The Indian T20 League has been one of the most competitive franchise tournaments in the world. Best players from around the world compete in the league. The litmus test for a player is the knockout games in any tournament, let alone the Indian T20 League. The performances in these high-pressure games give an idea about the player his mental strength.
Teams such as Mumbai, Chennai, Rajasthan, Kolkata, and Hyderabad have won the prestigious title over the years. The fans have witnessed some match-winning knocks in different finals played from 2008 to 2021. In this listicle, we will discuss the five best knocks in the ITL finals.
Five Best Knocks
Yusuf Pathan vs Chennai (2008)
The former India cricketer played for Rajasthan in 2008. The right-hander played in the team winning their maiden title. In the summit clash, the MS Dhoni-led side had amassed 163/5, thanks to Parthiv Patel (38), Suresh Raina (43), and Dhoni (29*).
For Rajasthan, Pathan took three wickets while Shane Watson and Sohail Tanvir took one each. In reply, the Late Shane Warne-led side was tottering at 42/3 when Pathan came to the crease. The destructive batter scored 56 runs off 39 balls with three fours and four sixes to win his team an elite trophy.
Herschelle Gibbs vs Bangalore (2009)
The former South Africa player carried the bat with a half-century in a low scoring final for Hyderabad. Batting first, the Adam Gilchrist-led side mustered 143/6, with Gibbs scoring an unbeaten at 53 off 48. There were some contributions from Andrew Symonds (33) and Rohit Sharma (24) as well. For Bangalore, their skipper Anil Kumble took four wickets while Vinay Kumar took two. In reply, the Men in Red and Gold fell short by six runs.
