Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) middle-order batter Rajat Patidar has been a six-hitting machine in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Patidar’s form has been one of the big reasons behind RCB’s six consecutive wins to reach the IPL 2024 playoffs. In the eliminator clash against Rajasthan Royals (RR), he smashed a couple of sixes and equalled the record for most sixes in middle overs (seven to 15 overs) of an IPL season.
Self-proclaimed 'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle in IPL 2012 hit 30 sixes for RCB in middle overs. Patidar almost surpassed his RCB teammate Glenn Maxwell who hit 28 sixes for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in IPL 2014.
Overall, Patidar has hit 33 sixes in the season. In the eliminator at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, he walked out to bat at no.4 in the eighth over after Virat Kohli returned to the dressing room. He got off to a slow start against the spinners. In Yuzvendra Chahal's third over, Patidar hit a six over midwicket on the first ball. Sanju Samson brought back Avesh Khan into the attack. Patidar pulled the slower short ball over fine leg boundary for a maximum.
On the next ball he faced in the 15th over, he handed an easy catch to Riyan Parag. He scored 34 runs from 22 balls. After his wicket, Mahipal Lomror's 17-ball 32 and late contributions from Swapnil Sharma, Karn Sharma helped RCB post 172/8.
Patidar’s IPL numbers
In IPL 2024, Patidar has scored 395 runs from 13 innings at an average of 30.38 including five half-centuries. His strike rate of 177.13 has been impressive. This is his best tally of runs in IPL.
In the last season, he was ruled out due to an injury. In IPL 2022, he played just eight games and scored 333 runs at an average of 55.50 including one century and two half-centuries. The century came against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the playoffs clash.
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