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The rise of T20 and the IPL has further intensified the significance of swift, explosive innings that can completely reshape the match dynamics. Consequently, brief and impactful performances, known as cameos, have become significantly more common than ever before.
Since the advent of limited-overs cricket, an aggressive style of batting has become a defining characteristic for numerous players in the sport. However, the 1990s witnessed a remarkable surge in power hitting across the globe, owing to the groundbreaking contributions of Martin Crowe during the 1992 World Cup.
Batters are prepared to lose their wicket as long as they clobber quick runs in minimum balls. This IPL saw several sides benefit from these cameos. Here we take a look at five cameos that lit up the IPL this year:
#5 Dhruv Jurel (32* runs off 15 balls) vs Punjab Kings
The Rajasthan Royals took on the Punjab Kings in what went on to become an absolute humdinger of a contest. RR won the toss and chose to bowl. Punjab set an imposing target of 197 runs, courtesy of impressive half-centuries by Prabhsimran Singh (60 runs off 34 balls) and Shikhar Dhawan (86* runs off 56 balls).
Rajasthan found themselves in trouble at 124 for 6 after 15 overs. To everyone's surprise, the team management sent Dhruv Jurel, the Impact Player, ahead of Jason Holder, a proven performer in T20 cricket.
Jurel justified the team's decision by unleashing a fierce assault on Punjab's bowlers. He scored an unbeaten 32 runs off 15 deliveries, including three fours and two sixes. However, his valiant effort ultimately fell short as PBKS emerged victorious by a narrow margin of five runs in a thrilling encounter.
#4 Ayush Badoni (30 runs off 24 balls) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
In the 15th match of IPL 2023, Royal Challengers Bangalore faced off against Lucknow Super Giants. Lucknow won the toss and elected to field first. Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell unleashed a devastating batting onslaught against LSG bowlers, propelling Bangalore to a massive total of 212 runs.
In pursuit of the target of 213, Super Giants found themselves in a precarious position after losing their fifth wicket in the 12th over with 105 runs on the scoreboard.
Nicholas Pooran and Impact Player Ayush Badoni took charge, forming a formidable partnership of 84 runs off just 35 balls to shift the game's momentum in favor of Lucknow. Pooran (62 runs off 19 balls) played the role of the aggressor in the duo.
Following Pooran's dismissal, Badoni continued to keep the score ticking and brought Lucknow close to victory. The young player contributed 30 runs off 24 deliveries, including four boundaries. Eventually, KL Rahul & Co. sealed a thrilling win by one wicket on the last ball of the match.
#3 Rinku Singh (21 runs off 10 balls) vs Punjab Kings
It was an IPL of high scores and nerve-wracking chases. In one of the matches between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings, Rinku Singh showed his prowess once again as a calm finisher.
Rinku stayed unbeaten on 21 runs off 10 balls with two fours and one six, as he powered KKR to a thrilling win by five wickets against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
In the pursuit of 180 runs, the Knight Riders secured a thrilling last-ball victory. Andre Russell played a pivotal role, smashing 42 runs off 23 balls, including three fours and three sixes. Rinku and Russell combined forces, adding 54 runs for the fifth wicket, resurrecting KKR's chances after Nitish Rana's dismissal at 51.
#2 Ambati Rayudu (19 runs off 8 balls) vs Gujarat Titans
In his farewell innings in the IPL final against Gujarat Titans on Monday, Ambati Rayudu bid adieu to Indian cricket in an impressive manner.
Rayudu's quickfire 19 runs off eight balls, including two sixes and a four, played a crucial role in CSK's successful chase of Titans' total, leading them to their fifth IPL trophy.
CSK were slipping away in the chase, but Rayudu stepped up and it was his 6,4,6 off three consecutive deliveries against Mohit Sharma that turned the tide in CSK’s favor.
#1 Tim David (45 runs off 14 balls) vs Rajasthan Royals
In an IPL 2023 match at the Wankhede Stadium, Tim David played a crucial role in the Mumbai Indians' successful chase of a target of 214 runs against the Rajasthan Royals.
During the 20th over bowled by Jason Holder, the Singapore-born player displayed exceptional hitting skills by smashing three consecutive sixes, ultimately guiding MI to victory in the historic 1,000th IPL game.
Notably, Tim David's unbeaten 45 runs off just 14 balls, combined with a half-century from Suryakumar Yadav, propelled MI to the winning total. Despite Jason Holder having the task of defending 17 runs off the last six balls, he, unfortunately, bowled full-tosses to David, who capitalized on the opportunity and dispatched all three deliveries into the stands, sealing the victory for MI.
