IPL: Second innings knocks that had more impact than a century

#9 AB de Villiers (89* vs Sunrisers Hyderabad)

The Best of this generation.

Royal Challengers Bangalore have had a mixed history so in the IPL, with the team finishing both near the top of the table and the bottom of the table in the first 10 years. However, there was a period of four years, between 2013 and 2017, when they had inarguably the best top 3 in IPL. While Kohli is always grabbing attention for his exploits, AB de Villiers is equally valuable to the team, and he was at his destructive best against SRH in 2014.

After they were put to bat first in front of a packed crowd in Bangalore, SRH posted a good 155 on the board, thanks to a 49-ball 61 by David Warner. Despite a modest target to chase, RCB got off to the worst possible start and were reduced to 38/3 in 7 overs when ABD came out to bat.

Taking the attack on SRH bowlers, ABD started hitting the ball in all the directions. Despite disappointing outings by his partners Rossouw and Yuvraj, ABD kept the required rate under control and it was his swash-buckling inning of 89 runs from 41 balls, which included 6 fours and 8 sixes, that made the difference as RCB reached the target in 19.5 overs.