We rank the top five performances by South Africans in last year’s IPL campaign.
1. AB de Villiers smacks the highest score of the campaign
AB de Villiers’ 129 not out off 52 balls helped the Royal Challengers Bangalore set 248-3 against the Gujarat Lions, to keep their playoff contention alive. Their 144-run margin win was the largest victory in the competition, and De Villiers was vital in their demolition job. He reached his ton in 43 balls, setting the fifth-highest score in the tournament’s history. His partnership with Virat Kohli (109 off 54 balls) was their fourth century partnership as a pair, the most by any duo in the IPL. This was also De Villiers’ fifth 50-plus total in the campaign, the most he has ever scored in an IPL season.
2. Quinton de Kock leads Delhi Daredevils to victory over RCB
This was the Daredevils’ first victory against their opponents since 2010, and De Kock blasted a 48-ball century to help them claim a seven-wicket win. The task was to chase down 191, and De Kock’s 108 off 51 balls was the seventh-highest total in a run chase in the competition’s history. This was also the highest score by a batsman in a chase since 2013. The then 23-year-old hit a 22-ball fifty which was the second fastest of the season, only eclipsed by a 21-ball fifty from David Warner against RCB.
3. Chris Morris hits 82 against Gujarat Lions
Despite losing this match, Morris put in a stellar performance with bat and ball. He took 2-35 to help reduce the Gujarat Lions to 172-6 and hit 82 off 32 balls (eight sixes and four fours) to see his side fall one run shy of the target. This was the sixth time that a one-run result was recorded in the IPL, with the Delhi Daredevils involved in three of those matches. Morris’ 17-ball fifty was the joint-third fastest in IPL history, and the fastest ever for the Daredevils. His performance won him the Man of the Match award.
4. Imran Tahir takes 3-24, his second best figures in the IPL
The Delhi Daredevils’ South African bowlers took all six wickets in their one-run loss to the Gujarat Lions. Tahir starred with 3-24, with JP Duminy (1-4) and Chris Morris (2-35) chipping in to help the Daredevils restrict the Gujarat Lions to 172-6. Tahir’s three-for was the best figures by any South African bowler in the 2016 IPL season.
5. Hashim Amla’s maiden IPL fifty
Amla’s 96 off 56 balls (14 fours and two sixes) helped the Kings XI Punjab set a total of 179. This was Amla’s last chance to prove himself as an IPL player after he was called up to replace the injured Shaun Marsh. He proved his worth by smashing a 30-ball fifty in his sixth game for Kings XI, as his side crashed out of the tournament, losing by seven wickets to eventual champions the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Photo: Prashant Bhoot / IPL/ SPORTZPICS
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