Top 5 Highest Individual Scores In A Losing Cause In IPL

The first of more than 50 centuries in the IPL came in the opening match of the tournament itself. It was Kolkata Knight Riders’ Brendon McCullum, who opened the century account by smoking an unbeaten 158 off 73 deliveries against Royal Challengers Bangalore, which also resulted in a victory. Since then, several batsmen have reached three figures, but not all have come in a winning cause.

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A ton by one of the batsmen reaches a long way for the team to set a formidable total for the opposition. However, there exists no dearth of slam-bang batsmen and their self-belief in IPL hence, especially while chasing, hardly any score seems enough. The wickets in the tournament also favour batsmen most of the times, which at times makes some centuries seem futile.

We take a look at top five highest individual scores in IPL in a losing cause:

Hashim Amla – 104*:

It was Hashim Amla’s second year in the cash-rich league. Hashim Amla managed only 157 runs in 2016 but yielded rich returns in the subsequent season. Amla recorded his first IPL century against the Mumbai Indians in Indore. His 60-ball unbeaten hundred contained eight fours and six sixes, catapulting Kings XI Punjab to 198 in 20 overs.

However, another right-hander in Jos Buttler overshadowed Amla’s century. The English wicketkeeper-batsman smashed 77 off 37 balls followed by Nitish Rana’s explosive 62 that sealed Mumbai’s win in less than 16 overs with eight wickets to spare. Amla proceeded to clatter one more century in a losing cause with the season’s aggregates amounting to 420 runs in 10 games.

Ajinkya Rahane – 105*:

Ajinkya Rahane’s one of two IPL centuries came last season against Delhi Capitals in Jaipur. With Steve Smith taking the captain’s hat, the skipper and Rahane were the only two to pass 20 with Smith scoring a fifty. The Australian’s fifty and Rahane’s hundred was enough to lift Rajasthan to a daunting 191.

In response, Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw took less than eight overs to build a 72-run opening stand. Rishabh Pant followed at number four, taking matters on his own hands and clattered 78 from 36 deliveries. The Delhi Capitals found themselves home with six wickets to spare and four balls remaining.

Wriddhiman Saha – 115*:

Kings XI Punjab reached the final in 2014 for the first time and were up against the 2012 champions, Kolkata Knight Riders in Bangalore. Gautam Gambhir sent George Bailey’s men to bat first and plucked Virender Sehwag and George Bailey inside five overs. However, Wriddhiman Saha and Manan Vohra carried on.

They build a 129-run stand while Saha reached his maiden IPL hundred in the 19th over to guide Punjab to 199. In reply, Manish Pandey struck a 50-ball 94 while some late hitting from Piyush Chawla got them over the line with three wickets to spare and as many deliveries remaining. It was the second title victory for Kolkata Knight Riders.

Andrew Symonds – 117*:

The inaugural edition of the IPL was a forgettable one for Deccan Chargers. While they boasted of some of the most star-studded players, it could produce just the one win for them. One of their crushing losses came against the eventual champions Rajasthan Royals.

Andrew Symonds’ century headlined Deccan Chargers’ innings of 214, sparing not even the opposing skipper Shane Warne in his unbeaten 53-ball knock. Graeme Smith and Yusuf Pathan came out all guns blazing, accounting for 98 runs between them after losing Kamran Akmal in the third over.

The likes of Shane Watson and Mohammad Kaif made 4 and 1 respectively; however, pyrotechnics from Mohammad Kaif and Shane Warne resulted in a victory by three wickets in the second-last delivery. The chase of 215 remains the highest so far in IPL history.

Rishabh Pant – 128*:

Rishabh Pant had not struck a form as good as he did in 2018 in the previous two years. In the 11th season against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Delhi, Rishabh Pant came at the crease when his side was at 43-3 in eight overs. By the time the southpaw reached his hundred, Delhi were at 161-4.

Eventually, the youngster finished unbeaten with 128 off 63 deliveries taking the hosts to 187. But Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson gatecrashed Pant’s party with their flamboyant fifties romping Sunrisers home by nine wickets with an over to spare. The Delhi cricketer finished the competition with 684 runs, earning a call-up to the national team on the back of it.

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