IPL 2020 Purple Cap: 4 MI bowlers in top 10 but new holder likely tonight

Defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) got back to winning ways in IPL 2020 after beating the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 49 runs in Match 5 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. In the process, they won their first match in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in what was their seventh attempt.

Apart from Rohit Sharma top scoring with a 54-ball 80, MI got to grips with the game early in the second innings. Not only did their bowlers prevent KKR from scoring runs in the powerplay overs, but they dismissed both Shubman Gill and the dangerous Sunil Narine within the fifth over. KKR reached 33 for two at the end of the fielding restrictions, before eventually folding up for a meagre 146 for nine.

More than an impressive effort with the bat, it was a tremendous bowling performance to put KKR under pressure throughout the innings while also combating the excessive humidity and dew. Though Sam Curran continues to be at the top, last night’s performance saw four Mumbai bowlers break into the top 10 of the IPL 2020 ‘Purple Cap’ list.

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IPL 2020 Purple Cap list

A new leader might emerge from tonight's KXIP vs RCB game (Image Credits: Sportskeeda)

James Pattinson, who made his IPL debut on the opening night against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), is fifth on the list. After returning figures of one for 27 in Match 1 of IPL 2020, the Aussie pacer accounted for Sunil Narine in the powerplay and a dangerous-looking Pat Cummins, which turned out to be the final nail in the coffin.

Differentiated by superior bowling averages, Trent Boult and leg-spinner Rahul Chahar occupy the sixth and seventh spots respectively. While Boult added Shubman Gill and Nikhil Naik to his earlier scalp of Shane Watson, Chahar picked up two wickets for just 26 runs last night after conceding 36 runs against CSK.

But the player who registered the most improvement from the IPL 2020 opening match was Jasprit Bumrah. After conceding 43 runs against CSK, Bumrah’s form led to widespread debates. He silenced his critics with an impressive performance last night. Though his figures eventually read two for 32, he picked two wickets for just five runs from his opening three overs.

Nonetheless, after dismissing both Andre Russell and Eoin Morgan after accounting for Sam Curran in Match 1 of IPL 2020, Bumrah sits in the tenth position.

However, there will be changes at the top of the table tonight as third-placed Mohammad Shami will lock horns with fourth-placed Yuzvendra Chahal when the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Dubai.

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Both of them are tied on three wickets each, and one of them might pip the CSK duo of Sam Curran and Lungi Ngidi to become the new holder of the IPL 2020 ‘Purple Cap’.

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