IPL 2021: 5 best partnerships that ended in a losing cause
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has become the world's most competitive T20 cricket tournament as big names from across the world participate in it every year.
The cricket universe has witnessed many great moments in the league's history. There have been some unbelievable bowling spells and splendid batting performances in the history of the IPL. Fans have also seen quite a few epic partnerships in the tournament. However, not every big partnership could help their team win the match.
In this listicle today, we will look at the five best partnerships in IPL history that ended in a losing cause.
#1 Harbhajan Singh & J Suchith, 100 runs - Highest partnership for 7th wicket in IPL history
Mumbai Indians hosted the Punjab Kings at Wankhede Stadium during the league stage of IPL 2015. George Bailey played a captain's knock of 61 runs for Punjab and guided his team to 177/5 in the first innings.
Punjab's bowlers reduced the home team to 59/6 and it seemed like they would secure a big win. However, Harbhajan Singh played an incredible knock of 64 runs to keep MI alive in the contest. He aggregated 64 runs off 24 balls and stitched up a 100-run partnership for the seventh wicket with J Suchith.
Despite a record partnership for the seventh wicket, MI fell short by seven runs in that match. Harbhajan entertained the fans by smashing five fours and six sixes in his knock.
#2 Mayank Agarwal & KL Rahul, 183 runs
It is rare to see a team lose a match in any format of the game after 183 runs from the opening pair. However, the Punjab Kings lost a match in IPL 2020 despite a 183-run opening stand between Mayank Agarwal and skipper KL Rahul.
Agarwal recorded his first IPL century and ended with a 50-ball 106, while Rahul supported him with a 54-ball 69. Their partnership helped Punjab post a 223-run total on the board against the Rajasthan Royals in Sharjah. In reply, RR pulled off a historic run-chase thanks to Sanju Samson, Steve Smith and Rahul Tewatia to stun the Kings by four wickets.
#3 Virat Kohli & KL Rahul, 121 runs
Virat Kohli had his best IPL season in 2016. He scored four centuries that year, the first of which came against Gujarat Lions at the SCA Stadium. In that game, Kohli opened the innings and remained unbeaten until the end.
At one stage, RCB were down to 59/2, with Shane Watson and AB de Villiers back in the hut. KL Rahul joined hands with skipper Kohli and added 121 runs for the third wicket. While Kohli completed his maiden IPL ton, Rahul remained unbeaten on 51 runs off 35 deliveries.
RCB ended with 180/2 in 20 overs, but the team's bowlers could not defend the 181-run target against the likes of Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Dinesh Karthik and Suresh Raina.
#4 David Hussey & Wriddhiman Saha, 104 runs
Like Harbhajan Singh and J Suchith, David Hussey and Wriddhiman Saha had a fantastic partnership against the Punjab Kings. It came in the inaugural edition of the IPL when Kolkata Knight Riders visited Mohali.
Batting first, the home team scored 178 runs at the loss of six wickets. Sreesanth and Irfan Pathan reduced KKR to 29/4 in the second innings. Laxmi Ratan Shukla lost his wicket after the score touched 50. Wriddhiman Saha joined David Hussey in the middle after the fall of the fifth wicket.
The two KKR batsmen fought back with a 104-run partnership. Hussey smashed 71 runs off 46 balls, whacking four fours and four sixes. Saha scored 59 runs from 32 deliveries, but their partnership went in vain as KKR fell short of the target by nine runs.
#5 Ambati Rayudu & Ravindra Jadeja, 102 runs
The most recent entry on this list is from the 2021 edition of the IPL. During the first phase of the season, Chennai Super Kings' Ambati Rayudu and Ravindra Jadeja had a 102-run partnership for the fifth wicket against the Mumbai Indians.
Rayudu scored 72 runs from 27 deliveries, while Jadeja scored 22 runs at a strike rate of 100. The pair took CSK's score from 116/4 to 218/4, adding 102 runs in just eight overs. Rayudu smacked four fours and seven sixes against his former IPL team.
However, an incredible performance from Kieron Pollard (87* off 34) denied CSK a win in that game. CSK will aim to avenge that defeat when they cross paths with MI on September 19 in Dubai.