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The second half of IPL 2021 is all set to begin in the UAE from September 19. The India leg of the event had to be suspended midway after COVID-19 cases entered the tournament’s bio-bubble.
The UAE is no stranger to the IPL. The Middle Eastern country hosted the entire T20 league last season as India was unable to organize the event due to COVID-19 pandemic. Although the edition was played behind closed doors, in a bio-secure bubble, IPL 2020 was a massive success owing to the high quality of cricket.
Mumbai Indians (MI) emerged winners last season, lifting their second successive IPL title and fifth overall. They defeated first-time finalists Delhi Capitals (DC) in the summit clash.
All-rounders who shone during IPL 2020 in the UAE
With the second half of IPL 2021 just a few days away, we take a look at three all-rounders who impressed in the UAE last season.
#1 Marcus Stoinis (Delhi Capitals)
Marcus Stoinis was the star performer of IPL 2020 and was one of the chief reasons behind DC reaching their maiden final. He smashed 352 runs in 17 matches at an average of 148.52 with three fifties.
Stoinis struck 53 off 21 balls in DC’s first match of the season against the Punjab Kings (PBKS). He then took two wickets off the last two balls of Punjab’s innings to tie the clash. DC went on to win the Super Over, courtesy Kagiso Rabada’s heroics.
Stoinis also scored a blistering 53 not out off 26 balls in DC’s thumping 59-run win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The all-rounder made a fighting 65 in Qualifier 1 against MI, but it was in a losing cause as DC floundered in a mammoth chase of 201.
His best with the ball, 3 for 26, came in Qualifier 2 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as DC defended a total of 189 to reach their maiden IPL final. Stoinis, though, perished first-ball in the final as MI trounced DC by five wickets.
#2 Sam Curran (Chennai Super Kings)
England cricketer Sam Curran is a top-quality all-rounder. And he proved his worth during the 2020 edition of the IPL in the UAE. Playing in 14 games for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), he claimed 13 wickets at a strike rate of 19.38 and an economy rate of 8.19. Curran also chipped in well with the bat, scoring 186 runs at a strike rate of 131.91.
Versatility is the biggest asset in Curran's repertoire. He can open the bowling and claim crucial wickets with his canny left-arm pace. Although he can prove slightly expensive at the death, Curran has all the variations in the book to get the crucial breakthroughs. This is why CSK prefer to have him in the XI more often than not.
In the very first match of IPL 2020, Curran clobbered 18 off 6 balls as CSK defeated MI by five wickets. He scored a defiant half-century to give some respectability to the innings after his side crumbled to 71 for 8 when they came up against MI again.
Curran’s best of 3 for 19 in the season came against RCB. He dismissed Virat Kohli, Aaron Finch and Moeen Ali as CSK registered an impressive eight-wicket triumph. CSK will be hoping for similar efforts from Curran as the IPL circus moves back to the UAE.
#3 Rahul Tewatia (Rajasthan Royals)
Rajasthan Royals (RR) all-rounder Rahul Tewatia was the surprise success story of IPL 2020. He scored 255 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of just under 140. With his accurate leg-spin bowling, he picked up 10 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 7.08.
Of course, it was that one spectacular knock against PBKS that made him an overnight sensation. After struggling for most part of his innings, Tewatia turned the tide in unbelievable fashion to hit five sixes off an over from Sheldon Cottrell. The left-hander struck seven maximums in all and was eventually dismissed for 53 off 31 as RR chased down a record total of 223 put up by PBKS.
Buoyed by his brilliance against Punjab, Tewatia kept chipping in with crucial contributions with bat and ball in the subsequent IPL 2020 clashes as well. His unbeaten 45 off 28 against SRH was no surprise as RR won the match by five wickets.
With the ball, he claimed 3 for 25 against KKR. It came in a losing cause, though, as RR faltered in a chase of 192.
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