Thursday’s clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Thursday witnessed a first in the Indian Premier League (IPL) — that of two batters from opposing teams scoring a century in the same match.
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The in-form Heinrich Klaasen brought up what was his maiden IPL ton and only his second in T20s in blistering fashion, bringing up the milestone in just 49 deliveries and helping the Sunrisers recover from a slow start to post a competitive 186/5 on the board.
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Klaasen’s memorable knock however, was later overshadowed by Virat Kohli’s 63-ball 100, his first century in the IPL in four years. Kohli took the attack to the Sunrisers attack from the word go and never let them off the hook, and sealed the game in his team’s favour with a 172-run opening stand with RCB skipper Faf du Plessis.
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Though Kohli’s knock proved to be the match-winning one which later bagged him the Player of the Match award, cricketer-turned-commentator Kevin Pietersen rated Klaasen’s knock more highly, citing it as an “unpopular thought”.
“Let me say an unpopular thought. Heinrich’s was the better ton of the two. Klaasen’s innings was the better one. Imagine being part of a team that is already out, with little support. Playing for a team which is so dysfunctional…it’s brilliant,” Pietersen said during the post-match analysis on Star Sports.
“The way that Klaasen played today was phenomenal,” added the English batting legend.
Kohli was dismissed right after bringing up the three-figure mark, which helped him go level with former RCB teammate Chris Gayle for most tons in the IPL (6), with du Plessis following him to the dugout the very next over.
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The groundwork laid by the mammoth opening stand however, ensured Glenn Maxwell and Michael Bracewell saw RCB home with eight wickets and four deliveries to spare, boosting their hopes of finishing in the top four at the end of the group stage.
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