15 Best Images from IPL 9 - Morris takes a tumble, ABD under attack, Dhoni's scream

We have a winner at the end of the two-month glitz of the IPL 9, and it is David Warner’s Sunrisers Hyderabad. While the IPL departs from its earliest cousins of the game in many aspects, it is similar to all forms of cricket in the way that it is never only about who the champions are.

The things that are as significant when it comes to such high-pressure tournaments are, among other things, the human emotions that are revealed like deer in headlight and displays of mental and physical resilience overreaching normally ordained bounds.

Here are some of the best frames to have been captured in the course of this season.

#1 – Morris takes a tumble

Chris Morris was one of the biggest explosions in the IPL 9. He was Delhi Daredevils’ driving force, both with the bat and the ball. The 29-year-old South African has done his reputation a world of good with his performance and his spirit in the concluded season.

He took a fall in the follow-through of his bowling stride during the second leg against Kolkata Knight Riders, and sat on the pitch wincing and clutching his ankle for a while. As Robin Uthappa came up to check on him, he gave a smiling assurance and jumped back on his feet, to start walking back as if the tumble had never happened.

#2 – Gambhir checkmates Dhoni

Captain Gambhir got captain Dhoni completely bamboozled during their KKR vs RPS encounter, forcing the India captain to leave the field with 8 runs from 22 balls to his name that day.

Currently on a pursuit of making an India comeback, the 34-year-old Gambhir placed himself at silly point, staring at the ODI captain, and brought his men all very close to Dhoni’s bat. All the batsman could do was block and fend.

#3 – Praveen attacks, Warner smiles

Praveen Kumar and David Warner, former Sunrisers teammates, had an altercation during the last playoff match, with Kumar turning out for Gujarat Lions this time around. With the last stages of the match approaching and Warner taking the game away from the Lions, Kumar unnecessarily tried to intimidate the batsman.

Warner reacted by standing his ground and giving a smile, as if knowing in his head that a sledger cannot be sledged. He hit Kumar for a boundary and the winning runs in his next over, seen here with a smile breaking out in his face as he does so.

#4 – ABD under attack

With a place at the final at stake and RCB batsmen facing a rare batting collapse, AB de Villiers needed to do something special against Gujarat Lions. He did bring out something special one the day, combining with Iqbal Abdulla for an individual score of 79*.

The rest of the team, who were biting their nails in the dugout for the whole innings, rushed out onto the field towards De Villiers and Abdulla, colliding into them. Such was the love showered on ABD on that day that his helmet flew off into the distance, and he emerged from the huddle with a large abrasion on his chin.

#5 – Pune lose KP

Rising Pune Supergiants had looked like one of the strongest sides on paper before the tournament began, and started well by beating defending champions Mumbai Indians in their first game. Kevin Pietersen was one of the top order batsmen who looked to be in good form.

However, as if a curse had been set upon Pune’s team, KP was in a list of players Pune were to lose to injury for the season, others being Steve Smith, Faf du Plessis and Mitchell Marsh.

#6 – A mini-reunion

Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan are veterans of Indian cricket. They were part of the 2011 World Cup winning squad, and are now in the twilights of their career. If Gambhir proved his fire is still alive, Zaheer Khan’s captaincy was one of the best features of this IPL.

#7 – A champion’s hug

Dwayne Bravo has been one of the most entertaining flavours of this season, as he has been for many years. With his diving, squaring up with batsmen, imaginitive banters, he would have entered the folklore of his new team, the Gujarat Lions.

For all his aggression, he also made sure to share a sporting gesture with all his opponent numbers at the end of matches.

#8 – Captain Raina inspires

All eyes were on Suresh Raina at the start of this IPL season for two reasons – he has been suffering from a bad patch for the last year, and he was captaining an IPL team in full-time capacity for the first time.

He did not disappoint on either count. Under his leadership, the Lions were one of the best teams throughout the season. Raina’s captaincy was of the energetic kind, seen here throwing himself at the stumps to run out Saurabh Tiwary.

‘The name’ continues to be ‘remembered’

‘Remember the name’, Ian Bishop had bellowed from the commentary box when Carlos Brathwaite had belted four sixes in the last over of the World T20. He was in fine form in the IPL season for Delhi Daredevils as well.

His all-round abilities and his energy made him an asset for DD through the league phase, and his childish excitement helps to make his name one that shall not be forgotten in a hurry.

RCB lose their third IPL final

Royal Challengers Bangalore emerged as favourites to win the IPL 2016 title from around the midway point of the season. With AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli exploding into life more often than not, and Chris Gayle putting on a signature demolition show in the final, it is strange that the trophy still eludes the Bangalore side.

Dhoni screams at Pathan

MS Dhoni betrayed a rare show of emotion this season, with Irfan Pathan being too slow to react to his call for a quick single, during his team’s clash with KKR. With him stranded at the middle of the pitch, Dhoni screamed at Pathan to sacrifice his wicket.

Pathan obliged, making a show of going for the run. The move was not to pay off, however, as Dhoni finished that innings with 8 runs from 22 balls.

Yusuf Pathan roars back

Much of KKR’s batting strength this season lay in two old warhorses – Gambhir and Pathan. The older Pathan has not been in the news much for the past year, but stepped up when the IPL occasion demanded, blasting balls out of the park with as much frequency as he has always done.

‘The girls who cheer the boys’

KKR owner Shahrukh Khan thanked his team’s cheerleaders this season, saying that ‘the girls who cheer the boys’ are often forgotten, but that their contribution is vital too.

Upper cuts galore

The IPL has always been a hotbed for innovative shots, and there were many played this year as well. Young Sarfaraz Khan showed himself to be a brilliant improviser in his limited opportunities, while Jos Buttler and AB de Villiers were doing what they do best.

Ajinkya Rahane, seen here playing the upper cut, lay down his credentials to be considered as India’s limited overs opener, finishing as the tournament’s 6th highest run-getter, with 480 runs from 14 matches.

Sun rises on 3^rd Aussie captain to win IPL

David Warner and his team put on a great show throughout the season and were deserving winners of the title. As Warner piled on the runs and Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mustafizur Rahman added sting to the bowling attack, the rest of the team rallied around them.

Contributions came from unexpected sources, and it was the sum total of the whole squad’s effort that has made Warner the third foreign captain to lead his team to the IPL crown, after Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist.