In the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants, Patidar's unbeaten century—112 off 54 balls—rescued RCB from a precarious position
As the Indian Premier League (IPL) enters the knockout stages, every team dreams of lifting the trophy. In these high-stakes matches, the most unexpected players rise to the occasion, turning the tide for their teams. Local players have left their mark on IPL history by consistently outperforming the league's top players. At least one uncapped player steps up each season, delivering a match-winning performance that propels their team closer to the ultimate prize. Here, we celebrate five of the most remarkable contributions by uncapped players in IPL playoffs.
During the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Sudharsan delivered an innings of pure brilliance, setting the record for the highest score by an uncapped batter in an IPL final. Sudharsan walked in after Shubman Gill's wicket fell in the seventh over. A display of masterful batting followed as the young southpaw scored a breathtaking 96 off just 47 deliveries. His innings were a mix of finesse and power, featuring eight fours and six towering sixes, as he propelled the Titans to a formidable total of 214 for four – the highest team score in an IPL final.
In the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants, Patidar's unbeaten century—112 off 54 balls—rescued RCB from a precarious position. His innings, featuring 12 boundaries and seven sixes, showcased a remarkable strike rate 207.40. Patidar's ability to shift gears, evident in reaching his fifty in 28 balls and his century in just 21 more, anchored RCB's innings. Partnering with Dinesh Karthik, Patidar added 84 runs in the final five overs, propelling RCB to a formidable total of 207. Despite a strong effort from the Super Giants, they fell short by 15 runs, failing to match Patidar's heroics in the latter stages.
Suryakumar Yadav raises his bat after reaching half-century
Mumbai Indians (MI) secured a commanding six-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Qualifier 1. Winning the toss, CSK captain MS Dhoni chose to bat first and ended with a modest total of 131 for 4. Chasing 132, MI faced an early setback as both openers, Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock, were dismissed by the fourth over. However, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan stabilised the innings. Suryakumar, dropped early by M Vijay, capitalised on the reprieve, anchoring the innings with a superb 71 not out off 54 balls by hitting ten boundaries. Suryakumar's fifty came off 37 balls, and his partnership with Hardik Pandya guided MI to victory with nine balls to spare.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) needed 200 runs to win at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, with local boy Manish Pandey playing a match-defining innings. KKR's chase began shakily with the dismissal of opener Robin Uthappa, who had been in sublime form during the first over. He hit a boundary on his first ball, signalling his aggressive intent. Pandey brought up his half-century in just 31 balls, setting a brisk pace for the chase. Pandey smashed six boundaries and seven sixes at a strike rate of 188.0, particularly dominating Karanveer Singh and Parvinder Awana, against whom he scored 70 runs off 29 balls. Piyush Chawla hit the winning runs with three balls to spare, sealing a memorable victory for KKR.
In 2012, Manvinder Bisla paused on his route to score 89 against CSK
Ahead of the 2012 IPL final against Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders faced a selection dilemma due to L Balaji's injury. Opting for experience, they brought Brett Lee and replaced Brendon McCullum with Manvinder Bisla. Bisla's match-winning innings, scoring 89 off 48 balls, led KKR to their maiden IPL title. Partnering with Jacques Kallis, Bisla added 136 runs for the second wicket. Despite his dismissal, KKR reached the target with two balls to spare, denying CSK a hat-trick of titles.
