The fifth week of the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League witnessed Rising Pune Supergiant’s brilliant comeback, another Hashim Amla century, Jaydev Unadkat’s heroics with the ball and many dropped catches. The past week also saw Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Lions being knocked out of the playoffs race, while Mumbai Indians ensured a Top Four finish. Kolkata Knight Riders and Rising Pune Supergiant are also almost certain to make it to the playoffs. The battle for the last spot will thus be among Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kings XI Punjab, and Delhi Daredevils, a battle that will be fought and won in the coming week.
For now, here’s a look at the unique numbers from the fifth week of IPL 10.
Big knocks before turning 20
Rishabh Pant joined an elite list of players who have played big knocks in the IPL before turning 20. He smashed 97 runs from 43 balls on May 4 to power Delhi Daredevils’ win over Gujarat Lions. But the record for the highest score before turning 20 belongs to Manish Pandey, who had scored an unbeaten 114 against Deccan Chargers while playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore at Centurion Park in 2009. The Delhi Daredevils wicket-keeper-batsman is second on the list, followed by his current team mate Sanju Samson, who had scored 74 against Mumbai Indians back in 2014, when he played for Rajasthan Royals.
Least runs in six consecutive dismissals
Before Dwayne Smith’s match-winning knock of 74 runs that helped Gujarat Lions overcome Kings XI Punjab on Sunday, he had scored only 19 runs in six innings from April 16 to 4 May. This is the third least by any batsman in six consecutive dismissals in the IPL. Rajat Bhatia holds the dubious record of scoring the least runs in six consecutive dismissals, with 17 runs from 4 May 2008 to 22 May 2009, when he played for Delhi Daredevils.
Triple wicket maidens
Jaydev Unadkat achieved an unique feat when he claimed a hat-trick maiden in the 20th of the Sunrisers Hyderabad innings. This was just the third instance in IPL history when a bowler has bowled a triple wicket maiden over. Before Unadkat, Lasith Malinga had achieved this in 2015 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mumbai. Earlier this season, Samuel Badree did the same against Mumbai Indians at Bangalore.
The Rising Pune Supergiant bowler also became only the second bowler to take two five-wicket hauls in IPL after James Faulkner .
Best all-rounders in debut season
Ben Stokes has scored 283 runs and taken 10 wickets across 10 matches in his debut IPL season. This makes him the third all-rounder to score 250-plus runs and take 10 or more wickets in their debut season in IPL. Shane Watson and Kieron Pollard are the other all-rounders on this list. Shane Watson amassed 472 runs and picked up 17 wickets in 2008 while Kieron Pollard scored 273 runs and taken 15 wickets in 2010.
Most centuries in a losing cause in T20 cricket
Hashim Amla became the first player to score two centuries in a losing cause in IPL on Sunday when Gujarat Lions beat King XI Punjab by six wickets at Mohali. Andrew Symonds, Yusuf Pathan, Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Watson, Wriddhiman Saha, Virat Kohli and Steve Smith are the other players who have scored an IPL century in a losing cause.
Earlier this season, Hashim Amla ha scored another century in a losing cause, as Mumbai Indians had defeated Kings XI Punjab by eight wickets in Mumbai. Amla is now second in the list of players who have scored the most centuries in a losing cause in T20 cricket. Chris Gayle has scored a record five T20 hundreds in a losing cause.