We’re more than two thirds into the 2023 Indian Premier League, as the race for the most runs, wickets and tournament title continues.
Top batsman: Faf du Plessis (RCB) 511
Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis still has the most runs in this season’s IPL, but will struggle to maintain the mantle if Rajasthan Royals star Yashasvi Jaiswal’s fine form continues.
Jaiswal was a mere 34 runs shy of surpassing du Plessis’ tally at the top at the time of writing. The Royals opener hit 77 against the Chennai Super Kings and 124 against the Mumbai Indians recently.
Du Plessis had hit five half-centuries in seven innings this IPL season, but hasn’t managed another since 23 April.
Longest six in IPL 2023. 115 meter by Captain FAF DU PLESSIS. 🤯#RCBvsLSGpic.twitter.com/DgeXDz9MHC
— Sexy Cricket Shots (@sexycricketshot) April 10, 2023
Top bowler: Mohammed Shami (GT) 19 at 16.36
Mohammed Shami has grown a lot as a strike bowler since exiting the Punjab Kings and joining the Gujarat Titans.
He was key to their title-winning campaign in 2022 and, in 2023 conditions that have hardly been kind to fast bowlers, Shami has shone again. While the IPL Power Rankings have been dominated by leg-spinners relatively recently, Shami is the flagbearer for seamers this week.
His extra pace, bounce and carry brought him three wickets against the Kolkata Knight Riders and four more against the Delhi Capitals. At the time of writing, he was the joint-leading wicket-taker alongside Titans team-mate Rashid Khan and CSK’s TU Deshpande.
Mohammed Shami was unstoppable with the new ball ⚡️#GTvDC | #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/FuWrxFAg3o
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) May 2, 2023
Top all-rounder: Nitish Rana (KKR)
The IPL has showcased some reasonably good part-time spinners in the past such as Rohit Sharma and Yuvraj Singh. There’s another emerging in Kolkata Knight Riders captain Nitish Rana.
He hasn’t bowled himself a lot, but succeeded in suitable conditions. There isn’t much pace or turn to Rana’s right-armers, but he has put in some key and inexpensive overs against Bangalore and Delhi.
Rana’s primary role with the bat, too, has been succeeding – and he’s gradually getting to grips with the captaincy as well in the absence of Shreyas Iyer.
Nitish Rana's back to back Sixes.pic.twitter.com/Wqolm0shTb
— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) May 4, 2023
