Shikhar Dhawan's 3 best knocks in a losing cause in the IPL
Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Shikhar Dhawan has displayed excellent form in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. The left-handed batter is the current Orange Cap holder, having smashed 225 runs in three matches at an average of 225 and a strike rate of 149.01.
The veteran batter began his IPL 2023 campaign with a fluent 40 off 29 balls against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Mohali as the Punjab Kings won the game by seven runs via the D/L method.
In their next match against the Rajasthan Royals (RR), the southpaw top-scored with 86 off 56 balls, striking nine fours and three sixes. PBKS scored 197/4 batting first and then held RR to 192/7.
Dhawan continued his great run with the bat in the game against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) as well on Sunday, April 9. The 37-year-old slammed an unbeaten 99 off 66 balls with the aid of 12 fours and five sixes.
Unfortunately, the knock went in vain as none of the other Punjab batters could make an impact. PBKS were held to 143/9, a target SRH chased down in 17.1 overs.
On that note, let’s rewind to three other instances when Dhawan’s excellent performances in the IPL came in losing causes.
#3 (79 off 49) vs Chennai Super Kings - IPL 2018
Dhawan slammed 79 off only 49 balls for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in match number 46 of IPL 2018 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
Batting first, SRH put up a competitive 179/4 on the board as Dhawan struck 10 fours and three sixes.
Hyderabad lost Alex Hales for two, but Dhawan and Kane Williamson (51 off 39) added 123 runs for the second wicket. The left-handed batter struck David Willey for consecutive fours in the third over. At the halfway stage of SRH’s innings, he took on Ravindra Jadeja and hit him for a four and a six.
More boundaries followed against Harbhajan Singh and Willey before Dwayne Bravo deceived Dhawan with a change of pace and had him caught. The fine knock was overshadowed by Ambati Rayudu, who struck 100* off 62 balls to guide CSK to victory by eight wickets.
#2 (84 off 49) vs Delhi Capitals - IPL 2012
Dhawan opened the batting for the now-defunct Deccan Chargers in the 2012 season. In match number 55 of the edition, he smashed 84 off only 49 balls at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad against Delhi Capitals as the Chargers batted first after winning the toss.
The left-hander was in supreme form, whacking nine fours and five sixes. He struck Irfan Pathan for consecutive fours in the second over. He slowed down a bit after that. After crossing 30, he launched Shahbaz Nadeem for consecutive sixes in the 12th over.
The next over saw him take on Pathan again and club him for 4,6,4. The southpaw looked set for three figures but was run out in the 18th over while attempting a tight second run.
Dhawan’s brilliance saw the Deccan Chargers post 187/4. However, David Warner (109* off 54) and Naman Ojha (64* off 46) starred in the chase and Delhi romped home in 16.4 overs with nine wickets in hand.
#1 106* off 61 balls vs Punjab Kings (IPL 2020)
Dhawan created history during IPL 2020, becoming the first batter in the T20 league to register consecutive hundreds.
His effort went in vain though as the record ton came in a losing cause. Delhi Capitals batted first in match number 38 of IPL 2020 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Dhawan single-handedly led DC’s charge with an unbeaten 106 off 61 balls, a splendid knock featuring 12 fours and three sixes. He began with a four and a six off Glenn Maxwell’s bowling in the first over. Three boundaries followed in the fifth over bowled by Mohammed Shami.
Even as he kept losing partners at the other end, the veteran batter did not slow down. He brought up 5000 runs in the IPL by slog-sweeping Ravi Bishnoi for a maximum. Dhawan reached his hundred in the penultimate over by toe-ending Arshdeep Singh to deep backward point for a couple.
Despite Dhawan’s brilliance, DC could only put up 164/5 on the board. Punjab chased down the target in 19 overs, with five wickets in hand, as Nicholas Pooran slammed 53 off just 28 deliveries.