Highest team score in IPL: The Record-Breaking Match- Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Pune Warriors India
Published on: Feb 21, 2023 7:10 pm IST|Updated on: Feb 21, 2023 7:10 pm IST
Highest team score in IPL: The Indian Premier League, fondly known as the IPL, has been one of the most exciting cricketing events since its inception in 2008. The tournament has seen several records set, broken, and re-written. One such record that has stood the test of time is the highest team score in IPL history. In this article, we will delve deep into the record-breaking match that saw the highest team score in IPL and how it became a significant milestone in the history of the tournament.
Highest team score in IPL: The Gayle Storm Hits the M Chinnaswamy Stadium
It was the evening of April 23, 2013, and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were up against Pune Warriors India (PWI) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB was coming off a disappointing season, and they were determined to turn things around in the sixth edition of the IPL. But no one could have predicted what was about to happen in this match.
As the match began, RCB’s openers Tillakaratne Dilshan and Chris Gayle walked out to the middle. Pune Warriors India had a strong bowling attack that included the likes of Ashok Dinda, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Rahul Sharma, but they had no answer to the Gayle storm that was about to hit them.
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Gayle started slowly, taking his time to get his eye in. But once he found his rhythm, there was no stopping him. He went on a rampage and started hitting the ball to all parts of the ground. The Pune Warriors India bowlers were helpless as Gayle unleashed his fury, hitting sixes and fours at will.
Records Tumble Every Step of the Way
Gayle’s assault was relentless, and the Pune Warriors India bowlers could do nothing to stop him. He reached his half-century off just 17 balls, the fastest in IPL history. But he wasn’t done yet. He continued his rampage and reached his century off just 30 balls, another record that still stands to this day.
But Gayle wasn’t the only one who was contributing to the scoreboard. AB de Villiers joined the party and played a blistering knock of 31 off just 8 balls. Together, they put up a partnership of 167 runs off just 66 balls, which is still the highest partnership in IPL history.
Gayle eventually finished with an unbeaten 175 off just 66 balls, a knock that included 13 fours and 17 sixes. His innings is considered to be one of the greatest T20 innings ever played. RCB ended their innings with a mammoth score of 263/5, the highest team score in IPL history.
Pune Warriors India Fall Short
Chasing a target of 264, Pune Warriors India had a mountain to climb. But they got off to a decent start, with Robin Uthappa and Aaron Finch putting up a partnership of 32 runs. However, RCB’s bowlers soon started making inroads, and Pune Warriors India never really got going. They eventually finished their innings at 133/9, giving RCB a resounding victory by 130 runs.
Gayle was named the Player of the Match for his record-breaking innings, which was rightly considered one of the greatest T20 innings ever played. The match will always be remembered as the one where the Gayle storm hit the M Chinnaswamy Stadium and left Pune Warriors India in shambles.
Highest Team Score in IPL History
RCB’s score of 263/5 is the highest team score in IPL history. It is a record that has stood for almost a decade and is unlikely to be broken any time soon.
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