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The second half of IPL 2021 is all set to be held in the UAE from September 19. The first part of the tournament, played in India, had to be suspended after COVID-19 cases hit the tournament.
A few franchises like Mumbai Indians (MI), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Delhi Capitals (DC) have already started training for the event having completed their quarantine in the UAE. This is the second year in succession that the IPL is being held in the Middle East. Last season, the entire T20 league was played in the UAE after India couldn’t host it due to the dangers of the COVID-19 pandemic.
IPL 2020 was successfully organized in a bio-secure bubble, with Mumbai Indians being crowned champions for the fifth time. They defeated first-time finalists Delhi Capitals in the summit clash.
Standout batsmen from IPL 2020 in the UAE
With the latest edition of the IPL just a few days away, we look back at some batters who had an impressive run when the event was held in the UAE last year.
#5 Devdutt Padikkal (RCB)
Devdutt Padikkal made a fantastic IPL debut playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) last season. Opening the innings, the elegant left-hander hammered 473 runs in 15 games at a strike rate of 124.80. Padikkal crossed the half-century mark five times during the season.
In his very first IPL match, the 21-year-old compiled 56 from 42 balls and went from strength to strength as the tournament progressed. His best of 74 came against defending champions Mumbai as he played a dazzling knock of only 45 balls, an innings which featured 12 fours and a six. Although RCB went on to lose the match, Padikkal had proved his worth against the best in the competition.
For a fantastic showing in his debut IPL season, Padikkal won the ‘Emerging Player’ award. Earlier this year, he notched up his maiden IPL hundred in a match against Rajasthan Royals. Padikkal struggled for fluency otherwise during the first half of IPL 2021 but will be pleased to return to the venues where he tasted plenty of success last season.
#4 Ishan Kishan (MI)
IPL 2020 was Ishan Kishan’s breakthrough year in the T20 league. He smashed 516 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 145.76, going past the half-century mark on four occasions. The 23-year-old was at his sublime best as the Mumbai Indians captured the IPL crown for a fifth time.
The young left-hander made a scintillating 99 off 58 balls against RCB, an innings which featured nine hits over the ropes. Thanks to Kishan’s brilliance, MI managed to tie the clash while chasing a target of 202. RCB won the match in the Super Over, however.
Kishan displayed his versatility as a batter during IPL 2020, moving up the order and playing some terrific knocks after MI skipper Rohit Sharma got injured. He hammered an unbeaten 68 off 37 as MI thumped CSK by 10 wickets and undefeated 72 off 47 versus DC. Kishan moved back down the order once Rohit returned for the playoffs and contributed an unbeaten 33 in the final.
Having struggled in the first half of IPL 2021, he will be looking to make amends as the event shifts back to the UAE.
#3 David Warner (SRH)
Prolific SRH opener and former franchise skipper, David Warner has crossed the 500-run mark in every IPL edition that he has featured in since 2014. Last season as well, he clobbered 548 runs in 16 games at a strike rate of 134.64 with four fifty-plus scores.
After a slow start, Warner hit back-to-back fifties against MI and PBKS. Warner also played a brutal knock of 66 from 34 balls against DC and featured in a whirlwind opening stand of 107 with Wriddhiman Saha (87). His best of 85 not out came off 58 balls in the 10-wicket hammering of MI when the sides met towards the end of the league stage.
Undoubtedly the most consistent overseas batter in the history of IPL, Warner struggled in the first half of the T20 league in India earlier this year. Although he managed a decent 193 runs in six games, his strike rate was quite low at 110.28 and he was even sacked as captain. The Aussie will be keen to prove a point in the UAE leg of IPL 2021.
#2 Shikhar Dhawan (DC)
DC opener Shikhar Dhawan’s IPL 2020 journey was brilliant and bizarre in equal measure. His overall figures were quite impressive though as he amassed 618 runs in 17 games at a strike rate of 144.73. During the course of the edition, he became the first batter to register consecutive hundreds in the IPL.
Dhawan blasted an unbeaten 101 off 58 balls in a five-wicket win over CSK and then scored 106 not out off 61 against PBKS to create history. However, DC ended up losing the latter game as PBKS chased down a target of 165 with ease.
The veteran left-hander followed up his twin tons with scores of 6,0,0. In fact, he began IPL 2020 with a duck as well. Dhawan rediscovered form with a half-century against RCB as DC made the playoffs for the second year in a row. He again perished without scoring in Qualifier 1 against MI before putting DC in the final with a stupendous 78 in Qualifier 2 against SRH.
Although he managed only 15 in the IPL 2020 final, Dhawan ended as the second leading run-scorer in the season.
#1 KL Rahul (PBKS)
PBKS captain KL Rahul was in sublime form during IPL 2020 even as the franchise struggled for consistency. Although PBKS failed to qualify for the playoffs, Rahul finished as the season’s leading run-scorer, scoring 670 runs from 14 games at a strike rate of 129.34.
The right-hander hit a scintillating 132 not out off 69 balls, a knock which featured seven sixes, against RCB. Amazingly, Rahul scored more than half of the runs, in a team total of 206/3, as PBKS breezed to victory by 97 runs. Carrying on his great form, Rahul blasted 69 off 54 against RR and featured in an opening stand of 183 with Mayank Agarwal (106). The knock was in vain though as Rahul Tewatia’s whirlwind knock, which included five sixers, lifted RR to an unlikely win.
Rahul continued to pile on the runs with half-centuries against CSK and KKR but with little support from the rest, he and his side could not get the right results. The opener did get some just rewards for his performances towards the second half of IPL 2020 as his knocks against RCB (61) and MI (77) led PBKS to wins.
It was an action replay of sorts in the first half of this year’s event. Rahul smashed 331 runs but PBKS managed to win only three of their eight matches.
Other top performers with the bat in IPL 2020
Shreyas Iyer (DC) - 519 runs in 17 matches | SR - 123.27
Quinton de Kock (MI) - 503 runs in 16 matches | SR - 140.50
Suryakumar Yadav (MI) - 480 runs in 16 matches | SR - 145.01
Virat Kohli (RCB) - 446 runs in 15 matches | SR - 121.35
AB de Villiers (RCB)- 454 runs in 15 matches | SR - 158.74
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