When batsmen picked their targets
Hashim Amla's 51 runs off Lasith Malinga on Thursday was the second-highest in batsman v bowler records in IPL history. Here's a look at other such hammerings
ESPNcricinfo staff
20-Apr-2017
Hashim Amla punished Lasith Malinga during his century against Mumbai Indians • ESPNcricinfo Ltd
52 runs off 17 balls, Royal Challengers Bangalore v Delhi Daredevils, 2013
It now seems incredulous that Umesh Yadav had conceded just 18 runs off his first two overs. Such was Virat Kohli's domination in the death overs, that he smashed 37 runs off just 10 balls he faced in the 18th and 20th overs. It was a familiar tale - Umesh would pitch it up on length, and Kohli would launch one into the stands. When it got a little tighter, he would play a gorgeous cover drive that pierced the field. By the end of it all, there was enough time for Kohli to run himself out for 99, off Umesh's final ball. It was still not enough to surpass Ishant Sharma's 66-run spell from just two days before.
51 runs off 16 balls, Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians, 2017
This is the first time in his illustrious T20 career that Malinga has conceded 50-plus runs in two consecutive games, and this time it was Amla who tonked him over the ropes every other ball. Earlier in the innings, the IPL's official website had run a poll asking if Amla's batting was hindering Kings XI's innings, and over two-thirds of the audience had agreed to the motion. By the end of his innings, Amla was putting the ball on the Holkar Stadium roof, and smiled as if he could barely believe it all himself. Rohit Sharma trusted Malinga to bowl the final over, after the latter had been smoked for 22 runs off his third. Things improved marginally, and Malinga ended up falling just short of the all-time IPL record.
47 runs off 18 balls, Mumbai Indians v Sunrisers Hyderabad, 2014
Amit Mishra's bowling figures for his first two overs read 2-0-8-0. History and Mishra's reputation in the tournament suggested it was going to be just another day in the office for the legspinner. Pollard, though, was waiting for the first mistake to upset his rhythm. As Mishra sprayed full tosses and half-trackers, Pollard feasted on them, taking him for 43 runs off the next 11 balls he faced. While it was one of Mishra's worst IPL bowling performances, Pollard's lone hand was not enough to prevent Mumbai from slipping to a 15-run defeat.
43 runs off 10 balls, Royal Challengers Bangalore v Pune Warriors, 2013
During Chris Gayle's record-breaking 175 off 66 balls, the highest score in T20 cricket, Uttar Pradesh left-arm spinner Ali Murtaza came in for special punishment. Of the 10 balls he bowled to Gayle in his two overs, only two didn't go for a six or four. Gayle edged his first ball for four past short third man, then slog-swept two sixes. Murtaza tried everything: a flat ball was smashed for four past long-off, a flighted one was slogged over long-on, one on the pads was mowed over midwicket and a wide one was slapped over extra cover. Murtaza played just two more IPL games.
43 runs off 14 balls, Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2012
When Ajinkya Rahane scored his first and only Twenty20 century, 43 of his 103 runs came off one bowler, S Aravind, and, remarkably, those included just one six. Rahane stroked the first ball he faced from Aravind for a four between point and backward point. He got another boundary through the off side before, in Aravind's next over, lifting the ball over long-on for six. All that was just the curtain raiser for Aravind's third over. Rahane hit every delivery of it for a four. Two were smashed down the ground, one stroked through the covers, one pulled over midwicket and two played behind square.