Sohail Tanvir vs Chennai Super Kings, 2008, 4-0-14-6
The Pakistan speedster burst onto the scene with this sensational spell, still the best figures in IPL history, and until Tuesday, the only six-for in the league. Swinging the ball and exploiting the bounce on offer at Jaipur’s SMS stadium, he gave Rajasthan Royals the perfect start, sending back both openers in the very first over. Brought back into the attack at the death, he took the last three wickets.
Dale Steyn vs Bangalore, 2012, 4-0-8-3
DC had made 132 on a slow pitch and when Steyn came in to bowl the third over, Gayle was in rampaging mood, having taken 24 in the previous one. But the South African dismissed Gayle with a superb bouncer before removing Dilshan to effectively end the chase.
Sunil Narine vs Mumbai, 2012, 3.1-0-15-4
KKR could manage just 140/7, and Mumbai were looking at an easy chase, before Narine turned on the heat. He bamboozled the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma, before dismissing MI’s skipper Harbhajan Singh. KKR won the game by 32 runs.
Mitchell Starc vs KXIP, 2015, 3.4-1-13-5
Gayle’s 117 had taken RCB to 226, but even that total appeared far from safe on a placid Bangalore track. Enter bowling talisman Mitchell Starc, who put up quite a display of fearsome fast bowling.
Lasith Malinga vs Delhi Daredevils, 2011, 3.4-1-13-5
Malinga is one of the few bowlers with the ability to win games single-handedly in the shortest format, and this spell on a belter of a wicket is still fresh in memory. Malinga struck in his very first over, taking two wickets in the space of three balls. It was followed by a maiden, the batsman being Sehwag.