Russellmania to Rabada's super over: Top individual performances that stood out IPL 2019

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The T20 cricket carnival is about to get conclude with Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians to fight for the coveted IPL trophy on May 12 in Hyderabad. Like every other year, this tournament was an absolute thriller with lots of nail-biting finish and two super over games.

In the last few years, IPL gave many young players to the Indian team and the momentum continued this year too as young talents like Shubman Gill, Riyan Parag and Rahul Chahar make name for themselves in the tournament.

This year hard-hitting gets its new definition in Andre Russell and Hardik Pandya. Both of the players are famous for their menacing innings but this season they jumped a level up for their franchises. 

In the bowling department, the South African's had the last smile with the top two spots in Purple Cap list held by Kagiso Rabada (25) and Imran Tahir (24). 

Here is the list of top 5 individual performance in this year's IPL:

1. Jonny Bairstow 114 vs RCB

It's not every day that you will see some batsman outshines David Warner century with his own but Jonny Bairstow had some plans in his debut season of IPL and he executed them well. In the group stage match against Royal Challengers Bangalore Bairstow smashed his maiden IPL ton in just 53 balls and became the 3rd England cricketer to score a century in the tournament. In the same match Aussie opener Warner also scored an unbeaten century played second fiddle to Bairstow. The openers stitched a massive 185-run partnership in the match to sideline RCB bowling line-up. Bairstow departed on 114 at Yuzvendra Chahal delivery. SRH eventually won the match by 118 runs. 

2. Kagiso Rabada Super Over vs KKR

In the high voltage clash against Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders, Kagiso Rabada turned out to be the real gold for the hosts. The match ended to a tie after Kolkata stopped Delhi innings at 185/6 despite Prithvi Shaw's 99 but Rabada heroics provided them two crucial points in super over. In the gruelling contest, we witnessed Andre Russell power-hitting and vulnerability in the same game. Delhi batted first in super over and managed to score just 10 runs and the responsibility then shifted to Rabada's shoulder. The Proteas pacer gifted the win to his team by removing KKR's powerhouse Andre Russell on the third ball of the super over and ended the over by giving just 7 runs.

3. Andre Russell 80* vs MI

After losing six consecutive matches, KKR locked horn with MI in the do or die clash at Eden Gardens and we witnessed the Russellmania at it's very best. The Caribbean didn't spare anyone in Mumbai's lineup and smashed 80 runs off just 40 balls which included six fours and eight massive sixes. KKR post 232/3 on the scoreboard courtesy Russell's carnage. Dre Russ proved to be the biggest MVP of IPL 2019, but it was the best onslaught of the big man from West Indies.

4. Hardik Pandya 91 vs KKR

In the same match where Russell scored 80, Eden witnessed Pandya's carnage which silenced the electrifying crowd for a while. Pandya who has reinvented himself this season has added more shots in his armoury. KKR bowlers had no answer when Hardik started clearing the ropes, there was a time when the match went out of KKR hands. The batting display from Hardik was one of a kind as he registered the fastest half-century of the season in just 17 balls. Mumbai lost the match by 34 runs but Hardik surely won many hearts.

5. Alzarri Joseph (6/12) vs SRH

Alzarti Joseph (6/12) claimed the best bowling figures in IPL's history on his debut game, bettering Sohail Tanvir's 6/14 registered in the inaugural edition in 2008. Defending a modest 136 for seven, Joseph wreaked havoc with the ball to bundle out Sunrisers for 96. Joseph claimed the wickets of danger man David Warner, Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Siddharth Kaul to hand Mumbai Indians their third win from five games. The previous best figures on IPL debut was Andrew Tye's 5/17, in 2017.