The seventh edition of the biggest and richest Twenty20 cricket league in the world, the Indian Premier League, is due to commence today in Abu Dhabi. The tournament will be split across the United Arab Emirates and India this year due to the Indian general elections. One of the major reasons for the tournament's popularity is the slam-bang nature of the format and the chance to see the best cricketers from around the globe in action.
Last season saw the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar, but not before he helped his Mumbai Indians team to lift their maiden trophy. Tendulkar's absence this year by no means takes the gloss off the event. There is a plethora of talent on display.
As the cricket world preps up for the extravaganza, here is something to warm you up: Scroll.in's choices for the five best knocks of the IPL so far.
1. Chris Gayle, 175 not out off 66 balls
With his imposing, burly frame, Chris Gayle is one of the most frightening figures with a bat in hand on the cricket pitch in this format, if you're a bowler. Last season, the Jamaican, who plays for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, converted Bangalore's M Chinnaswamy Stadium into a slaughterhouse, as he bludgeoned his way to an unbeaten 175 off just 66 balls against a hapless Pune Warriors India bowling attack. This included the fastest century of the format, coming in just 30 balls.
2. Brendon McCullum, 158 not out off 73 balls
Almost exactly five years before Gayle's ballistics, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium had been treated to another spectacular show. It was the inaugural match of the tournament, which had been announced the previous year. After a glitzy opening ceremony, it was time to get down to the action as the Royal Challengers Bangalore hosted the Kolkata Knight Riders. What followed was something that was even more spectacular than the build-up, as Kolkata's Brendon McCullum from New Zealand went on a rampage right from go. McCullum carried his bat through the innings and scored 158 not out off 73 balls, which was more than enough to decide the fate of the match.
3. David Miller 101 not out off 38 balls
Few had heard of Kings XI Punjab's South African recruit David Miller during the 2013 edition. However, he was to become a household name on May 6, 2013. Royal Challengers Bangalore had posted what seemed like a sufficient total of 190 on the board and had Punjab limping at 68 for four in 10 overs. What followed could rightly be called "Miller Time" as the 23-year-old South African from Natal tore into the Bangalore bowling, on his way to the third-fastest century of the tournament, coming off just 38 balls. Needless to say, Punjab won the match.
4. Yusuf Pathan 100 off 37 balls
Chasing a mammoth target of 213 set by the Mumbai Indians, the Rajasthan Royals had their task cut out at the Brabourne Stadium in March 2010. However, at three for 40 in the seventh over, chances of a win were even bleaker. Out stepped the burly Yusuf Pathan, with the required rate touching 14 runs an over. Pathan did everything in his muscular pinch-hitting capability to get Rajasthan home, including hitting the then fastest IPL century, off 37 balls, before being run out. Rajasthan would come agonisingly close to their target and lose by just four runs. Royals skipper Shane Warne described Pathan's innings as one of the best he had ever seen in his life.
5. AB de Villiers 50 not out off 23 balls
This isn't the highest of scores notched in the IPL by a long distance, but what makes it stand out is the manner in which the 50 runs were scored. South Africa's AB de Villiers is one of the most stylish, innovative and aggressive batsmen in the world, and this innings is ample proof of that. Royal Challengers Bangalore were searching for their first away win of the 2013 season when they took on the Pune Warriors in early May. It was just days after Gayle had pulverised Pune in the two teams' earlier encounter, but the Jamaican could manage only 21 runs this time around. However, Bangalore was cruising along nicely at 99 for two in 13 overs when de Villiers walked in. He took his time to settle in, consuming 17 balls to score 24 runs, before this happened.
Watch these clips as a single playlist here on our YouTube channel.
Last season saw the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar, but not before he helped his Mumbai Indians team to lift their maiden trophy. Tendulkar's absence this year by no means takes the gloss off the event. There is a plethora of talent on display.
As the cricket world preps up for the extravaganza, here is something to warm you up: Scroll.in's choices for the five best knocks of the IPL so far.
1. Chris Gayle, 175 not out off 66 balls
With his imposing, burly frame, Chris Gayle is one of the most frightening figures with a bat in hand on the cricket pitch in this format, if you're a bowler. Last season, the Jamaican, who plays for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, converted Bangalore's M Chinnaswamy Stadium into a slaughterhouse, as he bludgeoned his way to an unbeaten 175 off just 66 balls against a hapless Pune Warriors India bowling attack. This included the fastest century of the format, coming in just 30 balls.
2. Brendon McCullum, 158 not out off 73 balls
Almost exactly five years before Gayle's ballistics, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium had been treated to another spectacular show. It was the inaugural match of the tournament, which had been announced the previous year. After a glitzy opening ceremony, it was time to get down to the action as the Royal Challengers Bangalore hosted the Kolkata Knight Riders. What followed was something that was even more spectacular than the build-up, as Kolkata's Brendon McCullum from New Zealand went on a rampage right from go. McCullum carried his bat through the innings and scored 158 not out off 73 balls, which was more than enough to decide the fate of the match.
3. David Miller 101 not out off 38 balls
Few had heard of Kings XI Punjab's South African recruit David Miller during the 2013 edition. However, he was to become a household name on May 6, 2013. Royal Challengers Bangalore had posted what seemed like a sufficient total of 190 on the board and had Punjab limping at 68 for four in 10 overs. What followed could rightly be called "Miller Time" as the 23-year-old South African from Natal tore into the Bangalore bowling, on his way to the third-fastest century of the tournament, coming off just 38 balls. Needless to say, Punjab won the match.
4. Yusuf Pathan 100 off 37 balls
Chasing a mammoth target of 213 set by the Mumbai Indians, the Rajasthan Royals had their task cut out at the Brabourne Stadium in March 2010. However, at three for 40 in the seventh over, chances of a win were even bleaker. Out stepped the burly Yusuf Pathan, with the required rate touching 14 runs an over. Pathan did everything in his muscular pinch-hitting capability to get Rajasthan home, including hitting the then fastest IPL century, off 37 balls, before being run out. Rajasthan would come agonisingly close to their target and lose by just four runs. Royals skipper Shane Warne described Pathan's innings as one of the best he had ever seen in his life.
5. AB de Villiers 50 not out off 23 balls
This isn't the highest of scores notched in the IPL by a long distance, but what makes it stand out is the manner in which the 50 runs were scored. South Africa's AB de Villiers is one of the most stylish, innovative and aggressive batsmen in the world, and this innings is ample proof of that. Royal Challengers Bangalore were searching for their first away win of the 2013 season when they took on the Pune Warriors in early May. It was just days after Gayle had pulverised Pune in the two teams' earlier encounter, but the Jamaican could manage only 21 runs this time around. However, Bangalore was cruising along nicely at 99 for two in 13 overs when de Villiers walked in. He took his time to settle in, consuming 17 balls to score 24 runs, before this happened.
Watch these clips as a single playlist here on our YouTube channel.
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