IPL 2019: An ideal XI made up of players with most Man of the Match awards

The Indian Premier League is getting ready for its 12th season, and the player auction will take place in mid-December. All the teams have announced the list of players retained and released, and will look to address their respective issues at the auction.

In the IPL, the result is of ultimate importance, and winning a match for their team is every player's ultimate goal. Many players have been experts in chases, which is why it is not surprising that more Man of the Match awards are won by batsmen and all-rounders than by bowlers. Most top performers in the IPL naturally have a lot of Man of the Match awards under their belt.

Here is a team made of players who have won the Most Man of the Match awards in IPL.

Note: The players have been selected both on account of the number of MOMs which they have won as well as on the position in which they play.

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#1 and #2 - Rohit Sharma (16) and Chris Gayle (20)

Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma has won four IPL trophies, and is one of the most prolific batsmen in the league. While his stint with the Deccan Chargers until 2010 wasn't too great, after joining the Mumbai Indians in 2011, the opener has become their standout performer.

Rohit has won 16 MOM awards and has a splendid record while playing for the Mumbai Indians. He has scored 3323 runs in 124 matches, averaging 33.26 at a decent strike rate of 131.

Rohit has also been a great captain and has led the Mumbai Indians to victory thrice, in addition to one Champions League T20 trophy as well. The Mumbaikar has become the face of Mumbai Indians in more ways than one.

Chris Gayle, meanwhile, is probably the cleanest striker of the ball and has hit the most number of sixes in the IPL (292). He has made an impact in all the teams he has played for - including Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab - but the majority of his runs were scored while playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Gayle is regarded as the most devastating T20 batsman of all time. He recorded the highest ever score in the IPL by hammering 175 against Pune Warriors India in 2013.

Chris Gayle

Gayle has scored 3994 runs averaging 41.17 at a great strike rate of 150.71, which is even more impressive considering the number of games he has played. He has won the most Man of The Match Awards in the IPL (20), and is a must have as the opener of the side.

#3 Suresh Raina (14)

Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina has probably been the most consistent player since the start of the IPL. The southpaw has the most number of runs, notching up 4985 runs in 172 matches at an average of 34.37 and a strike rate of 138.47.

Raina has been the chase expert for CSK, having won many matches for the three time champions. He didn't have such a great season in 2018 but will look forward to IPL 2019 where he needs to perform well in order to be in contention for the World Cup.

There have been many matches where Raina had to rebuild the innings from scratch or lead the team to victory from a tough situation, and he has rarely disappointed. He and MS Dhoni forged a great partnership in this area.

Raina is also one of the best fielders in the IPL, and can bowl part-time off spin; he has picked up 25 wickets.

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#4 AB De Villiers (18)

AB De Villiers is a great player to watch when on song, and has been one of the most consistent players in the league. The South African has scored 3953 runs in 129 matches averaging an impressive 39.53 at a great strike rate of 150.93.

He has all the shots in the book and has often made a mockery of huge targets, having also saved RCB on many occasions. Though Virat Kohli has scored more runs than him, it's been ABD more than Kohli who has been more influential for the team.

'Mr. 360' is also one of the most innovative players in the league, and has a great fan base wherever he plays in India.

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#5 MS Dhoni (14)

MS Dhoni was the most expensive player in the first IPL auction and is probably the most iconic player in the league. He has led the Chennai Super Kings to three titles and was in prime form last season, averaging close to 75.

Dhoni is not going through a great phase right now and the runs have started to dry up, but we can expect him to perform when the going gets tough.

A great wicketkeeper, one of the best finishers and undoubtedly the best captain in the league, Dhoni's form was a major reason for CSK's triumph last season. He has scored 4016 runs in 158 innings, averaging 40.16 at a strike rate of 139.

He will be the captain of this XI.

#6 Yusuf Pathan (16)

Yusuf Pathan

Yusuf Pathan played a key role in Rajasthan Royals' triumph in the inaugural edition of the IPL, and has been a regular feature in the IPL since then. The league helped him get into the Indian team, and he was a proud member of the World Cup winning squad in 2011.

The runs have dried up in the last few seasons, but Pathan has won many games for the Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals, although he didn't make much of an impact with the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

He can bowl off spin as well and is a good all rounder, often striking big when the team needs him the most.

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#7 Shane Watson (13)

Shane Watson played a key role in CSK's triumph last season. The veteran Aussie all rounder was given the opening slot and the license to fire away at will. And he did just that, scoring 555 runs in 15 matches averaging 39.64 with an impressive strike rate of 154.69. He also picked up 6 wickets.

Watson has been a premium all rounder in the IPL and played a major part of his games for the Rajasthan Royals, where he flourished. He had a few bad seasons, especially one with RCB but made a great comeback last season.

Watson will be raring to go next year and is playing in many T20 leagues around the world.

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#8 Sunil Narine (9)

He was the most difficult bowler to face a few years ago and was very economical with his spells. Though he has lost some of his mystery due to an action change, Narine still remains a great bowler who can pick up wickets at will.

Narine has also turned into a pinch hitter and has been employed as an opener to provide teams with fiery, quick starts. He was adjudged the Most Valuable Player of IPL 2018 and is a must-have in any T20 team.

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#9 Harbhajan Singh (6)

'Bhajji', as he is popularly known, is a household name in Indian cricket. He is the fifth highest wicket taker in the IPL and is part of the Chennai Super Kings roster now.

Harbhajan has won many games for the Mumbai Indians with his off spin and occasional big hitting. His experience and bowling abilities make him a great asset in any team.

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#10 Lasith Malinga (5) and #11 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (5)

Lasith Malinga is the highest wicket taker in IPL history, having picked up 154 wickets averaging a brilliant 19.01 with a decent economy rate of 6.83. Known for his slingy action and deadly yorkers, Malinga was a mainstay of the Mumbai Indians squad and was often their X-Factor in crucial games. A known big match performer, Malinga can find a place in any T20 squad.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the face of the Indian pace attack along with Jasprit Bumrah, and is one of the greatest talents India has discovered in recent times. Playing in the IPL for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Bhuvneshwar has picked up 120 wickets averaging 22, and is now a great death bowler too.

He won the Purple Cap in the 2017 edition, underling his value to the team. He can play in all formats of the game and is handy with the bat as well.