Kamal Ghorui
Urvil Patel produced one of the most outrageous starts ever seen in the IPL during Chennai Super Kings’s clash against Lucknow Super Giants, smashing records at a pace rarely witnessed in T20 cricket.The CSK batter became the first player in IPL history to hit six sixes within the first eight balls of an innings. By the time he had faced just eight deliveries, Urvil had already stormed to 41 not out, comfortably surpassing the previous best score after eight balls in IPL history, which stood at 33.What made the feat even more astonishing was the sheer control and confidence with which he dismantled the LSG bowling attack. Every loose delivery disappeared into the stands as Urvil unleashed a fearless display of power-hitting that instantly shifted momentum in Chennai’s favour.His explosive beginning quickly translated into another historic landmark. Urvil raced to a half-century in just 13 balls, equalling the fastest fifty ever recorded in IPL history alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal’s iconic knock against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2023.Urvil’s assault did not stop there. He also registered the highest score ever recorded after the first 10 balls of an IPL innings, reaching 42 not out and overtaking some of the biggest power-hitters in league history.Long before his IPL heroics, Urvil had already built a reputation as one of India’s most destructive domestic batters. During the 2024/25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he smashed a century off just 28 balls for Gujarat against Tripura, a knock that remains the joint second-fastest hundred in men’s T20 cricket.His stunning 65 off 23 balls against LSG also placed him among the most destructive CSK batters ever in terms of strike rate.Highest strike rates in an innings for CSK (minimum 20 balls faced)348 – 87(25) – Suresh Raina vs PBKS, Mumbai WS, 2014 Qualifier 2282.6 – 65(23) – Urvil Patel vs LSG, Chennai, 2026266.66 – 72*(27) – Ambati Rayudu vs MI, Delhi, 2021255 – 51*(20) – MS Dhoni vs MI, Bengaluru, 2012 Eliminator247.82 – 57(23) – Dewald Brevis vs GT, Ahmedabad, 2025From domestic cricket to the IPL stage, Urvil Patel’s rise is now being driven by an extraordinary ability to change games within a handful of deliveries.
