So much of uncertainty as the first edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) grew closer way back in 2008. No one really knew whether we’d see big scores of bowling supremacy or whether the tournament would go off well or not. But suddenly questions started being answered within the first two games of IPL 2008 itself, with big scores being delivered in both those games.
Everyone was still getting used to the T20 format of the game when Brendon McCullum decided to go all ballistic and score 150+ in just the first game in IPL history. 200+ was achieved in just the opening fixture in IPL 2008 and just when you thought that would be a one-time thing, Match 2 of IPL 2008 also turned out to be a thriller with not one but both teams scaling the 200-run mark once again!
Mike Hussey century in IPL 2008 Match 2
Second game of the league’s history on 19th April 2008 and Chennai Super Kings decided to bat after their captain MS Dhoni won them the toss. They were up against Kings XI Punjab in a day/night game in Mohali and both teams were playing in their respective IPL debut games. You would think there would be nerves but we saw a lack of nerves in some of the players out on the field here.
One of them was Australian southpaw Michael Hussey who by then already had several years of international experience under his belt, but wasn’t the ‘hitter’ or ‘slogger’ kind of batsman, so you wouldn’t think T20 was his game at all. However, he decided to prove everyone wrong on IPL debut after coming out to bat at number #3 that evening.
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The CSK top order boasted of a number of left-handers in IPL 2008 and Parthiv Patel was the first to go. Out comes Hussey who joined his countryman and another left-handed batter in Matthew Hayden and they formed a small partnership before the latter also left the crease for 25(17). After that, Hussey played with a number of partners who didn’t add much to the score, but he kept going his merry way.
By the end of his innings and the end of the 20 overs allocated to Chennai that evening, Hussey had hit 8 fours and 9 sixes, the latter being something not many would’ve expected from this batsman. He played an innings that people never saw him play before, smashing 116(54)* and we don’t know how much longer he would’ve gone had CSK been allowed to bat longer than 20 overs.
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He scored at a strike rate of 200+ that evening and not a single bowler could stop him, with another countryman James Hopes being targetted the most; Hopes ended with 1/53 in his 4 overs that day. This spirited effort by the elder Hussey brother saw CSK putting up a mammoth 240/5 which even fifteen editions later (updated 13th June 2022) remains in the top 5 highest IPL scores of all-time.
Usually such brilliant innings are paid off with a victory and the same applied for Hussey and CSK too, but not before they were given a good scare. Kings XI Punjab decided to come out all guns blazing and managed to put up 207/4 eventually. On most days, this would’ve been a winning score but here, KXIP fell short by 33 runs which is a big margin in T20 cricket.
James Hopes and Kumar Sangakkara scored fifties in the chase while four CSK bowlers picked up a wicket each and the team in yellow cruised to victory! Of course, Mike Hussey was awarded the Man of the Match for this performance which will always remain a day to remember for him. For more updates from the world of sports and cricket, stay tuned to ReadScoops.com.
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