Following the two months of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 action, it’s time to recollect a few moments that brought cheers to the faces of passionate league supporters. Within 60 days of the competition, fans witnessed some fearless cricketing action as a few players delivered nerve-wracking performances to their sides.
In the marquee T20 event that concluded recently, some players played out of their skin and helped their teams to bag crucial games with their plucky performances. These exceptional displays will reside in the minds of viewers for a long time as they are something extraordinary and enough to dazzle them.
Here are the five game-changing moments from IPL 2023:
5. Nicholas Pooran hammered Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to clinch a thriller
Nicholas Pooran is known for his fierce batting style in T20 cricket. In international cricket, he has showcased his hard-hitting ability several times in the West Indies jersey. This year, he featured in the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) squad and played some magnificent knocks from his bat.
Of all his knocks for the Lucknow Super Giants this year, one that will remain always special for LSG fans came in match 15 of the IPL 2023. His remarkable 62-run innings off 19 deliveries against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru. Following a mammoth target of 213, the left-handed Caribbean powered his side to claim a one-wicket victory in a nail-biter.
While chasing the massive score, Lucknow were five down at a score of 105 in 11.1 overs. Following his arrival at the crease, LSG captain, KL Rahul, also got dismissed after a few minutes. Taking the matter into his hands, Pooran played some elegant strokes and took the game close with his fastest IPL fifty that came in just 15 deliveries.
4. Wayne Parnell decimated Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) top order
Wayne Parnell got a chance to play in IPL after nine years, and this time, he donned a Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) jersey. In the competition, RCB gave him seven matches, in which he bagged nine wickets at an economy of 9.38. Against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in match 60, the speedster clinched 3/10 bowling figures (his IPL career's best bowling in a match) and helped RCB to clinch a humongous 112-run win.
Defending a score of 171, Parnell stepped up and strangulated RR’s top order with his disciplined bowling. In Rajasthan’s first over, Mohammed Siraj picked up Yashasvi Jaiswal on the second delivery and gave a perfect start to RCB with the ball. Carrying the momentum ahead, Parnell also dismissed Jos Buttler on a duck and Sanju Samson on four runs.
In his third over, Parnell again struck Royals and this time, his victim was Joe Root, who went back to the pavilion after scoring 10 off 15. Parnell’s superb bowling display helped Challengers to humiliate Royals by wrapping up their innings on 59. The Protea also became the Player of the Match for his sensational performance.
3. Sandeep Sharma’s exceptional bowling display against MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja
This year, Sandeep Sharma came out as a key player for Rajasthan Royals (RR) due to his fine bowling. In the absence of Prasidh Krishna, he got a chance to bolster RR’s pace attack along with Trent Boult. This year, Sandeep looked efficient for Royals as he scalped 10 wickets in 12 matches, at an economy of 8.60.
In the 17th match of the tournament at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai, Sandeep utilised his experience against MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja and successfully defended seven runs off three balls in the last over of the game. This was one of the special moments for RR fans as getting success against finishers such as Dhoni and Jadeja is not considered an easy job for any bowler.
Confronting both CSK stalwarts in front of Chepauk’s crowd, the pacer looked nervous in the initial three deliveries of the over. but in the remaining three balls, he held his nerves and got success in fetching a three-run victory for his team with his efficient bowling.
2. Rinku Singh’s batting heroics against Gujarat Titans (GT)
Rinku Singh showcased his batting mettle in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). With his spunky batting attitude, he helped KKR to cross the line in a few matches. Noting his season this year, Knight Riders will expect him to continue as their match finisher for a long time in the league.
At the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Rinku Singh produced a phenomenal knock from his bat and pulled off the game for KKR in the last over of the game. Facing Yash Dayal in the final five deliveries of the last over, Rinku was required to hit 28 runs to take Kolkata home.
The left-hander ended up hitting five consecutive sixes off Dayal to pull off something unbelievable and helped Knight Riders to pummel Gujarat Titans by three wickets. For his excellent unbeaten 48 runs off just 21 deliveries, Rinku also became the recipient of the Player of the Match award at the end of the contest.
1. Ravindra Jadeja's last-over batting heroics against Mohit Sharma in the IPL Final
After the horrendous 2022 IPL season, Ravindra Jadeja again proved why he is an integral part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). With his 15-run knock off six deliveries in the IPL 2023 final against Gujarat Titans (GT), the veteran showed that he is a man of big matches and he is still a valuable asset for the Yellow Army due to his all-round abilities.
Kicking off the decider match in style, Titans batted fiercely and accumulated 214 runs in their 20 overs, riding on Sai Sudharshan’s 96 off 47. With the curtailing of the match due to incessant rains, the target was reduced to 171 runs in 15 overs. Following the enormous total, CSK batted confidently and took the match deep. However, in the last over the game seemingly slipped out of CSK’s hand as Mohit Sharma started birlliantly by nailing toe crushers.
With 10 required off two deliveries, Jadeja was on strike and his assignment was to hit a couple of boundaries against Mohit Sharma to help his team get hands on the prestigious IPL trophy for the fifth time. Maintaining composure, the southpaw whacked Mohit Sharma for a maximum on the fifth delivery of the final over. However, despite the fabulous six, Jadeja’s job wasn’t done as CSK still required four runs to win on the last ball. After getting hit for a six, Mohit’s confidence gots shaken and he bowled a delivery behind the leg stump, which was sent to a four by the dashing left-handed batter to bag the title for CSK.
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