IPL: Highest targets achieved in last over of successful run-chases
There have been times when batters have done the unthinkable and smashed heaps of runs in the last over of the game to drive their side to victory.
1. 29 runs for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) vs Gujarat Titans (GT) in 2023
Gujarat Titans took the stage alongside Kolkata Knight Riders in the 13th match of IPL 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Gujarat batted first and posted a daunting total of 204 runs on the board thanks to magnificent half-centuries from Sai Sudharsan and Vijay Shankar.
Kolkata, in response, were well placed, having scored 128 runs in 13 overs with the duo of Venkatesh Iyer and Nitish Rana looking in pristine touch. However, Alzarri Joseph got rid of both the set batters in the next couple of overs to dent the opposition's progress. And then the stand-in skipper Rashid Khan weaved his magic and took an impeccable hat-trick to leave KKR reeling at 155 for 7 in 16.3 overs.
Moreover, Rinku Singh, who was still in the middle, was not able to time the ball and eventually, KKR required 39 runs off eight deliveries. The remaining part of the game appeared just a formality but Rinku did not surrender. He scored 10 runs off the final two balls of the 19th over to bring the equation down to 29 runs off 6 balls.
Yash Dayal was entrusted to bowl the final over. Umesh Yadav took a single off the first ball and the equation became 28 runs off five balls. And then the unthinkable happened. Rinku (48* runs off 21 balls) smashed Dayal for five consecutive sixes and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in one of the greatest finishes in the history of the cash-rich league.
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