In the fast-paced world of IPL cricket, where boundaries and sixes are common, sometimes the game requires patience and persistence. Centuries, the highest achievement for a batsman, are usually scored quickly. However, there are times when players need to carefully build their innings, going against the usual fast scoring.
Here, we look at the five slowest centuries in IPL history, including one by the legendary Virat Kohli during his IPL 2024 match against the Rajasthan Royals
5. David Warner (Delhi Capitals) – 66 balls vs KKR, IPL 2010
Back in 2010, David Warner, a famous cricket player in the IPL, played an amazing game against KKR. He batted with Virender Sehwag for Delhi Daredevils. Warner scored 107 runs without getting out, hitting the ball 69 times. Warner made his century by his 66th shot. He hit nine fours and five sixes in total. Warner scored the most runs for Daredevils in their total score of 177. His great batting helped his team win the game by 40 runs against KKR.
4. Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals) – 66 balls vs Mumbai Indians, IPL 2022
Rajasthan Royals player Jos Buttler hit four centuries in the IPL 2022 season. He won the ‘Orange Cap’ prize for being the top scorer. In one match against Mumbai Indians, he scored his first century slowly, taking 66 balls.
After two of his teammates were out, Buttler helped Rajasthan Royals recover by making big partnerships with Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer. It took him 32 balls to score his first 50 runs, and 34 balls for the next 50. Buttler hit 11 boundaries and five sixes to reach his century in 66 balls. He finished the match with a total of 68 balls, scoring a match-winning century.
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3. Sachin Tendulkar (Mumbai Indians) – 66 balls vs Kochi Tuskers Kerala, IPL 2011
Sachin Tendulkar, a famous cricket player, scored his only century in the Indian Premier League (IPL) while playing for Mumbai Indians. This happened shortly after he helped India win the 2011 World Cup. He made 100 runs without getting out while playing against Kochi Tuskers Kerala. He hit 12 fours and three sixes during his innings, which took him 66 balls. Even though Tendulkar’s team lost the match, his century was a big achievement. It was considered one of the slower centuries in IPL history until Jos Buttler also scored one in 2022.
2. Manish Pandey (RCB) – 67 balls vs Deccan Chargers, IPL 2009
Manish Pandey, who often struggled to perform well, achieved a major milestone in IPL 2009 by becoming the first Indian cricketer to score a century in the league. He did this at the age of 19. Batting alongside the legendary Jacques Kallis against the Deccan Chargers, Pandey hit 10 fours and four sixes, scoring an unbeaten 114 runs from 73 balls at Centurion, helping his team win the match.
However, this achievement also included an unwanted record. Pandey took 67 balls to reach his 100, making it one of the slowest centuries in IPL history.
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1. Virat Kohli (RCB) – 67 balls vs Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2024
Cricket star Virat Kohli scored his eighth IPL century in the 2024 tournament at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium. He reached 100 runs from 67 balls in the second-to-last over, matching the record for the slowest IPL century with former teammate Manish Pandey.
Kohli sped up in the final over, finishing with 113* runs from 72 balls. Despite his efforts, RCB’s middle-order collapsed towards the end, and Rajasthan Royals easily chased down their 184-run target, leading to a loss for Kohli’s team.
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