10 best all-round performances ever seen at the IPL

The value of an all-rounder in any format of the game is well documented! In T20 Cricket, you are in high demand if you can score runs and pick wickets at the same time. That is one of the reasons why the likes of Pollard, Jadeja and Yuvraj Singh have fetched big bucks in the IPL auctions.In the 7 seasons that have been completed, only one man (Shane Watson) has won the player of the tournament award twice, and he is an all-rounder. Even this season, right at the beginning we saw James Faulkner scoring 46 runs and picking 3 wickets to help his side register a win. So, here we take a look at 10 such great all-round performances over the last 7 years of the IPL:

#10 Shane Watson vs DD (52 and 3 for 10)

It was the 1^stever semifinal in IPL history as Rajasthan Royals took on the Delhi Daredevils. RRs openers began well but got out in quick succession. The move to send Sohail Tanvir at number 3 failed, so someone had to step up to ensure a collapse doesnt occur.

The Aussie all-rounder did just that as he top scored with a fifty as RR gave DD a target of 193 to progress to the finals. DD definitely had the armoury to chase it down, but Watson opened the bowling and bowled brilliantly by removing the top 3 (Sehwag, Gambhir and Dhawan) to end up with figures of 3 for 10 in three overs.

From there, it was just a mere formality as Rajasthan reached the finals comfortably!

#9 Chris Gayle vs PW (175 and 2 for 5)

No Cricket fan can ever forget the sight of Christopher Henry Gayle sinking to his knees to celebrate a 30 ball 100 that he scored against the Pune Warriors. We are yet to see something more devastating than that in the IPL as he smashed the fastest 100 in the competitions history and also scored the highest ever individual score when he hit 17 sixes in his 66-ball 175.

Even though he just took the last two wickets in the only over that he bowled that day, this performance still makes the cut courtesy of the impact that he had on the game!

#8 Jacques Kallis vs SRH (41 and 3 for 13)

A great all-round performances list is always incomplete without possibly the greatest all-rounder of our times, Jacques Kallis. In his gigantic career, he hasnt been very effective in this format all the time, but he does have some noteworthy performances to his name.

One such performance came when he was playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the year 2013 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Kallis came in at number 3 during the 8^thover and kept finding the boundaries regularly to score 41 runs at a strike-rate of 151.

But more importantly for KKR, the veteran stepped up with the ball too as he removed both the openers who were well set. He also got the wicket of Thisara Perera and ended up with dream figures of 3 for 13 in his four overs. But that still wasnt enough for him to win the man of the match award.

#7 Yuvraj Singh vs DD (66* and 4 for 29)

Yuvraj Singh might be plying his trade for the Delhi Daredevils now. But four years earlier, he made them pay big time when he was leading the newly formed Pune Warriors. He came in at number 4 and hit five huge sixes in his unbeaten knock of 66 helping his side reach 187 in their 20 overs.

But, his frontline bowlers went wicketless forcing Yuvraj to bring himself on as the 7^thchange. And boy, didnt he lead from the front! He picked up some crucial wickets including that of Aaron Finch and ended up with figures of 4 for 29! But guess what? His team still found a way to lose the match!

#6 Kieron Pollard vs RR (64 and 4 for 44)

Mumbai Indians were struggling in front of their home fans at 64 for 3. Out came Kieron Pollard and demonstrated exactly why MI broke the bank for his services. He put on a 96 run stand with Rayudu in which he alone made 64. This was a special innings for the West Indian as it was his first IPL fifty.

He then came back with the ball and picked up 4 wickets despite conceding 44 runs in his four overs. MI won comfortably by 27 runs.

#5 Shane Watson vs MI (3 for 19 and 89*)

Shane Watson again! In fact, Shane Watson has always been there for the Rajasthan Royals. This great performance came in the 2011 edition against the Mumbai Indians. He bowled with the new ball and was economical.

He then came back in the end to pick up the dangerous Kieron Pollard, thus ending up with 3 wickets conceding just 19 in his four overs. Chasing a modest target of 134, he simply allowed his partner Rahul Dravid to witness the carnage as he smashed every single bowler around the park ending up with an unbeaten 89 off just 47 balls.

#4 Paul Valthaty vs DC (4 for 29 and 75)

How many of you remember the one-season wonder Paul Valthaty? He took the entire country by storm during the 2011 edition as he came out of nowhere and dazzled for the Kings XI Punjab. He scored a brilliant century initiallybut then came the moment where he toyed with the Deccan Chargers with both bat and ball.

He first picked up a 4 wicket haul conceding just 29 runs to halt their progress, and then came back with the bat to set up a blistering 100 run opening partnership with his captain Adam Gilchrist. He got out for 75 which he scored off just 47 deliveries.

#3 Yusuf Pathan vs CSK (3 for 22 and 56)

If you are a youngster who is trying to push his way into the national team, you need to impress one and all on a big occasion. The inaugural IPL final in 2008 was certainly a big one! Rajasthan Royals met Chennai Super Kings and bowled first. Yusuf Pathan bowled a brilliant spell to remove Vidyut, Parthiv and the dangerous Albie Morkel. He ended up with figures of 3 for 22 in his four overs.

But that was not the end, as he came in to bat at a precarious situation when his side was reeling at 42 for 3 chasing 164 to win the title. He batted sensibly in the beginning and then cut loose to score 56 runs off 39 deliveries to win the man of the match award to go with the big one!

#2 Ravindra Jadeja vs DC (48 and 5 for 16)

Ravindra Jadeja doesn't get too many opportunities to bat for CSK, but when he did on that eventful day against the Deccan Chargers, he made it count. He smashed a 29 ball 48 which consisted of three hits to the fence. Unfortunately, he was out hit wicket but had put his team in a very strong position.

When DC came out to chase, he dazzled with the ball as he kept on picking up wickets and ended with a 5-wicket haul conceding just 16 runs. He was named the player of the match!

#1 Yuvraj Singh vs RR (83 and 4 for 35)

This has to go down as the best all-round performance ever in the history of the IPL. Also, it has to be the most heartbreaking performance ever in this competition as RCB still managed to lose the match despite Yuvi's heroics.

After becoming the highest paid player ever in 2014, Yuvraj repeatedly failed to deliver for RCB. But he came back with a bang at the Chinnaswamy stadium against the Rajasthan Royals when his side batted first. Vintage Yuvi was back as he smashed 83 off just 38 deliveries with 7 sixes.

But more importantly, he was the only bowler who stepped up that night when RCB were defending 191. He first took out the half centurion Karun Nair and removed the dangerous Shane Watson soon after. He also went on to pick the wickets of Sanju Samson and Stuart Binny ending up with a 4-wicket haul. The frontline bowlers were not able to chip in and hence RR still managed to pull off an unlikely win.