10 Outstanding knocks that came in a losing cause in the IPL

Cricket has been a sport that provides multiple opportunities for a player to contribute to a team's victory. Be it a wonderful knock from a batsman, an excellent spell from a bowler or even a moment of brilliance in the field, anything can decide the fate of a match.

Although cricket is a three-dimensional sport, it is the batsman who has the most say in a match. That the team which scores the most runs is declared the winner is evidence for this. Hence, batting has always been the most prioritised skill in the sport. With the advent of Twenty20, everyone wanted to see more runs scored in a game. And the IPL provided the most impressive performances in T20 cricket.

But, despite it being a batsman's game, there have been occasions when teams have gone on to lose despite a stunning batting display. Let's look at 10 outstanding innings that did not result in a win.

#10 Virat Kohli - 100 Vs Gujarat Lions, 2016

Virat Kohli notched up his first T20 ton

T20 was seen as a format in which batsmen with power would succeed. But that is not the case every time. In 2016, going into a match against Gujarat Lions, Virat Kohli was averaging 110 with a strike-rate of 140 in all T20s in that year.

On a slow Rajkot wicket, Kohli won the toss and chose to bat first. RCB lost Shane Watson and AB de Villiers in the first eight overs. With experience lacking in the middle-order, the captain decided to play the anchoring role as brought up his 50 off 40 balls.

He went for broke after reaching his half-century as he and KL Rahul scored 88 in the last seven overs. Kohli went on to register his first T20 hundred with a boundary off the last ball. What was noteworthy in the innings was the fact that he had hit only one six and yet scored at a strike-rate of 158.

Although Gujarat got home with three balls to spare, Kohli was awarded the man of the match for his classy innings on a tough pitch.

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#9 Dinesh Karthik - 97 Vs Rajasthan Royals, 2019

Dinesh Karthik showed his finishing skills against RR

Kolkata Knight Riders started off the 2019 IPL with four wins in five matches as the Andre Russell storm hit. But they lost the next five and questions were raised about the contributions of skipper Dinesh Karthik.

He silenced the critics with a fantastic knock against Rajasthan. Promoting himself to No 4, he first steadied the innings after his side managed only 49 in the first 10 overs. He attacked leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal for a 25-run over.

Karthik was brilliant as he smashed sixes over midwicket with power and also used the pace and bounce to hit boundaries over fine-leg and third-man. His 97 took KKR's total to 177 as the next best score was just 21.

Although spinners Sunil Narine and Piyush Chawla broke the Royals' top order, a late flourish from 17-year old Riyan Parag and Jofra Archer took the victory from the hands of KKR.

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#8 Yusuf Pathan - 100 Vs Mumbai Indians, 2010

Yusuf scored 100 off just 37 balls

Rajasthan Royals faced Mumbai Indians in the second match of the 2010 season in Mumbai. The home team batted first and two youngsters, Saurabh Tiwary and Ambati Rayudu, scored brilliant 50s to take MI to 212.

The Royals felt the scoreboard pressure as they lost four wickets with just 66 on board. With 144 required off last 10, Yusuf went for an all-out attack against the likes of Lasith Malinga and Zaheer Khan.

After racing to fifty off 21 balls, he sped up to score the next 50 off just 16 balls. His 100 off 37 balls was the fastest IPL hundred at that time. 84 of his 100 runs were in boundaries. Unfortunately, the right-hander was then run out at the non-striker's end.

Even though the Royals lost the match by four runs and Pathan couldn't get the two points for his team, he was awarded the man of the match.

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#7 Hardik Pandya - 91 Vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2019

Hardik has scored 272 runs in boundaries this season

After losing six games on the trot, KKR was in a must-win situation against Mumbai Indians. The Eden Gardens witnessed some outstanding hitting from the home team as Andre Russell's 40-ball 80 powered Kolkata to 232.

Trying to force the issue, the Mumbai batsmen kept losing wickets. The score was 58/4 when Hardik Pandya came into bat. Although he was in great form, many thought the match would be a one-sided affair as the required run-rate was over 15 for the last 11 overs.

But the all-rounder launched a brutal attack, being especially effective against Sunil Narine and Piyush Chawla -- with four boundaries and seven sixes against the duo.

He brought up the season's fastest fifty off just 17 balls. Mumbai suddenly was in line to do the improbable but it was asking too much of the 25-year old. He ended up with 91 off just 34 balls as his knock helped Mumbai salvage pride in the encounter.

#6 KL Rahul - 94 Vs Mumbai Indians, 2018

Rahul - the third Indian ever to score 600+ runs in a season

This match was seen as a virtual knockout game as both Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians were fighting to stay alive. MI batted first and scored 186 on a flat deck. Kieron Pollard, who was brought back into the side, top-scored with a 23-ball 50.

Despite losing Chris Gayle for just 18, Punjab were in the chase thanks to a brilliant partnership between KL Rahul and Aaron Finch. Rahul started by rotating the strike and scoring the odd boundary to keep the required rate within reaching distance.

Jasprit Bumrah bowled an exceptional 17th over, conceding only four runs and picked up two wickets. Rahul pulled it back with three boundaries in the next over. With 23 needed off 12 balls, Bumrah bowled the penultimate over.

After hitting every ball with precise timing until then, he mishit an overpitched slower ball straight into the hands of the long-off fielder. Rahul scored 94 and would have won the game had he stayed till the last ball.

#5 Mahendra Singh Dhoni - 84 Vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2019

MSD almost pulled a Houdini like escape

MS Dhoni has always done well against RCB. After missing out the previous game due to injury, MS came back and tasted success at the toss and put the opposition into bat.

Parthiv Patel's 53 helped them post a total of 161. Although it was a small target, CSK got off to a horrible start, losing two wickets in the first over. They were tottering at 28/4 when the skipper came into bat. With the pitch on the slower side, it was difficult to hit Yuzvendra Chahal's leg-spin and Marcus Stoinis' cutters.

After rebuilding the innings with Rayudu, Dhoni went for an all-out assault. 36 runs were required off 12 balls and, surprisingly, Dhoni denied three singles despite having Dwayne Bravo at the other end. With 26 needed off the last over, everyone thought the CSK skipper has played the wrong card.

But as he often does, he proved the match was not done after hammering three sixes to bring the equation to two off the last ball. MS missed the ball trying to steer it towards point. Parthiv ran out Shardul Thakur to deny CSK a run and win the match.

#4 Rishabh Pant - 128 Vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2018

Rishab's 128 was the highest score in a losing cause

It was a clash between the top-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad and the bottom-placed Delhi Daredevils in 2018. Delhi batted on a turning track and lost both openers to the spin of Shakib Al Hasan. Rishabh Pant played with positive intent, miscommunications resulted in him running out two of his batting partners.

The incident forced the Delhi lad to go on the offensive. He smashed two of the season's best bowlers, Rashid Khan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, in the process. While Rashid went for 27 off the 13 balls, he slammed 43 off just 11 balls from Bhuvi, including a 26-run final over.

Rishabh ended up scoring 128 off 63 balls with 15 fours and seven sixes. He had scored 68.44% of Delhi's total - a record second only to Brendon McCullum's 158 in the first IPL game.

Hyderabad got to the target with an over to spare. It was unfortunate that Pant had to be on the losing side despite his incredible knock.

#3 Andrew Symonds - 117 Vs Rajasthan Royals, 2008

Symonds did well for Deccan Chargers

Deccan Chargers faced Rajasthan Royals in the early stages of the inaugural edition of the IPL. Deccan got off to a flying start scoring 32 in the first three overs. But Yusuf Pathan dented the flow by dismissing Adam Gilchrist and Shahid Afridi. Andrew Symonds came with an attacking mindset as he kept finding boundaries at regular intervals.

He brought up his 50 off just 29 balls with six fours and two sixes. He targeted his Australian teammate Shane Warne, scoring 35 off 13 balls. The Queenslander pressed the accelerator to end up with 117 off just 53 balls with 11 fours and seven sixes.

With 214 on board, Deccan was expected to register their maiden win in the IPL. Graeme Smith and Pathan scored quickfire fifties to keep the required rate in check. Symonds himself took the responsibility of defending 17 off the last over. But it was redemption time for Warne as he belted two sixes and a four to snatch the win.

#2 Wriddhiman Saha - 115 Vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 2014 final

Saha was the first player to score a century in IPL final

Kings XI Punjab were a feared team in the 2014 edition of the IPL. A line-up of Glenn Maxwell, David Miller, Virender Sehwag and George Bailey had decimated bowlers in their journey to the final.

Batting first, KXIP lost two wickets inside four overs. Wriddhiman Saha was given a surprise promotion who, along with Manan Vohra, built a wonderful partnership. The keeper batsman then displayed some wonderful hitting as he attacked the KKR lineup.

Saha thrashed the season's best spinner, Sunil Narine, for three fours and three sixes in two overs to take his team to a respectable total. He was equally effective against the pace and bounce of Morne Morkel and Umesh Yadav. Saha's extraordinary century came off just 49 balls.

It was one of the best innings in IPL history as Saha notched up the ton with a strike-rate of over 200 and did so by timing the ball. His knock of 115 was the highest score in an IPL final but Manish Pandey played a blinder to deny Punjab a maiden IPL crown.

#1 Suresh Raina - 87 Vs Kings XI Punjab, 2014

Raina scored 87, while the best powerplay score by any team was 86

Having lost twice against Punjab in the season, Chennai Super Kings was determined to win the second qualifier. Opting to bowl, CSK had a shocker of a day as Virender Sehwag went all guns blazing. He smacked the all-Indian bowling attack to score 122.

Chasing 227, CSK lost Faf du Plessis for a duck and Suresh Raina came to the crease. What followed next was a once in a lifetime innings as the southpaw handled the Punjab bowlers like it was a practice session.

He took 18 off a Sandeep Sharma over to settle in. Mitchell Johnson then delivered a few thunderbolts at his body, which were swatted away for boundaries. He brought up his fifty off just 16 balls with an elegant inside-out shot over cover. The left-hander then belted Parvinder Awana for 33 runs in an over to bring the team's 100 in just six overs.

Raina had raced to 87 off 25 balls with 84 of those coming in boundaries. The dream innings couldn't take Chennai to victory as a small hesitation in taking a quick single resulted in an unfortunate run out. The rest of Chennai's batsmen failed to capitalise as they lost the match by 24 runs.

Nevertheless, Raina's outstanding knock remains one of the best IPL knocks of all time. His strike-rate of 348 is still the highest for a score of 50 or more runs.