In an anti-climax, the Indian Premier League 2024 league stage concluded on Sunday with rain not allowing a single delivery to be bowled in the last match between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). (IPL Coverage)
The result meant that RR finished third on the table behind leaders Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad. In one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the history of the tournament, Royal Challengers Benagaluru won six consecutive games and took care of their net run rate to finish fourth in the league stage.
With the league stage ending, it is time to look back at the best moments of this season. In this piece we will be looking at the five best innings from the league stage of the IPL 2024.
With runs flowing throughout the tournament, it was very difficult to choose just five but anyways here we are.
Travis Head 102(41) vs RCB
RCB had absolutely no idea what hit them when Travis Head got going in match 30 of IPL 2024 in Hyderabad.
Head took hitting to another level that day and not just started in sixth gear but kept going in the same manner. In just the 11th over, the Australian had completed his century in 39 balls, the fifth fastest ever in IPL history.
The knock included nine fours and eight sixes and laid the base for the highest IPL total ever 287/3.
Jos Buttler 107*(60) vs KKR
The greatness of this innings was not just that it led to the then highest IPL chase ever but also that Buttler was not at his best for the majority of it.
In a chase of 224, Buttler got to his half-century in 36 balls. His innings was weighing RR down until he turned up the heat towards the end to complete one of the most spectacular heists of the season.
The England T20I skipper hit nine fours and six sixes to overshadow Sunil Narine's ton earlier in the game.
Jake Fraser-McGurk 84(27) vs MI
When Jasprit Bumrah goes for 18 in an over, you know some batter has done something special. Jake Fraser-McGurk showed absolutely no respect to the Indian pace spearhead as he smashed him and all other MI bowlers to power DC to their highest-ever IPL total of 257.
The carnage ended in only eighth over but by then the youngster had hit 11 fours and six sixes to end up with 84.
The extent of madness was such that Fraser-McGurk was clearly in contention to break Chris Gayle fastest IPL century record of 30 balls.
Ashutosh Sharma 61(28) vs MI
Chasing 193, PBKS were 77/6 when Ashutosh Sharma walked in in the 10th over. Soon PBKS lost their seventh wicket as well. Nobody would have given the Kings a chance but an uncapped Ashutosh Sharma almost pulled off the unithinkable.
In an innings that included a six through a sweep shot against Bumrah, the Railways batter pulled out the game from the jaws of defeat and put PBKS on the brink of victory.
He hit seven sixes to single-handedly put his team on the cusp of win but once he departed his team could not achieve a simple equation of 25 from 18 and lost.
Marcus Stoinis 124*(63) vs CSK
Defeating CSK in Chennai is among the toughest task in IPL.
In a chase of 212, when no other LSG player scored more than 34, an out of form Marcus Stoinis brought out one of the best IPL innings at the Chepauk to steal victory for his team.
Without much support from the other end, Stoinis kept things in control and blasted at the end to end up with the highest individual score in the second innings in the history of IPL.
IPL 2024 Playoffs Schedule
Qualifier 1
Tuesday May 21: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Ahmedabad
Eliminator
Wednesday May 22: Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Ahmedabad
Qualifier 2
Friday May 24: Winner of Eliminator vs Loser of Qualifier 1, Chennai
Final
Sunday May 26: Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2, Chennai
