The Indian Premier League has always guaranteed action for its fans across the globe. Season after season, it has delivered some of the most memorable performances ever seen in the game of cricket. It will not be a wrong statement to say that the IPL has changed the dynamics of the shortest format of the game. Because it gives free license to the batters to go and hit the bowl from the moment they go.
The IPL gives the opportunity to the best batters across the world to come and participate and showcase their real talent. Some of the best and most explosive batsmen in the world have played in this tournament. And when such batsmen play, the chances for the bowler to make an error are very small.
So, in this article, we will look at the top five most expensive over in IPL history.
Most Expensive over in IPL History
6. Rahul Sharma (31 runs)
Chris Gayle is a world-renowned brand in the game of cricket. He can demolish any bowling line-up single-handedly. His records in the IPL is unbelievable. And as a spinner, when you are bowling to Gayle, you always pray that he takes a single and goes to the non-striker end. In the 2012 season, during a match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Pune Warriors, he hit the leg-spinner, Rahul Sharma, for 30 runs in an over. On the first ball, Saurabh Tiwary took a single and gave a strike to Gayle, and the next five balls were deposited in the stands. He hit five consecutive sixes in that over.
5. Ravi Bopara (33 runs)
Ravi Bopara, himself, is a very hard-hitter of the ball in T20 cricket. But this time, he became another victim of Gayle’s brutality. This happened in the 2010 season, when Kolkata Knight Riders took on Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). Although, Bopara is really handy with the ball as well. But it was his bad luck that Gayle was in another mood. On the first ball of the over, the striker took a single and brought the left-hander in on the strike. Then the 42-year-old hit four consecutive sixes and one boundary in the next five balls. However, Bopara also bowled a couple of wides to make it a 33-run over in the end.’
4. Parwinder Awana (33 runs)
There are many reasons why the veteran Indian batter, Suresh Raina, was called “Mr. IPL.” One of the reasons was the 2014 season. It was the match between Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). Parwinder Awana came on to bowl the final over of the power-play and Raina was taking at the striker’s end. The left-hander welcomed him with two back-to-back sixes to start the over. However, he didn’t hit any sixes after that but smashed five boundaries in the next five balls. Awana bowled a no-ball on the fifth delivery, which cost him another boundary and resulted in a 33-run over.
3. Daniel Sams (35 runs)
The latest inductee into the list is MI all-rounder Daniel Sams. It happened in the 14th match of the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League 2022. Kolkata Knight Riders took on Mumbai Indians. Chasing the target of 162, KKR lost five wickets for 101 runs. But then came the cameo from Pat Cummins. He smashed a 14-ball fifty (joint-fastest in the IPL) to win KKR the match. His innings included an assault on Daniel Sams. He came to bowl the 16th over and Cummins took him apart. He hit four sixes and two fours and a double on the no-ball on the fifth ball of that over.
2. Prasant Parameswaran (37 runs)
No one can stop Chris Gayle when he’s in the mood to bash the bowler. Here he is again on the list. The “Universe Boss” holds the record for scoring the joint-highest runs in an over. In the 2011 season, during a match between Kochi Tuskers and RCB, the 42-year-old smashed a world record of 37 runs in an over bowled by Prashanth Parameswaran. However, Prashanth is a decent bowler when it comes to domestic level, but that was the worst day of his life. Gayle scored 36 runs off his bat and one run was from a no-ball. The left-hander hit four maximums and three boundaries in that seven-ball over to make it a 37-run over. That is still a record in the IPL.
1. Harshal Patel (37 runs)
Well, everyone knows how good Harshal Patel performed in the 2021 season. In fact, he was the highest wicket-taker in the season and won the “Purple Cap.” He took 32 wickets (joint-highest in the IPL) in just 15 matches. But there was a match when he went for plenty in one over. That was the match against Chennai Super Kings. He was superb in his first three overs as he gave away just 14 runs and took three wickets. But then he came to bowl the final over of the match, and it was current CSK skipper Ravindra Jadeja who was at the crease. He bowled seven balls in that over, including a no-ball, and gave away 37 runs. Jadeja hit five sixes, one boundary and a double on a no-ball. That ended the over as the joint-costliest over in the history of the IPL. This is an unwanted record that Harshal will want to forget.