When the world watched with bated breath and the stadiums roared in anticipation, these playoff stars played innings so unforgettable that even without reaching 100
The IPL playoffs are full of fireworks. Big scores, big names, and unforgettable drama. But hidden in all that glitz are stories that sting—those near-centuries that never quite happened. They had the crowd on their feet, the scoreboard on fire, and victory within reach. Yet, just a few runs shy, these players had to walk back, applause ringing, but hearts slightly heavy. Their innings shaped the finals and rewrote match destinies. But their triple-digit dream stayed just out of reach. Here’s a look at four stunning knocks that missed the century mark—but not the moment.
The 2011 final was painted yellow, and Murali Vijay was the artist. In front of a roaring Chepauk, he carved out a blistering 95 off just 52 balls. A knock full of grace and power—four elegant boundaries, six thunderous sixes. He and Michael Hussey put on a 159-run opening stand that crushed RCB’s hopes before they could bloom.
But the heat and the tempo took their toll. Vijay, eyes set on a hundred, fell five short. A tired shot at the death saw him caught trying to accelerate. The century slipped, but his innings didn’t. It was the launchpad for CSK’s 205. RCB folded under pressure. CSK won the trophy. And Vijay? He became a local legend, even without the three figures.
In 2014, Manish Pandey strode out with a target of 200 and a stadium buzzing in Bengaluru. Kolkata had lost Uthappa early, but Pandey stayed calm. He began steadily, built a platform, then exploded—a sensational 94 off 50, packed with seven fours and six stunning sixes.
He cut, pulled, and drove with flair. He didn’t care for pressure. Bowlers tried everything—Karanveer even got four wickets—but Pandey kept scoring. With 21 needed off 18, he tried to clear the ropes again—and got caught. Six short. No hundred. But Kolkata won. He’d done enough. Pandey had delivered gold in a high-stakes final, even if the scoreboard stopped at 94.
David Warner was a man on a mission in 2016. In Qualifier 2 against Gujarat, he walked in chasing 163 and never walked out. His unbeaten 93 off 58 was gritty, classy, and clutch. SRH lost wickets at the other end, but Warner didn’t flinch. He rotated strike, punished the bad balls, and never let the chase slip.
When the situation turned tense at 117/6, he found an unlikely hero in Bipul Sharma. Together, they dragged SRH to the brink. Warner ended it with a crisp boundary—seven runs shy of a ton. No raise of the bat, but SRH were in the final. His innings wasn’t just about runs. It was about carrying the team. Shoulder to shoulder.
Ahmedabad, 2023. A young Sai Sudharsan had a dream night. Playing in the IPL final, under a packed stadium, he unleashed a sublime 96 off 47. Gujarat were struggling early on, and Sudharsan looked scratchy at 10 from 12. But then, he switched gears.
He became unstoppable in the death overs, scoring 53 runs between the 17th and 19th overs alone. Six sixes. Eight fours. Pure brilliance. But just when a century looked inevitable, he misjudged a yorker from Pathirana. Four short. The stadium gasped. Gujarat posted 214, a mighty score. But rain brought DLS into play, and Jadeja’s last-ball heroics gave CSK the title. Sudharsan didn’t lift the trophy, or reach 100—but he won hearts.
