New Delhi, May 31: After nearly two months of exhilarating cricket action during the season, it is a wrap for IPL 2022. Despite what the experts predicted at the onset of this year's auctions, Gujarat Titans (GT) gloriously won this season's title, defeating Rajasthan Royals.
Apart from the big GT win that took everyone by surprise, the season had its share of unpredictable moments, making it a memorable one for the fans.
These moments caught the fans off guard, swept them off their feet and left them with a sense of surprise. Some of them are listed below:
1. Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians' Performances
This was one of the most unexpected turns of events. MI, five-time winners, shocked the cricket world after losing ten games and finished at the bottom of the table. They reached an all-time low when they dropped eight consecutive games. CSK, on the other hand, also lost ten games and finished second-to-last in the current season.
2. Captaincy Drama in CSK
Ravindra Jadeja was granted the leadership of CSK and subsequently removed from the role. It was a wise decision for Jadeja to take over as captain at the beginning of the IPL 2022. Things abruptly shifted after seven games, and MS Dhoni was reappointed as CSK captain.
3. Virat Kohli goes for three golden ducks
Former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli was dismissed for three golden ducks in the IPL 2022. In 14 years of IPL, he was only out for first-ball ducks three times. This time though, he was expelled three times in the same season, twice against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and once against Lucknow SuperGiants (LSG), which came as a massive surprise to the supporters.
4. Rashid Khan's enthralling performance against the CSK
Rashid Khan performed a key match against the four-time winners CSK, allowing his team to pursue the total comfortably. Gujarat Titans (GT) needed 48 runs off the final three overs. Rashid hammered Chris Jordan for 25 runs in the 18th over of the chase. David Miller was able to complete the match. In the 18th over, he hit three soaring sixes to secure the victory.
5. Ambati Rayudu declared his retirement from the IPL, deletes the tweet later
CSK batsman Ambati Rayudu declared his retirement from the IPL on Twitter before deleting the tweet. It astounded the cricket community. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan had to clarify that the seasoned batter tweeted it in fun and that he will not retire after the current IPL season.
This season, the ten-team event surprised everyone, with newbies Gujarat Titans and Lucknow SuperGiants qualifying for the playoffs and Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians finishing last in their group. Some stunning occurrences in this year's sport have raised the bar for rich cricketing action in India even higher.
Author: Mohak Arora, Sports Expert, Parimatch brand