However, both had already done the damage and Kohli’s dismissal in the final over did not matter. RCB’s final score was a staggering 248/3.
