IPL 2018: Top 4 bowling performances in playoffs

For 10 years, IPL has given us many memorable moments both with the bat and ball. But in a format dominated by batsmen, a ferocious spell by a fast bowler or a spinner completely bamboozling opposition batsman is a sight to behold. The performances of the bowlers in knockouts are always special because of the tremendous amount of pressure that comes with a do (or) die situation. Here are four such spells which will be remembered for a long time.

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#4 Umesh Yadav’s 3/13 vs Kings XI Punjab- Qualifier 1, 2014

In the first knockout game of 2014, KKR set Punjab a target of 164 on a decent batting wicket.U mesh came to bowl in the 2nd over. By then, he had already bowled some breathtaking opening spells in that IPL but didn’t get the deserved reward for his efforts.

His phenomenal bowling with the new ball continued as he removed Sehwag with a ball that hurried onto the batsman robbing him of the timing and almost got Saha in that over itself with a beautiful pitched up outswinger.

He constantly bowled away swingers in that 4th stump line tempting the batsman to go after him. Once, the powerplay ended he showed the other aspect of his bowling as he bowled bouncers and slow off-cutters to the inform Maxwell.

Maxwell couldn’t get any timing on his shots and fell to a pacy delivery that struck him on the pad. In His last over he picked up the wicket of Bailey and ended a spell which he will remember for a long time. This over started the beginning of the end for Punjab and they eventually lost by 28 runs.

#3 Doug Bollinger’s 4/13 vs Mumbai Indians- Semifinals, 2010

After a disappointing loss to DC in the 2009 semifinal, Dhoni’s CSK got a shot at revenge in 2010. But their famed batting didn’t click and they set DC a meagre target of 143.

Something special was needed from the CSK bowling attack and Bollinger provided the same with some probing left-arm pace bowling. He bowled an outstanding maiden over to Gilchrist, steaming in and bowling into his body giving absolutely no width to free his arms. The pressure built steadily on Gilchrist and he went for a wild slog and got out to Bollinger.

He removed Suman in the same over as the batsman again tried to manufacture a shot since no room was provided. He yet again inflicted a double blow on DC by picking up the wickets of Ryan Harris and Sumanth and effectively ended DC’s hopes of reaching the finals. It was a perfect showcase of disciplined bowling under pressure and it helped CSK win by 38 runs.

#2 Washington Sundar’s 3/16 vs MI Qualifier 1, 2017

IPL 2017 came at a time when the impact of finger spinners in T20 format had drastically declined. The focus had shifted to wrist spinners. A seventeen-year-old kid named Washington Sundar was the ultimate exception.

In the tournament, he bowled two to three overs in the powerplay and maintained an outstanding economy of 6.16. The table toppers MI were chasing 162 and cruised to 41/1 in 5 overs.

Under pressure, he bowled a stupendous 6th over removing the Hitman with his trademark arm ball. He used his height and bowling crease to perfection creating different angles and troubling the batsman.

In that same over, he got Rayudu with a slider and almost accounted for Pollard’s wicket with a beautiful off cutter that spun in sharply. In the end, he got Pollard’s wicket with another slider in his 3rd over. He singlehandedly destroyed Mumbai’s batting nucleus and aided his team to a 20 run victory.

#1 Dhawal Kulkarni’s 4/14 vs RCB Qualifier 1 ,2016

On a slowish Chinnaswamy wicket, GL were put into bat by Virat Kohli who up to that point had scored an inhuman 919 runs in 14 matches. RCB were chasing 159 and it looked easy for RCB with the greatest chaser this world has ever seen at their disposal. But, Kulkarni silenced the Bengaluru crowd by getting Kohli out for a duck with a cross seam delivery. He brilliantly mixed up the slower off-cutter with pacy deliveries.

In his 2nd over, he picked up the wicket of Gayle with a slow slider and got Rahul for a golden duck with a beautiful outswinger. He picked up the wicket of Sachin Baby in his next over and almost won GL the match single-handedly.

But there is a popular saying in Bengaluru “If Kohli doesn’t get you, ABD will” and unfortunately for GL the saying came true that day and RCB won.