IPL 2022: Top 3 batting performances from Week 6 

After more than 50 games, the ongoing IPL 2022 is now at the business end of the season. Teams are looking to string together victories in order to increase their chances of entering the playoffs.

The sixth week of the competition started with a clash between the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT), where the latter team prevailed. The week came to its end with a nail-biting encounter between the Mumbai Indians (MI) and GT.

After none of the teams breached the 200+ mark in Week 5, fans saw multiple high-scoring games in the following seven-day period. Delhi Capitals (DC) posted the highest score of the week when they scored a massive 207 against a decent SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) bowling lineup.

Together, in a total of nine fixtures in Week 6, as many as 3,111 runs (769 runs more than in Week 5) have been scored by the 10 IPL franchises.

With that being said, let's take a look at the three best batting performances from Week 6 of IPL 2022.

Note: Only games from Match 43 (RCB vs GT) to Match 51 (MI vs GT) in IPL 2022 have been taken into consideration.

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#3. KL Rahul's 77 of 51 vs DC

After a relatively middling start to his IPL 2022 campaign, KL Rahul has put up a string of consistent performances with his new franchise Lucknow. His routine habit of leading from the front has aided the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in being one of the most promising teams of the season.

LSG's last win against the Delhi Capitals was on Sunday when skipper Rahul led from the front with another fabulous knock.

After opting to bat first for the first time in the tournament, the LSG openers gave their side a quick start. Shardul Thakur broke the deadlock for DC, dismissing Quinton De Kock (23 off 13) in the fifth over.

Rahul then stitched together a match-winning partnership with Deepak Hooda, and the duo put up 95 runs for the second wicket. While Hooda played a handy knock of 52, Rahul continued his excellent form and reached his 29th IPL fifty in 37 balls.

The Karnataka-born batter was high on confidence and creamed the ball at will. He smashed four boundaries and five sixes in his knock of 77 off 51. His strike rate of 151 was pivotal to Lucknow reaching a score of 195-3 in the first innings.

An inspired bowling performance from youngster Mohsin Khan (4-0-16-4) made sure LSG defended their total on a good batting surface. Rishabh Pant (44) and Axar Patel (42) did allow DC to come close. However, they fell six runs short and handed LSG their seventh win of the season.

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#2. David Warner's 92 off 58 vs SRH

David Warner missed a few initial matches for his new franchise DC this season. However, since his comeback, the southpaw has been in red-hot form.

After failing to score a single half-century in his last three games, Warner seemed extra motivated when he faced his former team SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). Warner played a destructive knock against the Orange Army, who sacked him midway through the last season over his poor form.

After being put in to bat first on a belter of a pitch, Warner lost his opening partner Mandeep Singh in the very first over. However, it didn't bother the Australian at the other end as he made full use of the powerplay.

With his exquisite and commanding strokes, Warner smoked speedster Umran Malik for 21 runs in one of his overs. Delhi posted 50 runs in their first six overs.

The left-hander took the Hyderabad bowlers to the cleaners and clobbered as many as 12 fours and three maximums during his stay at the crease. The IPL veteran brought up his fourth IPL 2022 fifty in 34 balls and remained unbeaten at the end with 92.

Warner's 58-ball stay at the crease also included an unbeaten 122-run stand with Rovman Powell (67 not out). Courtesy of the duo's breathtaking innings, Delhi propelled themselves to an impressive 207-3.

In reply, DC bowlers put up a collective display to contain the Hyderabad batters and restrict them to 186.

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#1. Ruturaj Gaikwad's 99 off 57 balls vs SRH

SRH were at the receiving end of another masterclass innings the previous week when Ruturaj Gaikwad played his best knock this season on a Sunday night.

Though he hasn't been amongst the runs in IPL 2022, Gaikwad raised his game and showed why he is one of the most classy young batters in the Indian circuit currently.

SRH skipper Kane Williamson won the toss and invited Chennai to bat first. Gaikwad had a new opening partner in Devon Conway, who was playing only his second IPL game.

The two CSK openers were in outstanding touch and gave a steady start to the defending champions in the powerplay. Soon after Conway began milking singles and doubles, Gaikwad changed his gear.

The right-hander played some elegant lofted shots, including a beautiful one over mid-off, hitting six fours and as many maximums in the process.

The highlight of Gaikwad's innings was how well he tackled Umran Malik. The 25-year-old used Malik's extra pace to his advantage and smashed him for four boundaries and a couple of sixes in three overs.

Gaikwad and Conway stitched a 182-run opening stand, which is also the highest partnership for CSK in the history of the cash-rich league. Gaikwad was unlucky not to register his second century in the IPL, as he was dismissed for 99 (off 57 balls) by Bhuvneshwar Kumar on the second last delivery of the 18th over.

Conway, on the other hand, remained unbeaten at 85 from 55 balls and aided his side to breach the 200+ mark.

A late blitz by Nicholas Pooran (64 off 33) wasn't able to take the Sunrisers home in the second innings. Chennai won their third game of the tournament by 13 runs, and Gaikwad was adjudged the Player of Match.