(1)Corey Anderson 95(44) against RR, 2014
MI and RR were fighting for the 4th spot to qualify for the playoffs of IPL 2014. So it was a virtual qualifier for both the teams. RR batted first and posted a target of 190 for MI to get ahead of the NRR of Rajasthan, MI had to reach he target in 14.4 overs. But MI could only manage to tie the target at 14.4. MI still had a chance if they could score a boundary in the next ball.
Youngster Aditya Tare was in the strike facing James Faulkner. Faulkner bowled a juicy full toss on the pads which is the easiest ball to hit for a boundary. Tare made no mistake hits a huge six and MI quailified for the playoffs that year. But Before Aditya Tare, there is one man who played a long innings with destructive strike rate which is required by the team at that time.
Corey Anderson who is the talk of the town during that time for his then fastest ODI century of 36 balls against West Indies which came in January 2014 few months before the IPL. He played a destructive knock of 95 from just 44 balls which kept the playoff chances of Mi alive and it is supported by the cameos of other players. This knock which came in the most memorable match for Mumbai Indians will always remain as one of the top knocks in the franchise history.
(2)Hardik Pandya 21* off 8 balls vs CSK, 2015
This might look like a small cameo but the impact it had was huge. India finally found a hard hitting fast bowling all-rounder. It was a league match between CSK and MI at chepauk. CSK batted first and posted 158 runs on the board. Batting second MI struggled a bit in the chase.
They were useful contributions from the top order but it didn’t come with a good strike rate. After 18 overs Mi were 129/4 with Rayudu and youngster Hardik Pandya in the crease. Pandya was at the striker’s end and Dhoni gave the ball to Pawan Negi because the fast bowlers didn’t do well. Negi was in his peak in that season by contributing well on both batting and bowling. In that match he gave just 9 runs in his third over.
Most of the MI fans lost hope at that time. First ball is a good length delivery and Pandya smashed it into the stands using his long lever. Second ball was well outside the off stump and pandya tries a paddle sweep, but missed it completely. The third ball was a quicker one outside the off stump and again it was smashed in the long off. The next ball was a fuller one, Smashed to the stands again. 3 sixes from Pandya and the game have completely turned towards MI now.
Rayudu hits one six in the last ball as well and Mi scored 25 runs in the19th over. Rayudu finished the match with a boundary in the last over of Bravo. This might be a normal win but both Mi and India had found a finisher and fast bowling All-rounder on that day.
10 years down the line, now Hardik Pandya is leading the franchise in IPL 2025.
(3)Kieron Pollard 87* (34) vs CSK 2021
Kieron Pollard is a MI legend and is a great nightmare for the arch rivals CSK. In many close encounters he has been the difference between both the sides. This knock definitely tops all of them and it will go on as one of the great knocks in the IPL History itself.
CSK batted first and posted a huge total of 218 in 20 overs. Rayudu smashed Mi bowlers all over the park and scored 72 off 27 balls. Mi before that match have never chased 200 + scores in IPL and they were struggling at 84 for 3 after 11 overs with the required run rate already over 15. Everyone thought it’s over for Mi but then the giant entered the field.
He was effortlessly smashing sixes of CSK bowlers and kept scoring 15 runs easily in every over. In the last two balls, Mi needed 8 runs. He smashed a six and in the last ball, he ran for a double. Mi won the thriller in the last ball marking their highest chase in IPL.
CSK fans could never forget that match for losing after scoring a huge total and that too from a commanding position after 10 overs and again to their same nightmare.
Also Read: IPL 2025: 3 Potential Players Who Can Replace Harry Brook In Delhi Capitals’ (DC)