David Warner may have emerged as the individual top run-getter in the league stage of the Indian Premier League, but such is the unpredictability of the tournament that he and his team Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) don’t figure in the play-offs1
The topsy-turvy nature of the contests was amply evident during a sensational last week when defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) — once sitting pretty at the second spot — saw its hopes for a play-off slot go for a toss. Again, Mumbai Indians (MI) at one point of time looked like finishing nowhere near the top four, but in the end made the cut.
The Warner-led Sunrisers seemed on course to entering the play-offs before stumbling in its penultimate group phase game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Warner — who leads the batting chart with 562 runs — stupendously caught a Virat Kohli skier against RCB but failed to remain within the playing field to plunge his side into a nerve-shattering loss that paved the way for RCB’s play-off qualification.
Kohli is third in the run-getters table with 481 runs from 14 matches at an average of 53.44, preceded by Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) Ajinkya Rahane who has notched 498 from 13 matches, averaging 49.80.
Contrary to the confusion in the middle of the table, two-time champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) remained steady in the forefront, courtesy of its formidable team composition which includes West Indian Darren Bravo.
Bravo heads the list of wicket-takers with 20 victims from 14 matches with an average of 16.45. He is followed by RCB’s leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and Mumbai Indians pacer Lasith Malinga, who have claimed 19 scalps each.
Gayle means sixers Besides Chahal and Kohli, big Jamaican batsman Chris Gayle has also contributed to RCB’s rise, hitting as many as 34 sixes in 12 innings. He is followed by CSK’s swashbuckling opener Brendon McCullum who clubbed 23 in 14 matches.
But it is Gayle’s RCB teammate A.B. de Villiers who has recorded the highest individual score in a match, plundering a 59-ball 133 not out against the Mumbai Indians. Gayle has also clobbered his way to a punitive knock of 117 runs against Kings XI Punjab.
His West Indies teammate Andre Russell was defending champion KKR’s go-to man, as he managed a strike rate of 192.89 — the highest in the tournament. While RCB would fall upon its most trusted seamer in its hour of need, Australian Mitchell Starc, who has 18 wickets to his credit, alongside the best bowling average of 13.44.
The tournament’s journey has been filled with its share of ups and downs. Now with four qualifying teams — CSK, MI, RCB and RR — and four games remaining, the stage is set for more fireworks and excitement.
