Best playing XI from Week 5 of IPL 2024 ft. Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sandeep Sharma

IPL 2024 is five weeks old. Looking at the points table after week five, Rajasthan Royals have maintained their dominance at the top. They now have 16 points from nine games. Kolkata Knight Riders are second with 10 points from eight matches, while Sunrisers Hyderabad complete the top-three, also with 10 points from eight games.

Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals also feature in the top five of the points table, with 10 points each from nine and 10 matches respectively. While LSG have a net run rate of +0.059, DC's run rate is -0.276.

If we look at the second half of the 10-team points table, defending champions Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans have eight points each from eight and nine matches respectively.

Punjab Kings (6 points), Mumbai Indians (6 points) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (4 points) occupy the last three positions in the IPL 2024 points table after week five.

As we head into week six of IPL 2024, we pick the best playing XI from week five (April 20-27) of the competition.

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Openers: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Yashasvi Jaiswal

DC's Jake Fraser-McGurk and RR's Yashasvi Jaiswal would open the batting in the IPL 2024 playing XI for week five.

Fraser-McGurk has been sensational at the top of the order. He clobbered 65 off 18 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Delhi and 84 off 27 versus Mumbai Indians in another home clash. The 22-year-old has been sensational with his big-hitting to say the least.

Jaiswal has not had the best time in IPL 2024. He came into the tournament with a rich vein of form, but has lacked consistency. However, he scored a stunning 104* off 60 against Mumbai Indians in Jaipur, smacking nine fours and seven sixes in a rollicking innings.

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Middle order & all-rounders: Jonny Bairstow, Rajat Patidar, Marcus Stoinis, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Shahbaz Ahmed, Andre Russell

Jonny Bairstow scored a splendid hundred against KKR. (Pic: BCCI/ iplt20.com)

Punjab Kings' Jonny Bairstow made an exceptional return to the playing XI after being dropped due to poor form.

In his first match on his comeback against KKR, he clobbered 108* off 48, striking eight fours and nine sixes. Courtesy of the innings, PBKS pulled off a record T20 chase of 262.

Rajat Patidar was fantastic for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in week five of IPL 2024. The right-handed batter slammed 52 off 23 in the heartbreaking one-run loss to KKR at the Eden Gardens. He was then Player of the Match for his 20-ball 50 in the 35-run triumph over SRH in Hyderabad.

LSG's Marcus Stoinis scored an exceptional hundred against Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. In a big chase of 211, he single-handedly lifted Lucknow to victory, smacking 13 fours and six sixes in his 124*, which came off only 63 balls.

Rishabh Pant would be the captain and keeper-batter in the IPL 2024 team for week five. The maverick left-hander led from the front for DC with the willow. After scoring 44 of 35 against SRH, he clobbered 88* off 43 and took two catches in the four-run triumph over Gujarat Titans.

Apart from Stoinis, Shahbaz Ahmed and Andre Russell would be the all-rounders in the best IPL 2024 XI for week five. Shahbaz scored a brilliant 59* off only 29 for SRH against DC. He contributed 40* as Hyderabad went down to RCB. He was economical with the ball, registering figures of 0-14 from three overs.

KKR's Russell was Player of the Match for his 27* off 20 and 3-25 in the one-run win over RCB. He also contributed 24 off 12 in the match against Punjab Kings at the Eden Gardens.

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Bowlers: Sandeep Sharma, Rasikh Dar Salam, T Natarajan

T Natarajan has been in fine form with the ball for Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Pic: BCCI/ iplt20.com)

Rajasthan Royals' experienced seamer Sandeep Sharma made a sensational return to IPL 2024 from injury, registering figures of 5-18 against MI.

Sharma got the major scalps of Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Tim David. The medium pacer also picked up two big wickets against Lucknow, dismissing Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran.

Delhi Capitals' pacer Rasikh Dar Salam went for a few runs but also picked up crucial wickets in week five of IPL 2024. He claimed 3-44 against Gujarat Titans in Delhi and 3-34 versus Mumbai Indians in another home game.

Sunrisers Hyderabad left-arm pacer T Natarajan also finds a place in the combined XI for week five of IPL 2024. Natarajan starred with 4-19 against Delhi Capitals in Delhi and 2-39 versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Hyderabad.