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After many months of deliberation and suspense, IPL aficionados will quest their thirst for T20 action when IPL 2020 commences in the United Arab Emirates on 19 September.
With stars from across the globe having played alongside talented cricketers from the Indian circuit, IPL fans have never had to deal with the shortage of excitement and entertainment.
Over the past 12 seasons of the franchise-based league, we've seen batsmen produce some remarkable shots and scintillating knocks, while bowlers have also displayed their myriad set of tricks with the ball in hand.
However, with T20 cricket heavily favouring the batsmen, there have been many instances when bowlers have been taken to the cleaners. In this article, we look at five of the most expensive overs in IPL history.
5. Hardik Pandya vs Ashoke Dinda (30 runs)
In the second match of IPL 2017, Mumbai Indians (MI) faced the Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. Batting first, MI had moved to 154/7 at the end of 19 overs with Hardik Pandya and Tim Southee at the crease.
Ashoke Dinda came in to bowl the final over of the innings. The Bengal pacer was hammered to all parts of the ground by Pandya, who is easily one of the best finishers produced by MI over the years.
Dinda's over began with a full toss outside off that was smacked over covers for a maximum. With momentum on Pandya's side, the talented all-rounder backed himself and cleared the boundary two more times in consecutive balls.
For the next ball, the RPS pacer then bowled a length ball outside off which went off the edge and past MS Dhoni for four to third man. Pandya's strength was on display the next ball as a back of length ball was flat batted powerfully over the man at long-on, and MI had 28 runs off the over with one ball to go.
The pressure on Dinda induced an error from the pacer as he bowled a wide ball off what would have been the last delivery. Anti-climatically, MI could only pick up a bye off the last ball of the over. The Mumbai franchise collected 30 runs off that over, and as a result of Pandya's heroics, MI finished with 184/7 from their 20 overs.
Here's how the over transpired -
6, 6, 6, 4, 6, wide, bye
4. Chris Gayle and Saurabh Tiwary vs Rahul Sharma (31 runs)
In the 21st match of the 2012 IPL season, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) faced the now-defunct Pune Warriors India (PWI) in Bengaluru. PWI scored 182/6 in their first innings, and it was up to the RCB batsmen to chase this colossal total down.
RCB had a star-stunned line-up with the self-proclaimed Universe Boss, Chris Gayle at the top of the order, and he did not let them down. Gayle scored a brisk 81 off 48 balls including four fours and eight sixes. Five of those sixes came off just one over!
Saurabh Tiwary took a single off the first ball of the thirteenth over, bowled by Rahul Sharma. Gayle’s eyes lit up as he took on the leggie and smacked him for sixes off each of the remaining five deliveries. The southpaw's big-hitting helped RCB complete the thrilling run-chase off the last ball of the match!
Here's how the over transpired -
1, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
3. Chris Gayle and Manoj Tiwary vs Ravi Bopara (33 runs)
During IPL 2010, Chris Gayle played for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Even though the franchise was different, his performances with the bat weren’t. In the 7th match of the season, KKR faced Kings XI Punjab (KXIP).
The latter scored 203/3 in their 20 overs. It was a steep target for KKR, but Gayle once again stepped up and made it easy for them.
KKR found themselves at 89/1 after 12 overs. Manoj Tiwary took a single off the first ball of Ravi Bopara’s over and gave strike to Gayle. The southpaw recorded four back-to-back sixes and put Bopara under tremendous pressure.
He then erred in line and bowled a wide that ran away to the boundary. That was not all, he once again bowled a wide, and the batsmen scampered for a bye. Luckily for Bopara, Tiwary could only manage a single off the last ball to finish the over with 33 runs. KKR would go on to win the game with seven balls to spare!
Here's how the over transpired -
1, 6, 6, 6, 6, wide + 4, wide + 1, 1
2. Suresh Raina vs Parvinder Awana (33 runs)
IPL 2014 was one of those seasons that did not see the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) reaching the finals. KXIP batted first in Qualifier 2 at the Wankhede Stadium and scored a mammoth 226/6 in their 20 overs.
In the second innings, CSK lost their first wicket on the second ball and in came Suresh Raina. He went after the bowling straight away. A certain Parvinder Awana bore the brunt of the aggression.
In the sixth over the innings, Awana was smacked by Raina for two sixes and five fours. After conceding two sixes and two fours, Awana bowled a high full toss and had to pay heavily for it. KXIP were lucky that Raina was dismissed off the next ball he faced, and they ended up winning the match by 24 runs, and thus, making the IPL final.
Here's how the over transpired -
6, 6, 4, 4, nb + 4, 4, 4
1. Chris Gayle vs Prasanth Parameswaran (37 runs)
On 8 May 2011, during the fourth edition of the IPL, the Kochi Tuskers Kerala (KTK) faced RCB in Bengaluru and batted first. They could manage only 125/9, which is a relatively poor score at the Chinnaswamy. Gayle seemed in a hurry as he took on Parameswaran in the third over of the game.
He began with a huge six over covers. This put pressure on the young seamer, and he overstepped. The no-ball went for a six too. The next two deliveries went for fours. Gayle once again took the aerial route and hit two more sixes. To top it off, he hit another boundary to register the most runs in a single over in the IPL.
RCB eventually chased down the target in just 13.1 overs even though Gayle scored only 44 and perished after the most expensive over in the history of the IPL!
Here's how the over transpired -
6, nb + 6, 4, 4, 6, 6, 4
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