Mayank Agarwal’s unbeaten 99 for Punjab against Delhi in Ahmedabad on Sunday was only the seventh instance of a batsman missing a century by just one run in the Indian T20 League. While some remained not out, others succumbed to the pressure. Here’s a look at the previous six 99s.
Suresh Raina 99*(52), Chennai vs Hyderabad, 2013
Hyderabad chose to bowl first at their home ground and watched Suresh Raina and Michael Hussey put on a massive 133 for the second wicket in just 12 overs. Raina was at the peak of his powers at that time; he cracked 11 fours and three sixes as he soared to an unbeaten 99 from just 52 balls. Ishant Sharma disappeared for 66 runs from four overs and Chennai surged to 223/3. A stunned Hyderabad managed a mere 146/8 in response.
Virat Kohli 99 (58), Bangalore vs Delhi, 2013
Two days after Raina’s onslaught, Bangalore’s Virat Kohli was run out for 99 off 58 against Delhi at the erstwhile Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium. The captain hit the last ball of the Bangalore innings to sweeper cover but could not complete an improbable second run that would have taken him to his century.
Delhi came mighty close to overhauling Bangalore’s 183/4, falling short by just four runs, and Irfan Pathan ending on 23 from just 11.
Prithvi Shaw 99 (55), Delhi vs Kolkata, 2019
It took six years for the next 99 to come in the Indian T20 League, and it came in Delhi again. Prithvi Shaw hammered 12 fours and three sixes from just 55 balls but could not take Delhi home as he fell in the 19th over of the chase.
Delhi ended up squandering a strong position thereafter to end level with Kolkata on 185. Thankfully, Shaw’s effort was not to be in vain as his team came through victorious in the Super Over.
Chris Gayle 99* (64), Punjab vs Bangalore, 2019
This was the first 99 in the IPL that came in a losing cause. Chris Gayle belted ten fours and five sixes in 64 balls against his former franchise Bangalore as Punjab posted 173/4. He had little support from the rest of the line-up though.
Bangalore were to hunt down the target with four balls to spare for the loss of only Parthiv Patel and Kohli as AB de Villiers and Marcus Stoinis hauled them home with a quick partnership.
Ishan Kishan 99 (58), Mumbai vs Bangalore, IPL 2020
Mumbai were in trouble at 78/4 in pursuit of Bangalore’s 201/3 when Kieron Pollard walked in. Ishan Kishan, who had been struggling until then, suddenly started mowing sixes over deep midwicket. He hit nine of them but fell off the penultimate ball of the chase trying to win the match with another six. Pollard hit a four off the last ball to take it to a Super Over. Kishan was too exhausted to come out to bat again and Mumbai went on to lose.
Chris Gayle 99 (63), KXIP v RR, IPL 2020
The ‘Universe Boss’ holds numerous T20 batting records, and remains the only man to have scored two 99s in the Indian T20 League. Eight sixes and six fours rained off Gayle’s blade to catapult Punjab to 185/4. And for the second time, the great man was to end on the losing side as Rajasthan made a mockery of the chase. Ben Stokes and Sanju Samson led a commanding batting performance to hand a seven-wicket loss to Gayle’s team in only 17.3 overs.
Featured photo: AFP / Sajjad Hussain
