ESPNcricinfo Awards 2023 Men's T20 leagues batting nominees: Roy sets PSL ablaze, Gill downs Mumbai Indians
Also on the list: Pooran's and Klaasen's American fireworks
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Jan-2024
Jason Roy struck at over 230 during his record-breaking 145 not out against Peshawar Zalmi • AFP/Getty Images
Steven Smith
125 not out vs Sydney Thunder
BBL, Sydney
Four days after scoring a match-winning hundred against Adelaide Strikers, Smith repeated the feat against Thunder, reaching the milestone off 56 balls again, but going on to hit another 25 runs off his final ten balls. He got off the mark with a four through point and kept the momentum going. In the tenth over, he pulled a six deep into the stands right after the ball was changed when the seam came undone. He got a life on 51 when Usman Qadir dropped a return catch, and later hurt the bowler some more by hitting him ten rows into the stands to get to his hundred. Smith's knock was his career best and the biggest individual T20 score made at the SCG.
125 not out vs Sydney Thunder
BBL, Sydney
Four days after scoring a match-winning hundred against Adelaide Strikers, Smith repeated the feat against Thunder, reaching the milestone off 56 balls again, but going on to hit another 25 runs off his final ten balls. He got off the mark with a four through point and kept the momentum going. In the tenth over, he pulled a six deep into the stands right after the ball was changed when the seam came undone. He got a life on 51 when Usman Qadir dropped a return catch, and later hurt the bowler some more by hitting him ten rows into the stands to get to his hundred. Smith's knock was his career best and the biggest individual T20 score made at the SCG.
Faf du Plessis
113 not out vs Durban's Super Giants
SA20, Johannesburg
In a battle between the two teams at the bottom of the table, du Plessis' sparkling century helped Joburg Super Kings claw their way upwards. The Super Giants bowlers kept things tight at the start of the 179-run chase, but once du Plessis had a built a platform, he let loose in the 12th over, smashing Jason Holder for two sixes and a four. He then went after his brother-in-law Hardus Viljoen, taking him for 21 runs in an over. The required rate went from 11.5 at the start of the 12th to under seven after the 16th. Du Plessis sealed the eight-wicket win with a six driven over extra cover to become the first centurion of the SA20 tournament.
113 not out vs Durban's Super Giants
SA20, Johannesburg
In a battle between the two teams at the bottom of the table, du Plessis' sparkling century helped Joburg Super Kings claw their way upwards. The Super Giants bowlers kept things tight at the start of the 179-run chase, but once du Plessis had a built a platform, he let loose in the 12th over, smashing Jason Holder for two sixes and a four. He then went after his brother-in-law Hardus Viljoen, taking him for 21 runs in an over. The required rate went from 11.5 at the start of the 12th to under seven after the 16th. Du Plessis sealed the eight-wicket win with a six driven over extra cover to become the first centurion of the SA20 tournament.
Martin Guptill
117 vs Karachi Kings
PSL, Karachi
Guptill helped Gladiators recover from 23 for 4 and put on a competitive total, which got them their first win of the season. In his 64-run stand with Mohammad Nawaz, Guptill's contribution with the bat was 59 off 20 balls while Nawaz's was three off six. Guptill was dropped at 61 off Andrew Tye and made the bowler pay for it by taking 30 runs off him (4-6-4-6-6-4) in the 19th over. Gladiators went on to win by six runs.
117 vs Karachi Kings
PSL, Karachi
Guptill helped Gladiators recover from 23 for 4 and put on a competitive total, which got them their first win of the season. In his 64-run stand with Mohammad Nawaz, Guptill's contribution with the bat was 59 off 20 balls while Nawaz's was three off six. Guptill was dropped at 61 off Andrew Tye and made the bowler pay for it by taking 30 runs off him (4-6-4-6-6-4) in the 19th over. Gladiators went on to win by six runs.
Jason Roy
145 not out vs Peshawar Zalmi
PSL, Rawalpindi
In a match where a PSL-record 483 runs were scored, Roy managed to stand out, outshining Babar Azam on the opposite side and making the highest score in PSL history. Set a target of 241, Gladiators were under pressure, having won only two of their previous eight games, but Roy started by driving the first ball of the innings through the covers for four. Zalmi deeply regretted dropping him on 25, because he went on to hit eight fours and a six off his next 13 balls. His 44-ball hundred was the second fastest in the PSL; in contrast, Babar's earlier in the game was the joint-slowest (60 balls). Roy wrapped up the tournament's highest successful chase with ten balls to spare, driving a six over mid-off.
145 not out vs Peshawar Zalmi
PSL, Rawalpindi
In a match where a PSL-record 483 runs were scored, Roy managed to stand out, outshining Babar Azam on the opposite side and making the highest score in PSL history. Set a target of 241, Gladiators were under pressure, having won only two of their previous eight games, but Roy started by driving the first ball of the innings through the covers for four. Zalmi deeply regretted dropping him on 25, because he went on to hit eight fours and a six off his next 13 balls. His 44-ball hundred was the second fastest in the PSL; in contrast, Babar's earlier in the game was the joint-slowest (60 balls). Roy wrapped up the tournament's highest successful chase with ten balls to spare, driving a six over mid-off.
Rilee Rossouw
121 vs Peshawar Zalmi
PSL, Rawalpindi
Two days after Roy's heroics, another South African-born batter tore up Zalmi's attack and turned a massive chase into a cakewalk in Rawalpindi while breaking his own record for the fastest PSL hundred. The longest Rossouw went between boundaries was six balls; his first five scoring shots were all fours or sixes. He got to his fifty off 17 balls, having run only two of those runs, and his hundred off 41 - breaking his 2020 record by two balls. Multan chased down the 243-run target with five balls to spare and clinched a place in the playoffs.
121 vs Peshawar Zalmi
PSL, Rawalpindi
Two days after Roy's heroics, another South African-born batter tore up Zalmi's attack and turned a massive chase into a cakewalk in Rawalpindi while breaking his own record for the fastest PSL hundred. The longest Rossouw went between boundaries was six balls; his first five scoring shots were all fours or sixes. He got to his fifty off 17 balls, having run only two of those runs, and his hundred off 41 - breaking his 2020 record by two balls. Multan chased down the 243-run target with five balls to spare and clinched a place in the playoffs.
Shubman Gill
129 vs Mumbai Indians
IPL Qualifier, Ahmedabad
In a prolific season in which he finished as the top run-getter, Gill took Gujarat Titans into the final with a majestic innings, his third hundred in four matches. He had some luck on the way, but after getting to his fifty (off 32 balls), he accelerated, taking only another 17 to get to his hundred. Immediately after, he carted Cameron Green for two sixes and a four. By the time he fell in the 17th over, Titans had 192 on the board.
129 vs Mumbai Indians
IPL Qualifier, Ahmedabad
In a prolific season in which he finished as the top run-getter, Gill took Gujarat Titans into the final with a majestic innings, his third hundred in four matches. He had some luck on the way, but after getting to his fifty (off 32 balls), he accelerated, taking only another 17 to get to his hundred. Immediately after, he carted Cameron Green for two sixes and a four. By the time he fell in the 17th over, Titans had 192 on the board.
Heinrich Klaasen
110 not out vs MI New York
MLC, Morrisville
Orcas were already in the playoffs, so Klaasen's explosive century in their final league game simply made sure they finished the league phase in top position. He had to wait 12 balls to get his first boundary, but let loose after that, scoring 34 off the next 11 deliveries he faced. He then made a mess of Rashid Khan's fine bowling figures of 2 for 15 off three overs, taking him for three sixes and a four in his final one so that Rashid finished with 2 for 41. Even when Trent Boult ripped three wickets out for three runs in the 18th over, Klaasen's presence at the other end ensured Orcas wrapped up the chase comfortably.
110 not out vs MI New York
MLC, Morrisville
Orcas were already in the playoffs, so Klaasen's explosive century in their final league game simply made sure they finished the league phase in top position. He had to wait 12 balls to get his first boundary, but let loose after that, scoring 34 off the next 11 deliveries he faced. He then made a mess of Rashid Khan's fine bowling figures of 2 for 15 off three overs, taking him for three sixes and a four in his final one so that Rashid finished with 2 for 41. Even when Trent Boult ripped three wickets out for three runs in the 18th over, Klaasen's presence at the other end ensured Orcas wrapped up the chase comfortably.
Nicholas Pooran
137 not out vs Seattle Orcas
MLC final, Dallas
Pooran was already the season's top run-getter and in the final he also claimed the records for the tournament's fastest fifty (16 balls), fastest hundred (46 balls) and the highest individual score. He imposed himself on the Orcas bowlers almost right away, smashing his second and third balls for sixes. By the end of the powerplay, New York were 80 for 2, with Pooran having contributed 69, with nine sixes and three fours. Such was his form that even when he was knocked off his feet by a yorker, he managed to hit it for a four to fine leg to finish the game off in style with four overs to spare.
137 not out vs Seattle Orcas
MLC final, Dallas
Pooran was already the season's top run-getter and in the final he also claimed the records for the tournament's fastest fifty (16 balls), fastest hundred (46 balls) and the highest individual score. He imposed himself on the Orcas bowlers almost right away, smashing his second and third balls for sixes. By the end of the powerplay, New York were 80 for 2, with Pooran having contributed 69, with nine sixes and three fours. Such was his form that even when he was knocked off his feet by a yorker, he managed to hit it for a four to fine leg to finish the game off in style with four overs to spare.
Tom Curran
67 not out vs Manchester Originals
The Hundred final, Lord's
Curran's knock from No. 7 was instrumental in Invincibles winning their first Hundred title, coming as it did after they had collapsed to 34 for 5. He hit four fours and five sixes, including a massive upper cut over point that got him to a 26-ball fifty. His unbeaten 127-run stand with Jimmy Neesham was a tournament record. The two of them took the team to 161, which proved too many for Originals to chase.
67 not out vs Manchester Originals
The Hundred final, Lord's
Curran's knock from No. 7 was instrumental in Invincibles winning their first Hundred title, coming as it did after they had collapsed to 34 for 5. He hit four fours and five sixes, including a massive upper cut over point that got him to a 26-ball fifty. His unbeaten 127-run stand with Jimmy Neesham was a tournament record. The two of them took the team to 161, which proved too many for Originals to chase.
Alex Hales
119 not out vs St Lucia Kings
CPL, Providence
Hales had a top score of 21 in the season when he came into Jamaica Tallawahs' final league game. Fortunately for them, he peaked at the right time, taking them into the playoffs with a 57-ball knock that included 12 fours and seven sixes. No bowler was spared, with Roston Chase going for three back-to-back sixes, Sikandar Raza sent crashing into an advertising hoarding, and Jeavor Royal clattered for four fours an over.
119 not out vs St Lucia Kings
CPL, Providence
Hales had a top score of 21 in the season when he came into Jamaica Tallawahs' final league game. Fortunately for them, he peaked at the right time, taking them into the playoffs with a 57-ball knock that included 12 fours and seven sixes. No bowler was spared, with Roston Chase going for three back-to-back sixes, Sikandar Raza sent crashing into an advertising hoarding, and Jeavor Royal clattered for four fours an over.