IPL 2023: Top 3 batting performances from Week 3

After three weeks of exhilarating cricket, the ongoing IPL 2023 is now slowly moving into a crucial phase. Teams are hoping to put together winning streaks in order to improve their prospects of making the playoffs.

After multiple high-scoring encounters in the second week, there weren't too many run-fests on offer last week but there were thrills and spills all around. Four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) posted the highest score of the week when they scored a massive 226 runs against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Together, in a total of 10 fixtures in Week 3, as many as 3,335 runs (122 runs more than in Week 2) have been scored by the 10 IPL franchises.

With that being said, let's take a look at the five best batting performances from Week 3 of IPL 2023.

Note: Only the games from Match 20 (RCB vs DC) to Match 29 (CSK vs SRH) in IPL 2023 have been taken into consideration.

#3 Devon Conway - 83 off 45 vs RCB in Bengaluru

Devon Conway raising his bat after a fifty [IPLT20]

Adding a new chapter to the CSK-RCB rivalry, Devon Conway slammed his second consecutive half-century against RCB. Alongside Shivam Dube (52 off 27), the Kiwi opener acted as a catalyst for CSK's memorable win in Bangalore.

After being put to bat first, Conway lost his opening partner Ruturaj Gaikwad early on. He then joined hands with Ajinkya Rahane and Dube, with whom Conway added 154 runs combined.

Well played, Devon Conway.

83 runs from 45 balls, made some very good partnerships with Rahane & Dube. https://t.co/XjT2OW0DvC

With the help of six boundaries and as many sixes, Conway set the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on fire and led his team to their third-best ever IPL total of 226/6.

Despite Glenn Maxwell's marvelous knock of 76 off 36, CSK managed to restrict RCB to 218 and won the match by eight runs. For his quality knock at the top, Conway was adjudged as the Player of the Match.

#2 Shimron Hetmyer - 56* off 26 vs GT in Ahmedabad

Shimron Hetmyer in action for RR [IPLT20]

Batting at an average of 92.5 with an immaculate strike rate of over 177 - these are some ferocious numbers that Shimron Hetmyer has put up so far in the tournament.

He has already played a couple of clutch knocks for Rajasthan Royals (RR) but his standout performance came in the game between RR and Gujarat Titans (GT).

Sanju Samson won the toss for the Royals and opted to bowl. They did a decent job of restricting the Titans to a total of 177/7 at the end of their 20 overs.

The run-chase, though, did not start off well with RR losing both their openers by the third over with just four runs on the board. While Devdutt Padikkal crawled towards his 25-ball 26, Sanju Samson took the initiative to get his side back on track.

Shimron Hetmyer won the Player of the Match award for his terrific knock in the chase 👏

📸: IPL

#GTvRR #IPL2023 https://t.co/Lc9GtLWV1X

The RR skipper hit six sixes, including three consecutive blows to Rashid Khan en route to his 32-ball 60. However, GT once again pegged back in the game with two quick strikes.

The pressure kept mounting until Hetmyer came into bat at No. 6. With 64 still required in the last 30 balls, Hetmyer took apart Alzarri Joseph and Rashid to accumulate 20 and 13 runs off the 16th and 18th over respectively.

The left-hander from Guyana breezed through what was a tough situation to come to bat into and racked up 56* runs in just 26 balls. He even hit the winning six in the last over to guide his side home and take them to the top of the table.

#1 Venkatesh Iyer - 104 off 53 vs MI in Mumbai

Venkatesh Iyer raising his bat after a hundred vs MI [IPLT20]

The highest individual score of IPL 2023 also came during Week 3 when Venkatesh Iyer ended KKR's 15-year drought of a century. The left-hander slammed 104 runs off just 51 balls during an afternoon game against the Mumbai lndians (MI).

After being put to bat first, Iyer fought a solitary battle with the bat against MI as he was the only KKR batter to keep his wicket intact for the majority of the innings.

It seemed he batted on a different pitch altogether, going helter-skelters from the word go and lofting everything that came into his arc.

Venkatesh Iyer scripts a century to remember for KKR 🫡

📸: JioCinema/IPL

#IPL2023 #MIvsKKR #CricketTwitter https://t.co/AsnoxUjrbJ

While the MI bowlers kept chipping in wickets from one end, Venkatesh was the only shining light for the visitors. He reached his fifty in 23 balls before completing his first-ever IPL ton in just 49 balls.

It was his innings that took KKR to a par total of 185/6 in the first innings.

Unfortunately, for Iyer, his superlative innings went in vain as MI comfortably chased down the target with five wickets and 14 balls in hand.