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The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) came to an abrupt halt on Tuesday after a number of COVID-positive cases sprang up in the tournament’s bio-bubble.
While Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) duo of Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday, the names of Amit Mishra (DC) and Wriddhiman Saha (SRH) were added to the list on Tuesday.
With the IPL 2021 bio-bubble having been breached, the tournament was thrown into turmoil and the organizers were left with no option but to postpone the T20 event indefinitely.
The tournament was halted after 29 IPL 2021 matches had been completed. DC were on the top of the points table with six wins from eight matches while SH were placed last with one victory from seven matches.
5 players who displayed great form in IPL 2021
Before IPL 2021 suffered a roadblock, we witnessed some fantastic performances. In this article, we look at five players who were in great form during IPL 2021.
#5 Avesh Khan
Kagiso Rabada was expected to be DC’s go-to man with the ball in IPL 2021. After all, he was the Purple Cap winner last season. Instead, it was young pacer Avesh Khan who stood tall for the franchise even as Rabada struggled for rhythm.
At the time IPL 2021 was halted, Khan was the second-leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets from eight matches at a strike rate of 12.85 and an economy rate of 7.70. Every time the team needed wickets from him, he rose to the challenge more often than not.
Khan was effective both at the start and the death. Apart from varying his pace, he also bowled at good speeds and maintained an impressive line and length throughout. Khan’s numbers reflected his impact on IPL 2021.
#4 Chris Morris
When RR picked up South African all-rounder Chris Morris for a record Rs 16.25 crore, the franchise was savagely trolled. While his price may remain a matter of debate, Morris proved in the seven IPL 2021 matches he played that he is still a worthy T20 performer.
Morris stood out with the ball in particular. With Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes unavailable due to injury, Morris lifted his game and claimed 14 wickets in seven matches at a strike rate of 11.14. His economy was on the higher side - 8.61, but that was never his strength. He has always been a pacer who has bought his wickets, even if they have cost a few.
The all-rounder made an impression with the bat as well. His 36 not out off 18 balls against DC, which featured four sixes, was a brilliant exhibition of big-hitting. RR fans will be hoping for more of the same from Morris if and when IPL 2021 resumes.
#3 Ravindra Jadeja
CSK all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja did some incredible things during the first half of IPL 2021, which not many others could have pulled off. Runs, wickets, catches and run-outs; Jadeja had it all.
He turned the match around against RR, with a ripper to Jos Buttler that beat the batsman all ends up and clean bowl him. He also claimed four catches in the match as CSK sunk RR.
He single-handedly outdid Virat Kohli’s RCB as well. After hammering 62 in only 28 balls with five sixes in the last over of CSK’s innings, he ran through RCB’s batting, cleaning up Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers. He also ran out Dan Christian with a direct hit.
Jadeja is an asset to any team with his versatile skills in all departments of the game. The same was evident in full force during IPL 2021. In seven matches, he scored 131 runs at a strike rate of 161.72 and took six wickets at an exceptional economy rate of 6.70.
#2 AB de Villiers
Despite retiring from international cricket, AB de Villiers has kept going from strength to strength in the IPL. Last season, he was among the tournament's star performers and in IPL 2021 he single-handedly won a couple of games for RCB with his stellar batting.
De Villiers began IPL 2021 with a scintillating 48 off 27 balls against defending champions MI. Even though he was run-out in the last over, he had done enough to help RCB get over the line. In subsequent matches versus KKR and DC, he came up with high-quality knocks of 76 not out and 75 not out in winning efforts.
In seven IPL 2021 matches, De Villiers clobbered 207 runs at a strike rate of 164.28 and an average of 51.75. De Villiers’ exceptional performance reopened the debate about whether he should be part of South Africa’s squad for the T20 World Cup later in the year.
#1 Shikhar Dhawan
DC opener Shikhar Dhawan, who narrowly missed out on the Orange Cap last year, was the leading run-scorer in IPL 2021 when the tournament was indefinitely postponed. In eight matches, he amassed 380 runs at a strike rate of 134.27 with three half-centuries.
Dhawan has never looked more in control of his T20 game. He began IPL 2021 with a fluent 85 against CSK and scored a brilliant 92 in the victory over Punjab Kings. He played the situation really well.
When Prithvi Shaw was going berserk against KKR, Dhawan was content playing the supporting role. In DC’s most recent encounter against PBKS, he guided the team home with a sedate 69.
The left-hander’s slow strike rate in the T20 format has led to questions being asked regarding his effectiveness in the shortest format of the game. He put up a determined effort last season. In IPL 2021 though, he took his batting to a completely different level with DC reaping rich rewards.
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