IPL 2021: 3 best batting performances from Week 3
The switch to Delhi and Ahmedabad seems to have brought the best out of batsmen in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
With both venues having favored the batsmen so far, we've seen a number of entertaining knocks in Week 3. Dew too has helped the batters' cause, although there have been passages of play where the bowlers have found assistance from the deck.
Here, we rank the 3 best batting performances from Week 3 of IPL 2021. Note: Matches from PBKS vs MI (Match 17) to PBKS vs RCB (Match 26) have been considered for the purposes of this article.
#3 Ruturaj Gaikwad (75 off 44, IPL 2021 Match 23 - CSK vs SRH)
After getting his IPL 2021 campaign off to a nightmare start, Ruturaj Gaikwad has exploded into form at the top of the order for the Chennai Super Kings. The team's latest game, against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, saw him walk away with his first Man of the Match award of this year's tournament.
Gaikwad got off the blocks slowly, but found his groove once the field restrictions were lifted. He was severe on both of SRH's spinners - Rashid Khan and Jagadeesha Suchith, and peppered the gaps on both sides of the field.
The 24-year-old hit 12 fours in his 44-ball 75, which was brought to an end by a lovely piece of deception from Rashid. CSK comfortably crossed the finish line with 7 wickets to spare.
#2 KL Rahul (91 off 57, IPL 2021 Match 26 - PBKS vs RCB)
KL Rahul had been at the center of criticism for his unimpressive strike rate leading into the Punjab Kings' game against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. But as he has done so often in the past, he put the team on his back and almost single-handedly carried them to a competitive total.
Rahul weathered the early loss of Prabhsimran Singh to stitch together a meaningful partnership with Chris Gayle, but he had a lot of work to do once The Universe Boss was dismissed. He smashed 7 fours and 5 sixes in his 57-ball 91, continuing his good run against RCB and giving his bowlers something to defend.
Rahul didn't collect the Man of the Match award, but walked away with the Orange Cap on his head.
#1 Prithvi Shaw (82 off 41, IPL 2021 Match 25 - DC vs KKR)
Prithvi Shaw has been a player reborn in IPL 2021. The youngster played his best knock of the season against the Kolkata Knight Riders, an innings that claims the #1 spot on this list with ease.
Chasing 155, the Delhi Capitals needed a good start from their openers in the powerplay. Shaw gave them just that, as he found the boundary off his very first delivery against former U-19 teammate Shivam Mavi.
He never looked back and smashed five more fours in the same over, becoming the second player in IPL history to hit six boundaries in an over and causing the third-most expensive opening over ever in the tournament.
Shaw eventually got out for 82 off 41 balls, with 11 fours and 3 sixes. DC cantered to a win in the 17th over, and he was adjudged the Man of the Match.