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Unveiling the IPL's rarest feats - where batting brilliance meets bowling dominance
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a whirlwind of high-octane cricket, where boundaries are smashed, wickets tumble, and momentum shifts in the blink of an eye. But amidst the chaos, there are moments of pure individual brilliance that leave fans awestruck. One such rare feat is when a player achieves the coveted double of scoring a century and taking a five-wicket haul in the same match. Let's delve into three such incredible instances from the history of the IPL.
The inaugural instance of this rare double occurred in 2022, when the Rajasthan Royals (RR) clashed with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Batting first, RR needed a strong foundation, and who better to deliver than the swashbuckling Jos Buttler?
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Butler after reaching his ton
The Englishman unleashed his fury on the KKR bowlers, compiling a magnificent 103 off just 61 deliveries. His knock was a whirlwind of power hitting, studded with nine fours and five sixes. It propelled RR to a mammoth total of 217 runs.
However, the KKR weren't ready to surrender without a fight. Their chase began brightly, thanks to a strong opening partnership. But then came the turning point. Enter Yuzvendra Chahal (40/5), the wily leg-spinner. He spun a web of deception, bamboozling the KKR batsmen with his variations.
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Yuzi Chahal celebrating his fifer
One by one, he sent back key players like Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana, Venkatesh Iyer, Shivam Mavi, and Pat Cummins. Chahal's fifer (5 wickets for?) turned the tide completely, restricting KKR to 210 runs and securing a thrilling victory for RR by just seven runs.
The 2023 season witnessed another spectacular display of individual brilliance during the Qualifier 2 match between the Gujarat Titans (GT) and Mumbai Indians (MI). Shubman Gill, the young Indian opener, was on fire for GT. He treated the MI bowling attack with class, showcasing his exquisite strokeplay.
His innings of 129 runs came off a mere 60 deliveries, laced with seven fours and a staggering 10 sixes. It was a masterclass in clean hitting, leaving the MI bowlers with no answers. (GT 233/3)
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Gill the destroyer
While Gill was demolishing the bowling on one end, Mohit Sharma emerged as the unlikely hero on the other. Introduced into the attack in the 15th over, the experienced pacer wreaked havoc on the MI batting lineup. He ripped through the middle order, taking a fifer in a sensational spell of just 14 deliveries. (10/5)
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Always takes crucial wicket when team needs
Suryakumar Yadav, Vishnu Vinod, Chris Jordan, Piyush Chawla, and Kumar Karthikeya all fell prey to Sharma's variations, leaving MI in tatters. GT eventually bundled out MI for a mere 171 runs, securing a comfortable victory and a spot in the finals for the second consecutive year.
The most recent instance of this coveted double came in the ongoing 2024 season, during the clash between RR and MI. This time, it was Rajasthan's Sandeep Sharma who stole the show with a breathtaking display of fast bowling.
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5/18 is crazy good as he made his comeback to the team
Recalled to the playing XI with a specific role of bowling at the death, Sharma surprised everyone by taking two crucial wickets in the powerplay itself: Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav. His second spell was even more impactful, as he cleverly mixed pace and deceived the batsmen with his well-executed split-finger slower ball. Sharma (18/5) finished with a superb five-wicket haul, restricting MI to a modest total of 179 runs.
While Sharma's bowling resurgence was a highlight for RR, the chase saw a contrasting approach from Yashasvi Jaiswal. Having struggled to score big throughout the tournament, Jaiswal adopted a more cautious approach this time.
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The century celebration of Yashasvi Jaiswal
He played the anchor role alongside Jos Buttler, ensuring wickets remained in hand. His mature knock of 104 runs off 60 deliveries steered RR to a comfortable nine-wicket victory, proving that sometimes a change in strategy can reap rich rewards.
