Scoring a century in IPL or a T20 game is not an often occurring feat; centuries in T20 cricket ending up in a losing cause is even rarer. In the 14 seasons of the IPL, there have been 15 instances of batsmen scoring a three-figure score but the team still managed to lose the game.
Here we look at the top 5 scores by the batters to end up losing the game:
Rishabh Pant– 128*
Rishabh Pant, one of the most talented batters going around in the world, holds the record for the highest individual score in an IPL innings – 128* off 63 balls – to end up on the losing side.
This was Pant’s maiden IPL century– coming against a strong SRH bowling attack in 2018- however, SRH chased down the target of 188 with an over to spare on the back of Shikhar Dhawan’s 92* off 50 balls supported by Kane Williamson’s 83* off 53 balls. The Pant era was just in its initial phase then.
Sanju Samson– 119
Sanju Samson started off his Rajasthan Royals captaincy stint on a blockbuster note last season when he almost helped RR chase down a massive target of 222 versus Punjab Kings with his thunderous knock of 119 off 63 balls. 5 runs were needed on the last ball, but Samson was caught on the boundary line, ending his highest IPL score in a heartbreak.
Andrew Symonds– 117*
This innings dates back to the inaugural season in 2008, when Andrew Symonds, batting for the Deccan Chargers, bombarded the Rajasthan Royals with a display of staggering power-hitting – smashing 11 fours and 7 sixes in his knock of 117* runs off 53 balls to help Deccan to the total of 214.
However, RR put up a collective effort with the bat – 71 from Graeme Smith, 61 from Yusuf Pathan, 34 from Mohammad Kaif, followed by 22 off 9 from Shane Warne – helped the Royals eclipse the target with one ball to spare.
Wriddhiman Saha– 115*
Batting for Kings XI Punjab then (now Punjab Kings), Wriddhiman Saha became the first batsman to hit a century in an IPL final – when he recorded this feat in the 2014 final versus KKR. After starting sedately, Saha upped the ante and ended up with 115* off 55 balls, his innings laced with 10 fours and 8 sixes.
However, his knock would go in vain as KKR chased down the target of 200 with three balls remaining, on the back of Manish Pandey’s 94 off 50 balls brilliant hand.
Shikhar Dhawan – 106*
Delhi Capitals opener Shikhar Dhawan was in prime form in IPL 2020, and struck two centuries that season. However, one of which, against Punjab, went in losing cause. Dhawan’s 106* off 61 balls set up a par total of 164, which was hauled down in 19 overs by Punjab, with Nicholas Pooran smashing 53 off 28 balls supported by cameos from Gayle and Maxwell.
Further, these are other batters whose centuries have been ended up in defeats: Mayank Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane, Hashim Amla (twice), Sanju Samson again, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shane Watson, Steve Smith, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli.
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