Dhoni, Pollard, De Villiers: IPL 2019’s Match-Winning Knocks
Here’s a look at the 10 best match winning knocks in IPL 2019.
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Mumbai Indians went on to make history on Sunday as they lifted the IPL trophy for the fourth time by defeating Mumbai Indians by a solitary run in the final in Hyderabad. The game had plenty of ebbs and flows with both teams sharing honours during the course of the 40 overs.
As it turned out, veteran Mumbai Indians pacer Lasith Malinga showcased his experience as he defended nine runs in the final over. The Rohit-Sharma led side has now won the IPL trophy every alternative year since 2013. They first won it in 2013, then 2015, 2017 and now again in 2019.
Like every edition, this IPL also saw some scintillating performances by batsmen who have single-handedly won the match for their respective IPL teams.
Here’s a look at the 10 best match-winning knocks of IPL 2019:
David Warner (100* vs RCB)
David Warner showed signs of his very good form very early in Indian Premier League 2019 when he scored an unbeaten 100 off just 55 balls which included 10 boundaries.
Adding a 185-run opening stand with Jonny Bairstow, the duo tormented Royal Challengers Bangalore bowlers in Hyderabad. Warner scored his runs at a strike rate of 180in the game.
Courtesy his knock and his partnership with Bairstow, Sunriser Hyderabad posted a mammoth 231/2 and won the match by 118 runs. Royal Challengers Bangalore in reply were bowled out for a meagre 113.
Jonny Bairstow (114 vs RCB)
Along with David Warner’s knock in the same match, Jonny Bairstow, who was playing his very first IPL season, scored his maiden IPL ton in his very third match of the season.
Bairstow was the dominant partner during the 185-run opening stand as he brought up his 114 runs in only 56 deliveries, which included 12 fours and 7 sixes.
Bairstow enjoyed batting with Warner as the duo formed a formidable opening partnership and showed immense consistency throughout the course of the season.
Andre Russell (80 vs MI, 49* vs SRH, 48 vs RCB)
IPL 2019’s Most Valuable Player KKR’s Andre Russell scored 510 runs and picked up 11 wickets in the tournament. He fought a lone batte with the bat in almost every match that KKR won in their 2019 campaign.
However, Russell’s best knock came against Mumbai Indians when he scored an 80 to help KKR post 232/2 the highest total in IPL 2019. KKR won the match by 34 and managed to stay in the race for the playoffs. He scored those runs at a strike rate of 207.
All these wins came during the early phase of KKR’s campaign when they won four games back-to-back before their campaign got derailed with six losses on trot. But in those six games, Russell continued the fireworks with the bat. He ended the season with as many as 52 sixes to his name, the most this season.
Shane Watson (96 vs SRH)
Shane Watson had another average season with the Chennai Super Kings as he scored 398 runs in the season with 96 against Sunrisers Hyderabad being his highest.
Kieron Pollard (83 vs KXIP)
Against Kings XI Punjab with Rohit Sharma rested, Mumbai had a job on their hands chasing 199 to win. MI were 94/4 when Pollard started hitting the ball to all corners of the ground at the Wankhede.
Pollard was also leading Mumbai in that game and the knock just came at the right time for the captain.
AB De Villiers 82 vs KXIP
AB De Villiers, who was the batting mainstay for Royal Challengers Bangalore alongside Virat Kohli, played a match winning knock against Kings XI Punjab and helped Bangalore register a much-needed win.
Courtesy De Villier’s 82 off 44 balls including 10 boundaries , RCB scored 202 and won the match by 17 runs as Kings XI Punjab could only manage 185/7.
Shikhar Dhawan 97* vs KKR
The experienced left-hander was one of the vital cogs in Delhi Capitals’s batting line-up along with Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Prithvi Shaw making up a solid top 4 for the Delhi Capitals.
He proved his mettle in the match against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens when Delhi chased down 179.
Dhawan finished with 521 runs averaging nearly 35 and striking at 140.
Shubman Gill 76 vs MI
Shubman Gill won the Emerging Player of the Year award for his splendid show with the bat for KKR. He scored 296 runs which included three fifties he scored while opening the innings.
His best knock came against Mumbai Indians when he scored 76 to set up the platform for a massive score of 232. He found support from the other end from Andre Russell who scored 80 in quick time. Gill’s innings was decorated by 10 boundaries as he maintained a strike rate of nearly 168 in 45 balls.
This was KKR’s first win after a series of six straight losses which kept them in the hunt for the playoffs.
MS Dhoni 75 vs RR
A compilation of match winning knocks is incomplete without an MS Dhoni innings in it. The CSK skipper scored an unbeaten 75 off 46 balls to help Chennai finish on 175 against Rajasthan Royals at the Chepauk.
As it turned out, Chennai won the match by 8 runs as Dhoni was adjugded the Man of the Match. His knock included four fours and four sixes.
Dhoni was the highest run-getter for CSK with 416 runs this season with three fifty-plus knocks besides his tactical genuis which took CSK to their 8th IPL Final.
Rishabh Pant, 78 vs MI
A 27-ball 78 from Rishabh Pant elevated Delhi Capitals to 213/6 from 165/6. His swashbuckling innings helped Delhi beat Mumbai at the Wankhede stadium by 37 runs.
Very early in the campaign, Pant did give a glimpse of his big-hitting form which he continued all throughout the end of the tournament as Delhi made the IPL Playoffs for the first time since 2012.
Pant scored 488 runs striking at 162 and despite being in good hitting form, he missed a place in India’s 2019 World Cup squad.
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