Best Innings of Steve Smith in IPL
Making his debut as a 20-year old led spinner in the Australian side, who would have thought that Steve Smith would go on to become one of the greatest batsmen to have played in Test cricket.
Steve Smith is currently the number one batsman in Test cricket in the world. However, this doesn’t take away the fact the Australian cricketer is a vital cog in Australia’s white-ball cricket as well.
Smith boasts of outstanding numbers across formats. Furthermore, the batting juggernaut has outstanding numbers in the Indian Premier League. He made his first steps in the cash-rich league in 2012 and has played for three franchises Rajasthan Royals, Rising Pune Supergiants and Pune Warriors in his IPL career so far.
In 81 matches Steve Smith has played in his IPL career, he has amassed 2022 runs at an average of 37.44.
Best Innings of Steve Smith in IPL
In this article, we look at Best Batting Performance of Steve Smith in IPL:
#5. 50 off 32 balls against Delhi Capitals in 2019
Best Innings of Steve Smith in IPL: The 40th match of 2019 IPL is known for Ajinkya Rahane‘s scintillating hundred. However, Steve Smith too played a valuable knock of 50 runs off just 32 balls. Batting first, opener Sanju Samson got run out without facing a delivery in the second over of the innings. However, what followed thereafter was mayhem. Ajinkya Rahane and Steve Smith put together a brilliant record-breaking 130-run partnership for the second wicket. Rahane scored 105 runs off 63 balls.
Steve Smith, on the other hand, hit 8 sumptuous fours to brought up his fifty of his 32 balls. The duo powered their side to 191-run total in the first innings. However, even 191 proved less against a formidable Delhi’s batting line up as they chased down the total 19.2 overs. Rishabh Pant starred with the bat, scoring 78 runs off 36 balls, while Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan made 42 and 54 respectively.
Steve Smith’s knock in the match sits at the fifth position in our list of top 5 knocks of Steve Smith in IPL.
Also Read: Top 5 Innings of Ben Stokes
#4. 79 off 53 balls against Mumbai Indians in 2015
Best Batting Performance of Steve Smith in IPL: Steve Smith endured a lean run in 2015, however, he did play a couple of impressive innings. One of them came against Mumbai in what was Rajasthan’s third game in that edition.
Batting first, Mumbai Indians had posted 164 runs in their 20 overs, thanks to a stupendous 34-ball 70 run knock by Kieron Pollard.
In pursuit of the total, Rajasthan Royals didn’t make the best of the starts with Samson going back to the pavilion in the fifth over of the innings. However, Steve Smith and Ajinkya Rahane then steadied the ship and took the innings forward.
He added 54 runs for the second wicket before Rahane fell in the fourteenth over off Shreyas Gopal. Steve Smith, however, made sure he played till the end and guide his team home.
Mixing caution with aggression, Smith scored boundaries when needed and kept the required run-rate in check. He hit 8 fours and 1 six en route to his 79 in 53 balls.
Also Read: Top 5 Innings of Sanju Samson
#3. 73 off 59 balls against KKR in 2019
Best Innings of Steve Smith in IPL: Having missed out the 2018 IPL, Steve Smith made a strong comeback in the following edition, scoring 319 runs at an average of 39.87. His best knock came against Kolkata Knight Riders in Rajasthan’s fifth match of 2019 edition. He scored his first half-century of that season and went onto to score two more in the following matches.
Coming in at number three, Steve Smith started slowly before going all guns blazing in the second half of the innings. He stitched a 72-run partnership with Jos Buttler for the second wicket and guided the team 139 for 3 in 20 overs. The score, however, was never enough to defend against a formidable batting unit of Kolkata Knight Riders.
It took only 13.2 overs for KKR to chase the total and win that game by 8 wickets. Chris Lynn scored 50 runs off 32 balls, while Sunil Narine scored 47 off just 25 balls.
Also Read: Top 5 Innings of Virat Kohli
#2. 84 off 54 balls against Mumbai Indians in 2017
Best Batting Performance of Steve Smith in IPL: A thriller you don’t want to forget. Steve Smith lit the stadium with a flurry of boundaries against a well equipped Mumbai Indians’ line up in what was the second match of the 2017 IPL.
Batting first, Jos Buttler and Parthiv Patel gave a rollicking start, having amassed 45 runs in just 4 overs before Parthiv went back to the pavilion after making 14-ball 19 run cameo. Nitish Rana scored 38 runs, while Hardik Pandya gave the side a late flourish with a 35-run knock off just 15 balls as Mumbai Indians compiled 184 runs in their twenty overs.
RPS, in reply, lost their first wicket for just 6, however, Smith and Ajinkya Rahane then resurrected the innings and took the ship forward. The duo forged a handy 58-run partnership for the second wicket as RPS raced to 90-run mark inside 10 overs. Though Rahane fell in the 10th over, there was no stopping Steve Smith, who put out an exhibition of runs.
Taking calculated risks, Smith paced his innings perfectly and guided his team with one ball remaining in the end. He played an unbeaten match-winning knock of 84 runs off 54 balls. Striking at over 150, Smith smacked seven fours and three sixes during his knock. His 84-run knock ranks second in our list of top 5 innings of Steve Smith in IPL.
Also Read: Top 5 Innings of Jos Buttler
#1. 101 off 54 balls against Gujarat Lions in 2016
Best Innings of Steve Smith in IPL: The 25th match of the 2016 edition of the Indian Premier League saw Steve Smith notching his maiden century against Gujarat Lions. An exhibition of class and destruction. Battin first, Smith along with Ajinkya Rahane set the foundation for a big score in Pune. Striking at 187, Smith ripped apart GJ’s attack with eight fours and five sixes.
Riding on Smith century, RPS compiled a huge 195-run total in the first innings. Unfortunately, his century came in a losing cause as Gujarat Lions won that game, finishing the match on the last ball of the innings.
Dwayne Smith was the architect of the chase, having made 63 runs off 37 balls, while Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina and Dinesh Karthik too made significant contributions with 43, 34 and 33 respectively.
Also Read: Top 5 Innings of Rohit Sharma
