10 Impactful Performances That Changed The Course of IPL 2017
The Quint takes a look at the most impactful performances of IPL 2017.
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Eight teams in IPL 2017 have fought their heart out in 60 matches through 48 days to offer us some high-class cricket filled with close encounters and brilliant moments. There are, however, some performances that have not only been special but also proven to be game changing.
As the tenth edition comes to an end with Mumbai Indians (beat Rising Pune Supergiant by 1 run in the final) winning their third IPL title in Hyderabad, we analyse the impactful and tournament-defining performances.
We pick these performances based on three indicators – match situation, performance weight and impact on the tournament.
1. Jasprit Bumrah: 2/26 vs RPS
Final. Venue: Hyderabad
Jasprit Bumrah has delivered some killer performances throughout the season, however, his best performance was saved for the final. With his match-turning 17th over, where he conceded just 3 runs and bagged MS Dhoni’s wicket, he made sure MI was not going down without a fight.
His performance eventually proved too good for RPS and helped MI become the champions of this season.
2. MS Dhoni: 41* vs MI
Qualifier 1. Venue: Mumbai
The former captain played a defining knock under pressure when his team needed it the most.
This innings not only helped RPS put up a respectable score but also turned out to be the difference between the two sides in a slow Wankhede wicket.
3. Nathan Coulter-Nile: 3/21 vs RCB
Match 27. Venue: Kolkata
The Aussie came all guns blazing in a low scoring encounter to hand RCB one of its shocking defeats in the history of IPL. This powerful performance from the Knight decimated RCB’s top and middle order where they could never come back from.
RCB recorded the lowest-ever IPL total (49) and lost the match by 82 runs.
4. Jaydev Unadkat: 2/14 vs KXIP
Match 55. Venue: Pune
The game-changing performance from the Indian left-armer confirmed a play-offs spot for RPS.
Other than scalping two wickets, he effected two other dismissals making it a giant show on the field in a crucial encounter.
After restricting the opponent to a score of less than 100, Pune won the match comfortably by 9 wickets.
5. Ben Stokes: 3/18 vs RCB
Match 17. Venue: Bangalore
This highly effective performance brought RPS to winning ways after three straight defeats.
The performance also marked the momentous coming-back-to-form for Ben Stokes which later played a pivotal role in RPS’ success in this IPL.
Stokes’ effort helped Pune beat RCB by 27 runs.
6. Kieron Pollard: 70 vs RCB
Match 12. Venue: Bangalore
This is one of the great knocks under pressure this season. The big West-Indian’s efforts with the bat gave MI a lease of life from an otherwise precarious situation. This innings set MI rolling for the rest of the tournament.
Pollard walked into bat when Mumbai were tottering at 7/4. He played a brilliant innings of 70 runs off 47 balls, which helped Mumbai win the match by 4 wickets.
7. Sunil Narine: 54 and 2/29 vs RCB
Match 46. Venue: Bangalore
The mystery spinner expanded his capacity to massive destructor presenting a stellar show with both bat and ball in this match. As it would prove later, this knock took KKR to the play-offs straight away.
He equalled his teammate Yusuf Pathan’s record of the fastest half-century. The fifty helped KKR win the match by 6 wickets with 29 balls to spare.
8. Ben Stokes: 103* vs GL
Match 39. Venue: Pune
This was again one of the great knocks in a crunch situation. Promoted up the order, the Big Ben played one of his personal best to single-handedly take RPS to a win.
He walked into bat when Pune were struggling at 10/3. Then he built one of the greatest T20 hundreds. He scored 103 runs runs off just 63 balls.
9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 5/21 vs KXIP
Match 19. Venue: Hyderabad
With just 16 runs required in the last two overs with 3 wickets in hand, KXIP were undone by Bhuvi who delivered one of the best spells of IPL 2017 by bagging key wickets of Manan Vohra, KC Cariappa in his last over and sealing the match for SRH.
His efforts overshadowed an otherwise outstanding innings of Manan Vohra, who scored 95 runs off 50 balls.
10. Rahul Tewatia: 2/18 and 15* vs KKR
Match 49. Venue: Mohali
This all-round performance of a young uncapped Indian made a lot of difference. Not only did this performance keep KXIP alive in the tournament, it did now allow KKR to finish the round-robin in top 2.
With gutsy batting and a tight bowling performance, it kept KXIP in the hunt for a longer period in the tournament.
First, Tewatia smashed 15 off 8 balls in the death overs, which helped Punjab post a total of 167/6 and then the leg-break bowler dismissed two big players – Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa.
Visit The Quint’s IPL 10 site for more.
(Debnath Roychowdhury is an alumnus of SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai and works as a Management Consultant. Debnath is a cricket analyst and writer and can be reached @ImDebnathand at LinkedIn.)
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