5 Big-hitters who ruled the league stage of the IPL

The much-anticipated cricket extravaganza of the Indian Premier League has reached the playoff stage and audience are expecting a better experience.

But before we gear up for the playoffs, let’s take a halt and embrace the top 5 batting performances that stole the limelight during the weeks gone by:

5) Jos Buttler-(95*) (RR) vs Chennai Super Kings: Fortunes changed for Rajasthan Royals once their wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler was given the task to open the innings in the middle stages of IPL.

He started his new role against Delhi Daredevils, where he pulled off an amazing run chase scoring the majority of runs in the innings with 67 off 26 to his name comprising of 4 boundaries and 7 sixes.

And from there he never looked back and went on to score 5 half-centuries on the trot which is an IPL record and emerged as the leading run-getter with 586 runs in 13 games for the Rajasthan Royals. His prime innings though came against Chennai Super Kings in Pune where he scored an unbeaten 95 off 60 deliveries with 11 fours and 2 massive sixes.

This knock helped Royals beat Chennai as Rajasthan Royal managed to keep themselves alive in the tournament.

4) Ambati Rayudu-(100*) (CSK) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: Ambati Rayudu is in some exceptional form in this year’s IPL. This year has been undoubtedly one of the best seasons for the guy from Hyderabad who0 came to open the innings for CSK.

Rayudu is the leading run scorer for CSK with 586 runs from 14 games at an average of 45.08 and a heavy strike rate of 153.40. His best performance came against Sunrisers Hyderabad where he along with his opening partner Shane Watson to put up a rock-solid partnership where he registered his maiden IPL century off 62 balls with 7 fours and 7 sixes. It helped CSK chase down a score of 180 runs with 8 wickets in hand and an over to spare.

3) Chris Gayle-(104*) (KXIP) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: The “Universe Boss” Chris Gayle had to make a statement after going unsold in the first 2 rounds of the auction and finally getting sold to KXIP in the 3rd round of the auction.

This was the second outing for Chris and the first ton of this year’s IPL as he scored a brilliant unbeaten 104 off 63 balls with just a lone four and 11 towering sixes to his name.

He ran over the bowling attack of the SRH to score 55 runs off Rashid Khan’s 4 overs.

2) Shane Watson- (106) (CSK) vs Rajasthan Royals: The Australian veteran Shane Watson proved once again that age can never be an issue when it comes to toeing the bowlers all around the park.

The 36 year old allrounder was in sublime touch against his previous franchise before going to RCB. Watson’s heroics meant that the Chennai Super Kings got over Rajasthan Royals in some fashion with a 64 runs victory. In a Man of the Match-worthy performance, Watson scored a blistering 106 off just 57 deliveries with 9 fours and 6 sixes in a match held in Pune.

1) Rishabh Pant- (128*) (DD) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: This was the third ton of the tournament and probably the best one. Rishabh Pant was on a different level altogether in this year’s IPL.

He is currently the Orange cap holder with 684 runs in 14 appearances.

Pant’s century came against the Sunrisers Hyderabad where he played a knock of 128* and also registered the highest individual score for an Indian in the IPL history. His century came off just 63 balls with 15 fours and 7 massive sixes. His innings though wasn’t enough to propel a win against SRH and a defeat was what they got, but Rishabh’s innings in a crunch situation left people awestruck. This century was the first for an Indian this year and also the third highest individual score after Brendon McCullum’s 158* and Chris Gayle’s 175*.