IPL: Top 5 innings by KKR batters

Kolkata Knight Riders, the SRK-owned franchise is loved by people in not just West Bengal but throughout the country. The two-time champions have had their ups and downs in the 15 years of IPL, but have always made sure to keep their friends entertained. 

Over the years, the franchise has given its fans a lot of memories to cherish. Thus, here are the top 5 innings from KKR batters that fans cherish the most: 

1. Pat Cummins 56* vs Mumbai Indians, 2022

We all know Pat Cummins to be a terrorizing fast bowler. However, not many people know that Cummins is a clean striker of the ball as well. This is the story of one such inning.

It was the 14th game of the 2022 season. Batting first, Mumbai had put in a decent score of 161 in their 20 overs. Coming into bat, KKR batters started struggling in what was expected to be an easy chase. Venkatesh Iyer held down one end while wickets kept tumbling from the other as KKR were reduced to 101 for 5 in 13.1 overs. 

KKR required 61 to win in 41 balls when Cummins walked out to bat. Cummins started right on point, hitting his second ball for a gigantic six off Tymal Mills, and didn’t look back from there. Next to receive the beating was Jasprit Bumrah, who was hit for a six and a four by Cummins. 

The 16th over of the innings not only changed the course of the game but also ended it. Daniel Sams brought the 16th over. Cummins hit the first two balls for a six and a four. The next two were no different as they went for two sixes consecutively. Cummins tried replicating the same on the fifth ball but was caught by Surya at long off. However, it turned out to be a no-ball and Cummins survived. 

Cummins completed his half-century in just 14 balls and hit the last ball for a six to steer KKR home. KKR needed 35 to win off the final 5 overs but Cummins did that in just one over. In his innings, Cummins hit 4 fours and 6 sixes and equaled the record for the fasters fifty at the Indian Premier. He remained unbeaten on 56 off just 15 deliveries and was awarded the Player of the Match for his brilliance. 

2. Andre Russell 48* vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2019

Andre Russell’s hitting capabilities are known to all. The Caribbean all-rounder can hit the ball out of the park as and when he desires. Many times, he has changed the entire course of the game with his hard-hitting. This was one of those innings. 

Batting first, RCB had set a target of 206 for KKR to chase. KKR batters were looking good, but they were not essentially scoring at the required run rate. KKR’s score was 140 for 4 in 16 overs when Russell came out to bat. 

The first few balls, Russell seemed to be struggling a little. However, the KKR camp knew that if there was anyone who could turn the tide in their favor, it was Russell only. Russell had been waiting for an opportunity to let loose and it was given to him by SIraj in the 18th over. 

Siraj bowled a beamer to Russell, and he was quick to capitalize on it. Russell hit a huge six over midwicket. Since it was SIraj’s second beamer of the game, he was banned from bowling for the rest of the game. That one ball changed the entire course of the game. Stoinis came in to complete the over and Russell hit him for two consecutive sixes. This was all the momentum Russell needed. 

Tim Southee brought the next over. Gill handed the strike to Russell after the first ball only. Russell hit Southee for three consecutive sixes only to follow it with another four and a six to finish with 29 runs from the over. The scores were leveled and KKR just needed 1 off the final over. Gill scored the easy run and KKR were able to chase down the score with 5 balls to spare. 

Russell finished the innings at 48 not out from just 13 balls with 7 sixes and 1 four. What once seemed like a lost game was won just because Russell defied the very basics of cricket. Russell was awarded the Player of the Match for his amazing innings.

3. Manvinder Bisla’s 89 vs Chennai Super Kings, 2012 Final

2012 was the first time KKR ever reached the final. This was also the first time they won, putting down the supremacy of the Chennai Super Kings. Chennai had won the 2010 and 2011 finals and were on their way to winning a third one, but Bisla decided to intervene. 

Winning the toss, Chennai decided to bat first and put up a score of 190, thanks to a quickfire 73 off 38 balls from Suresh Raina. Captain Gautam Gambhir and Manvinder Bisla took the opening guard for the Knight Riders. However, Ben Hilfenhaus gave KKR a huge setback by removing Gambhir in the first over. 

Despite suffering the loss of the captain upfront, Bisla took the responsibility of moving KKR’s innings ahead on his shoulders. He started out by creating pressure on Albie Morkel and hit him for 4 fours in an over. 

Bisla and Kallis put up 136 runs for the second wicket in just 13.4 overs. Bisla was finally removed by Morkel on 89 runs off 48 balls. By then, Bisla had ensured that KKR put up a good fight. Kallis continued KKR’s fight and Manoj Tiwary hit the final four off Dwayne Bravo to win KKR their first-ever IPL trophy. Bisla was awarded the Player of the Match and went down as one of the greatest heroes for KKR.

4. Manish Pandey’s 94 vs Kings XI Punjab, 2014 Final

Two years after winning their first final, KKR managed to make it into another one in 2014. However, the story was rather similar this time around as well. Batting first, Punjab had scored 199 after a brilliant century from Wriddhiman Saha. 

KKR had a mammoth task of chasing down 200 runs to win their second trophy. But, as has been the case with the franchise on multiple occasions, they lost their first wicket in the first over itself. Uthappa was out on the fourth ball of the first over. 

Manish Pandey walked in then, and from the very first ball, made it clear that he was not looking to waste any time. Pandey hit Johnson for a four on his first ball and sent a message in the dugout that it was his day. Manish Pandey and skipper Gautam Gambhir carried on the momentum for KKR, and by the time the powerplay ended, they had already scored 59 runs and were right on track. 

However, Karanveer Singh removed Gambhir the very first ball after the power play ended. But, Pandey was in a zone of his own. He hit the next ball for a six over cover telling the entire Punjab camp that there was nothing stopping him. Manish Pandey and Yusuf Pathan were playing all their strokes and panic had struck the Punjab camp. 

On the final delivery of the seventeenth over, Pandey handed over a simple catch to George Bailey while trying to hit Karanveer Singh over the cover region. But by then, he had made sure that KKR would steer home safely. When Pandey got out, KKR’s score was 179 for 6, and the team required just 20 runs to win in 3 overs. Pandey finished his innings just 6 short of a century and hit 7 fours and 6 sixes in his innings of 50 balls. 

Piyush Chawla hit the winning four for KKR as the franchise lifted the IPL trophy for the second time. 

5. Brendon McCullum’s 158 vs RCB, IPL Opener, 2008

Brendon McCullum set the IPL on fire in the very first game itself. It was the inaugural game of the first edition. The concept of IPL was new to the people. However, McCullum ensured that people get the maximum entertainment from the very start. 

Winning the toss, RCB decided to invite KKR to bat first. It turned out to be a nightmare of a decision for Rahul Dravid and co. For KKR, skipper Sourav Ganguly and Brendon McCullum took the opening stand. 

After assessing the pitch in the first over, McCullum launched an all-out attack on RCB bowlers. No one was spared. In the second  over only, McCullum hit Zaheer Khan for 3 four, and a six. After that, it was just raining sixes and fours. There was hardly an over where McCullum didn’t hit a boundary. 

It seemed as if RCB bowlers had nothing that could dismantle McCullum’s momentum. McCullum carried his bat till the end as he went on to score 158 runs in just 73 balls. His innings included 10 fours and 13 gigantic sixes. His record for the highest individual score remained intact till 2013, when the universe boss, Chris Gayle, scored a massive 175 runs against the Pune Warriors India. 

In reply, RCB managed to score just 82 runs. McCullum was awarded the Player of the Match for an inning that kept the fans on their feet throughout. 

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