ROUND-UP
Follow UsThe inaugural edition of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) T20 has gotten off to a great start, with players from the Indian capital taking to franchise cricket like a duck to water.
Unbeaten in the five games they have played so far, East Delhi Riders are well-placed to finish the league stage as toppers. Their successful run has ensured that the other three semi-final spots are widely open.
Halfway into the tournament, let’s look at how it has panned out so far.
*Stats for first 15 matches
Performers of the season
Posing the ability to clock over 140, the right-arm pacer has been North Delhi Strikers’ leading wicket-taker. The presence of KKR-leggie Suyash Sharma and skipper Pranshu Vijayran nothwithstanding, he has emerged as the side’s go-to strike bowler.
Movement with the new ball, yorkers, bouncers, slower ones - the Delhi boy has it all. He’s picked up seven wickets at an economy of 8.2 RPO and has been averaging two wickets per match.
One of the tournament’s most sought-after players, Ayush Badoni, has lived up to every bit of the hype. He has led South Delhi Superstarz from the front, contributing with both bat and ball.
He has scored 188 runs batting at three at an average of 48.8 and a more than effective strike rate of 184. He’s also been South Delhi’s second-highest wicket-taker, accounting for six scalps with his off-spin so far.
The all-rounder has been one of the finds for East Delhi Riders this season. He’s notched up scores of 55*, 44, and 66* in the three innings he’s played and has done so at a stunning strike rate of 192.
What’s been particularly impressive about his knocks is the situations he’s played them in. All three knocks have been in chases, and when his side was struggling. The scorecard read 47/4, 68/4, and 58/4, respectively, when he walked in to bat. Along with his handy off-breaks (four wickets with the ball), the youngster has proven to be a very useful all-rounder for his side thus far.
Having made his Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy debut last year, the South Delhi Superstarz opener has begun his tournament with 40+ scores in each of his five innings, including a century on August 26 (Monday) against Purani Delhi 6. Importantly, he’s done so while maintaining a healthy strike rate of 170. Apart from his prolific run-scoring, he’s hit 16 sixes so far - joint highest with his skipper Ayush Badoni.
He’s yet to be dismissed in the powerplay and has been particularly dismissive against pace. With a POTM award in three of the four matches his side has won, the 23-year-old southpaw has been integral to his side.
A big reason behind East Delhi Riders’ success, Simarjeet Singh has been hurling bullets at batters with great ease. It’s no surprise that he’s been the tournament’s highest wicket-taker.
He’s picked at least one wicket in all five games and has picked a three-for in three of them. Moreover, his ability to take wickets across all three phases has proved to be a huge advantage for East Delhi.
Duds of the season
Picked as an icon player for East Delhi Riders, the RCB keeper has failed to deliver in the first half of the tournament.
Opening for his side, he’s not been able to convert any of his starts and has a highest score of 34. He currently averages 23.5 in five matches and has struck at 144 when the rest of the unit has been going at 172. Multiple performances from captain Himmat Singh and Mayank Rawat have meant that East Delhi have not been impacted by his lack of runs, but the southpaw will want to turn this around come the second half.
Another big name that has misfired is Suyash Sharma.
In the four games he’s played, he’s bowled 15 overs for just four wickets. Further, batters have been comfortable attacking him, scoring at 9.5 RPO against his wrist-spin. His erroneous lines and inconsistent bowling have not been aided by the fact that Harshit Rana was declared unavailable ahead of the tournament.
The Karnal speedster's lack of threat in his bowling is a big reason for the West Delhi Lions being stuck at the bottom of the points table.
He’s dismissed just one batter in 12 overs and has gone at over 10 RPO till now. While playing East Delhi, Navdeep Saini conceded 27 runs in the penultimate over while defending as many in 12 balls. He was rested in their previous encounter against South Delhi, and the team will hope that the break will help him get back some of that lost form.
