The World Test Championship is the premier competition in Test cricket akin to the World Cup in ODI and T20 cricket. 

The idea of WTC was introduced in 2019 when the Test-playing nations played against each other for over two years. At the end of the two-year cycle, teams that occupy the top two spots in the points table will qualify to play the Final.

New Zealand won the inaugural edition of the WTC in June 2021 beating India by eight wickets at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. It was Australia who won the title in June 2023, once again beating India by 209 runs, at the Oval in London.

India currently leads the points table in the current edition of the WTC and are well-placed to qualify for the Final to be played in June 2025 in England.

Batters win you sessions, but bowlers win you matches in Test cricket. For any team to win a Test match, it is imperative that they pick up 20 wickets of the opponents within the stipulated five days.

It is sweat and toil for the bowlers as they do the dirty job to help their team get the better of their opposition. Bowling is always a thankless job, especially in the longer format of the game.

Here, we look at the players with the most wickets in WTC history after it was introduced in 2019. 

Most wickets in WTC history: List of players with most wickets in the World Test Championship

Player	Span	Matches	Wickets	Average	Strike Rate	Best Bowling figures
Nathan Lyon	2019-2024	43	187	26.70	58.05	8/64
Pat Cummins	2019-2024	42	175	22.81	46.93	6/91
Ravichandran Ashwin	2019-2024	35	174	20.43	44.79	7/71
Mitchell Starc	2019-2024	38	147	27.08	46.83	6/66
Stuart Broad	2019-2024	33	134	24.09	47.55	6/31
Kagiso Rabada	2019-2024	27	123	22.52	40.30	6/50
James Anderson	2019-2024	36	116	23.81	59.06	6/40
Tim Southee	2019-2024	30	116	28.45	59.34	5/32
Jasprit Bumrah	2019-2024	26	110	20.16	43.32	6/27
Josh Hazlewood	2019-2024	26	109	21.33	45.88	5/8

Nathan Lyon | 187 wickets

Nathan Lyon is the leading wicket-taker in the history of the World Test Championship with 187 wickets from 43 matches. He averages 26.70 with the ball along with a strike rate of 58.05 balls per wicket. He also has 10 five-wicket hauls to his name.

The off-spinner played a stellar role in Australia’s victorious campaign in the WTC 2021-2023 cycle with a massive haul of 88 wickets from just 20 matches. He also picked up five wickets against India in the Final at The Oval, which the Aussies won by 209 runs in June 2023. 

With a tally of 43 wickets from nine games, he is fourth in the current edition of the WTC and holds the key for Australia in the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy in November 2024.

Pat Cummins | 175 wickets

Australian skipper Pat Cummins is next on the list with a tally of 175 wickets from 42 matches. The pacer has eight five-wicket hauls with an average of 22.81 runs per wicket and strikes at an excellent frequency of 46.93 balls.

Cummins has led the Australian attack from the front providing timely breakthroughs for the team. He finished second in the list of top wicket-takers in the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021 with an impressive tally of 70 wickets from just 14 matches.

Cummins once again finished in the top five list in the subsequent edition of WTC to take Australia to the title in 2023. He is currently second in the bowling charts in the ongoing WTC cycle with 48 wickets from 12 matches.

Ravichandran Ashwin | 174 wickets

Following closely at third spot is India’s Ravichandran Ashwin with 174 wickets, just one short of Cummins, from 35 matches, including 10 five-wicket hauls. The off-spinner has an impressive average of 20.43 and a strike rate of 44.79, both best among his peers in the top-five wicket-takers list in the WTC.

Ashwin topped the bowling charts in the WTC 2019-2021 cycle with 71 wickets from 14 matches. He finished third in the list of top wicket-takers in the next edition in 2023. Ashwin’s excellent performances lifted India to consecutive Finals in the first two editions, the only team to do so.

In the current WTC cycle too, Ashwin is the top Indian in the list of wicket-takers with 42 wickets from eight matches.

Mitchell Starc | 147 wickets

Mitchell Starc completes the Aussie domination in the list of bowlers with the most wickets in the history of WTC. Starc is placed fourth with 147 wickets from 38 matches.

The left-arm pacer has an average of 27.08 and a strike rate of 46.83 with three five-wicket hauls to his name. He is currently third in the list of wicket-takers in the WTC 2023-2025 cycle with 48 wickets from 11 matches.

Photo credit: Imago

The SA20 2024 started on January 10 and will run till February 10 in South Africa.

Featuring six teams, a total of 34 T20 matches will be played over four weeks in the second edition of SA20 - South Africa’s T20 franchise cricket tournament.

Durban’s Super Giants, Joburg Super Kings, MI Cape Town, Paarl Royals, Pretoria Capitals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape are the six teams that are competing for the SA20 2024 title.

Some of the world's leading T20 bowlers including the likes of Adil Rashid, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada, Reece Topley, Sam Curran, Keshav Maharaj, Wayne Parnell and Kagiso Rabada are participating in the ongoing edition of SA20.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s Roelof van der Merwe and Pretoria Capitals�Anrich Nortje finished with the most wickets in the inaugural SA20 last season. 

While Roelof van der Merwe picked up 20 wickets in 10 matches, Anrich Nortje achieved the feat in 11 games.

Meanwhile, Durban's Super Giants�Keemo Paul took the first wicket in SA20 2024. The right-arm medium-pacer Keemo Paul dismissed MI Cape Town’s opening batter Rassie van der Dussen in the second game of the T20 tournament. Earlier, the opening fixture was washed out.

Meanwhile, talented right-arm fast bowler Lungi Ngidi was the first bowler to register a four-wicket haul in SA20 2024. Representing Paarl Royals, Lungi Ngidi recorded match-winning figures of 4/39 against Pretoria Capitals to help his side secure a 10-run victory at the SuperSport Park in Centurion.

Apart from Lungi Ngidi, the likes of Lizaad Williams, Richard Gleeson, Dwaine Pretorius and Keshav Maharaj are in contention to be the top wicket-taker in the ongoing SA20. Here’s a look at the players with most wickets in SA20 2024.

Most wickets in SA20 2024

Rank	Player	Team	Matches	Wickets
1	Marco Jansen	Sunrisers Eastern Cape	10	20
2	Ottniel Baartman	Sunrisers Eastern Cape	8	18
3	Daniel Worrall	Sunrisers Eastern Cape	11	17
4	Lizaad Williams	Joburg Super Kings	9	15
5	Keshav Maharaj	Durban's Super Giants	13	15
6	Wayne Parnell	Pretoria Capitals	8	14
7	Junior Dala	Durban's Super Giants	5	13
8	Lungi Ngidi	Paarl Royals	9	13
9	Reece Topley	Durban's Super Giants	12	13
10	Noor Ahmad	Durban's Super Giants	6	12

Photo credit: Alamy

After suffering a nine-run defeat in a rain-curtailed series opener, the Shikhar Dhawan-led Indian cricket team will look to bounce back when they take on South Africa in the second one-day international (ODI) of the three-match series at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on Sunday, October 9. The match will start at 1:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).

IND vs SA Dream11 prediction for 2nd ODI 2022

Put into bat in a 40-over game, South Africa rode on unbeaten fifties from David Miller (75) and Heinrich Klaasen (74) to post a competitive total of 249/4. In reply, Sanju Samson's impressive half-century (86) went in vain as India fell short by nine runs.

Interestingly, the hosts are playing with a second-string side as Rohit Sharma-led India’s first-team squad has reached Australia ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which starts on October 16.

Furthermore, South Africa have a superior head-to-head record against India in the ODI format, winning 50 of the 88 matches that they have played so far. India have registered 35 victories while three matches have ended with no results.

Going by recent form and team combination, SA will start as slight favourites against IND going into the second ODI in Ranchi.

South Africa will also be desperate to continue their winning momentum in order to secure an automatic qualification spot in the Cricket World Cup Super League table and qualify for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 in India. 

Having registered five wins and seven defeats, South Africa are currently languishing 11th in the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League table with 59 points from 14 matches.

IND vs SA Dream11 team tips for 2nd ODI 2022

Top tip: Best batter

South Africa’s David Miller has been in scintillating form in the ongoing India vs South Africa white-ball series. After scoring 125 runs in the three T20Is, Miller continued his impressive form as he smashed 75 runs off just 63 balls in the first ODI in Lucknow. Miller, along with Heinrich Klaasen, stitched together a match-winning 139-run stand for the fifth wicket to power his side to 249/4. Miller has already accrued 96 points and will be a great pick at 7.5 credits.

Top tip: Best bowler

In the bowling department, South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada will be the bowler to watch out for. The 27-year-old fast bowler once again troubled the Indian batters in the opening ODI as he picked two wickets for just 36 runs in his eight overs. At 9 credits, Rabada will be a great investment as he will look to add to his fantasy tally of 80 points. 

Top tip: Best all-rounder and wicket-keeper

As far as all-rounders are concerned, Shardul Thakur of India will be the preferred choice. Shardul Thakur made an impressive comeback from an injury in Lucknow as he picked two wickets and also scored a 31-ball 33 to make valuable contributions on both fronts. Shardul Thakur has accumulated 108 fantasy points and will be a smart pick at 8.5 credits.

For the wicket-keeper spot, India’s Sanju Samson will be the fantasy recommendation over Quinton de Kock of South Africa. Besides fulfilling his wicket-keeping responsibilities, Sanju Samson hammered 86 runs off just 63 balls and almost pulled off an incredible run-chase. At just 8 credits, the in-form India wicket-keeper batter could be a game-changer in the second ODI of the series.

IND vs SA 2nd ODI playing XI (probable)

India playing XI (probable): Shikhar Dhawan (captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj 

South Africa playing XI (probable): Jannemalan Malan, Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Temba Bavuma (captain), Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi

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Featured photo: Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP

South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada holds the record for the best bowling figures on ODI debut.

During South Africa’s tour of Bangladesh in 2015, Rabada made his debut in the first One-Day international (ODI) as he picked six wickets for just 16 runs in his eight overs that he bowled in that match.

After Bangladesh opted to bat, Rabada made an impressive start as he removed Tamim Iqbal (0), Litton Das (0), Mahmadullah (0) and Soumya Sarkar (27) in his very first spell in ODI cricket. Later, the right-arm pacer bagged the wickets of Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza (4) and Jubair Hussain (5) to bowl out the hosts for a below-par score of 160 in 36.3 overs.

South Africa rode on Faf du Plessis�unbeaten 63 off 75 balls and Rilee Rossouw’s unbeaten 45 off 53 balls to chase down the target in 31.1 overs. The visitors won the match by eight wickets.

West Indies pacer Fidel Edwards features second on the list for the best bowling figures on ODI debut. The right-arm fast bowler claimed six wickets for 22 runs in his seven overs against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2003. 

During the fourth ODI of West Indies�tour of Zimbabwe, opener Wavell Hinds smashed an unbeaten 127 to power the visitors to 256/3 in their allotted 50 overs.

Defending 257, Fidel Edwards terrorised the Zimbabwe batters as he took the wickets of Vusi Sibanda (7), Barney Rogers (0), Craig Wishart (0), Mark Vermeulen (6) and Stuart Matsikenyeri (6) in the first four overs of his ODI career. He later dismissed wicket-keeper batter Tatenda Taibu (66) to finish with six wickets on his ODI debut. West Indies won the match by 72 runs by D/L method.

Namibia all-rounder Jan Frylinck is third on the list as he scalped five wickets for 13 runs against Oman during an ICC World Cricket League 2 encounter at Windhoek in 2019.

After Namibia posted 226/7 in their 50 overs, left-arm pacer Jan Frylinck made a dream debut to help his side secure a massive 145-run victory.

Defending a total of 227, Frylinck scalped the wickets of Khawar Ali (3), Aqib Ilyas (13), captain Zeeshan Maqsood (12), Suraj Kumar (27) and Fayyaz Butt (1) to bundle out Oman for 81.

Australia’s Tony Dodemaide and Uvais Karnain of Sri Lanka complete the top five list of best bowling figures on ODI debut.

While right-arm pacer Dodemaide picked 5/21 against Sri Lanka in Perth in 1988, Karnain also took 5/26 against New Zealand in Moratuwa in 1984. 

Interestingly, Sri Lankan right-arm medium pacer Karnain was the first cricketer to take a five-wicket haul on ODI debut.

Since then, as many as 14 bowlers have picked five or more wickets on ODI debut so far.

Best bowling figures on ODI debut

Player	Overs	Runs	Wickets	Team	Against	Ground	Year
Kagiso Rabada	8	16	6	South Africa	Bangladesh	Mirpur	2015
Fidel Edwards	7	22	6	West Indies	Zimbabwe	Harare	2003
Jan Frylinck	8	13	5	Namibia	Oman	Windhoek	2019
Tony Dodemaide	7.2	21	5	Australia	Sri Lanka	Perth	1988
Uvais Karnain	8	26	5	Sri Lanka	New Zealand	Moratuwa	1984
Austin Codrington	9	27	5	Canada	Bangladesh	Durban	2003
Taskin Ahmed	8	28	5	Bangladesh	India	Mirpur	2014
Allan Donald	8.4	29	5	South Africa	India	Kolkata	1991
Brian Vitori	10	30	5	Zimbabwe	Bangladesh	Harare	2011
Dasun Shanaka	9	43	5	Sri Lanka	Ireland	Dublin	2016

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Featured photo: ICC

Dwayne Bravo and Harshal Patel are the joint-holders of the record for most wickets in a single Indian T20 League season. The pacers scalped 32 wickets in 2013 and 2021, respectively.

Bravo held the record solo for eight years when he took 32 wickets at an economy rate of 7.95 in the 2013 edition. These exploits earned him the first of his two Purple Caps.

Eight years later, Harshal Patel would match Bravo’s record achievement as he bagged 32 wickets for Team Bangalore in the Indian T20 League 2021. Although Patel achieved the tally in fewer matches (15), his economy rate was a tad bit expensive in comparison to the former (8.14).

South African pacer Kagiso Rabada is third on the list of most wickets in a single Indian T20 League with 30 scalps. The former Delhi pacer, who joined Team Punjab for the 2022 campaign, took wickets on a whim that year but at a heavy cost of 548 runs. Rabada, unfortunately, is the only bowler to take the most wickets and concede the most runs in the same season.

Lasith Malinga and James Faulkner complete the top five list for most wickets in a single season. The seasoned pacers, both retired, registered 28 wickets in a single campaign in the 2011 and 2013 editions, respectively.

Malinga’s economy rate of 5.95 from 16 matches in the 2011 season is one of the best for any bowler in a single Indian T20 League season, and his performance is what keeps him apart from Faulkner.

Australian James Faulkner grabbed 28 wickets at an economy of 6.75 in the 2013 Indian T20 League and eventually lost the Purple Cap honour to Dwayne Bravo at the end of the campaign.

Most wickets in a single Indian T20 League season

Player	Runs	Wickets	Economy	Season
Dwayne Bravo	497	32	7.95	2013
Harshal Patel	459	32	8.14	2021
Kagiso Rabada	548	30	8.34	2020
Lasith Malinga	375	28	5.95	2011
James Faulkner	427	28	6.75	2013

Author: William Paul

Featured photo: AFP / ARUN SANKAR

The Indian T20 League, since its inception in 2008, has been a bystander to some of the most breathtaking bowling performances over the years. Right from Lasith Malinga’s inch-perfect yorkers to the devastating pace lengths of Harshal Patel, the spectators have been duly entertained by something extremely miraculous.

The nature of the league or the format per se is such that you are bound to stay connected right till the end. But what makes the league even more interesting is the fight to win the individual awards. In context, the Indian T20 League honours the bowler with the most number of wickets with a Purple Cap at the end of every season.

2008: Sohail Tanvir (Rajasthan)

Pakistani players played only the inaugural season of the league, and that was enough for Sohail Tanvir to assert his claim. Representing Rajasthan in 2008, the left-arm pacer played a key role in his side’s route to the final. During the course, he picked 22 wickets in 11 games at an impressive average of 12.09.

2009: RP Singh (Deccan)

RP Singh was an absolute revelation in the second edition of the tournament. Applauded for his mesmerizing in-swingers and an ability to find a gap between the pad and the bat, he notched up 23 wickets in 16 games to earn the Purple Cap that year.

2010: Pragyan Ojha (Deccan)

After two mediocre seasons, left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha finally burst onto the scene in 2010 with a blistering performance for Deccan. Picking up 21 wickets in 16 games that year, he not only won the Purple Cap but also won the hearts of many.

2011: Lasith Malinga (Mumbai)

Four-time Indian T20 League winner with Mumbai, Lasith Malinga won the Purple Cap in only his third season of the tournament. In 2011, the Sri Lankan pacer returned with a total of 28 wickets in 16 games at a mere economy of 5.95.  

2012: Morne Morkel (Delhi)

Delhi have always been known for their strong overseas bowling core. In 2012, Morne Morkel delivered what was promised as he went on to pick 25 wickets in 16 games, but that, unfortunately, wasn’t enough as his side crashed out of the play-offs stage.

2013: Dwayne Bravo (Chennai)

In 2013, Chennai made it to their second consecutive Indian T20 League finals. While their batting was top-notch that year, their bowling contingent oozed similar confidence and a certain Dwayne Bravo was at the pinnacle of it. The West Indies all-rounder picked a whopping 32 wickets to win his first Purple Cap of the Indian T20 League. His figures in 2013 remain the best for any bowler in a single season.

2014: Mohit Sharma (Chennai)

Mohit Sharma arguably remains one of the finest finds of the Indian T20 League. In 2014, the medium-pacer topped the bowling charts after picking 23 wickets in 16 games for Chennai

2015: Dwayne Bravo (Chennai)

For the third time running, a Chennai bowler emerged as the highest wicket-taker of the Indian T20 League. In 2015, Dwayne Bravo became the first player to win the Purple Cap twice after he scalped 26 wickets in 17 games to take his team all the way to the final. He even took the joint-most catches - 13 - in that edition.

2016: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Hyderabad)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was a headache for the opposition batsmen in 2016. Playing for Hyderabad, his perfect line and length culminated in him picking 23 wickets in 17 games at an economy of 7.42 to win the Purple Cap that year.

2017: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Hyderabad)

Hyderabad failed to defend their title in 2017, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar once again topped the wicket-taking chart, becoming only the second player to win two Purple Caps. That year, he picked 26 wickets in just 14 games.

2018: Andrew Tye (Punjab)

Australian pacer Andrew Tye impressed one and all with his breathtaking performance in the 2018 edition of the tournament. That year, his three four-wicket hauls took his total tally to 24 wickets in just 14 games, which was enough to have a Purple Cap on his head. 

2019: Imran Tahir (Chennai)

Known for his extravagant celebrations, South African spinner Imran Tahir defeated his fellow countryman Kagiso Rabada to win the Purple Cap in 2019 after picking 26 wickets in 17 games at an economy rate of 6.69.

2020: Kagiso Rabada (Delhi) 

After missing out on the Purple Cap in 2020, Kagiso Rabada won the Purple Cap as he scalped 30 wickets in 17 matches at an economy rate of 8.34. The South African fought off competition from Mumbai's Jasprit Bumrah to finish as the leading wicket-taker in the 13th edition of the T20 extravaganza.

2021: Harshal Patel (Bangalore)

Harshal Patel had a season to remember in Indian T20 League 2021, as he matched Dwayne Bravo's record for most wickets in a single campaign (32). Patel also scripted history as the bowler with most wickets during the league phase of an Indian T20 League season, surpassing Lasith Malinga's 27 scalps in 2011.

Purple Cap winners in Indian T20 League

Player	Year	Wickets
Sohail Tanvir	2008	22
RP Singh	2009	23
Pragyan Ojha	2010	21
Lasith Malinga	2011	28
Morne Morkel	2012	25
Dwayne Bravo	2013	32
Mohi Sharma	2014	23
Dwayne Bravo	2015	26
Bhuvneshwar Kumar	2016	23
Bhuvneshwar Kumar	2017	26
Andrew Tye	2018	24
Imran Tahir	2019	26
Kagiso Rabada	2020	30
Harshal Patel	2021	32

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Sajjad Hussain

After years of hits and misses, Team Delhi reached their maiden finals of the Indian T20 League in the 2020 edition but finished as the second-best. This was seen as a sign of rejuvenation for a team that often stalled when a winning opportunity knocked on the door.

With Rishabh Pant taking over as Delhi captain in place of the injured Shreyas Iyer, onlookers are curious if the franchise can indeed end their title drought this year. However, considering their performances last term - where they lost just two league games in the first nine before winning one in the last five, consistency is something the 23-year-old will demand from his team-mates.

Delhi kick off their Indian T20 League 2021 season against Chennai at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday, April 10, and upon closer look of their squad depth, it is safe to say the franchise can possibly go the distance in the latest edition.

Team Delhi squad

Shreyas Iyer’s absence is a massive blow to Delhi’s batting strategy in the Indian T20 League but the team can somehow fill the void with some powerful knocks from Steve Smith - acquired for a meagre fee of Rs 2.20 crores.

The 2020 finalists retained 19 players and released six players - which included the likes of Alex Carey, Keemo Paul and Jason Roy - ahead of the February auctions.

 

• Are Team Mumbai equipped to win their sixth Indian T20 League title?

 

With a purse of Rs 13.40 crores, Delhi weren’t expected to do much business but by adding Smith, Sam Billings (Rs 2 crores) and Umesh Yadav (Rs 1 crore), the team bolstered their options in the batting and pace bowling sector.

England all-rounder Tom Curran was the most expensive buy at Rs 5.25 crore and much will be expected from him in a pace line-up that consists of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Ishant Sharma, besides the 33-year-old Yadav.

Team Delhi squad for Indian T20 League 2021: Shreyas Iyer (ruled out), Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (captain and wicket-keeper), Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Woakes, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, Lalit Yadav, Pravin Dubey, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ishant Sharma, Avesh Khan, Steve Smith, Umesh Yadav, Ripal Patel, Vishnu Vinod, Lukman Meriwala, Manimaran Siddarth, Tom Curran, Sam Billings

Team Delhi strength and weakness

Strengths:

Delhi is one of the few teams whose batting line-up is quite intimidating, and their performances in the 2020 season showcased their intent to challenge for the title. The likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant will be charged with laying the foundations for match-winning totals.

 

• Can Rajasthan finally find a good balance in Indian T20 League 2021 season?

 

Prithvi Shaw, who had a forgettable campaign with Delhi last term, warmed up for the upcoming season with 800-plus runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and will look to prove his detractors wrong.

In Marcus Stoinis, Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel, Delhi have some quality all-rounders who can chip in runs and also take wickets to place the tide of an Indian T20 League in their favour.

The middle-order batters had smashed 1290 runs last season, the most by batsmen in the #4 - #7 slot and the addition of Sam Billings should give an exciting injection to Delhi.

Weakness:

The presence of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Ishant Sharma already made Delhi’s bowling attack something for opposition to fear. But, it is their tendency to leak runs in crucial periods - such as the death overs - which could ultimately cost them a win. They have conceded 595 runs in the powerplay overs - third-most by any team. Pant must devise an effective plan around his bowlers and see that his strengths in the batting and bowling departments are equally balanced.

• Three things Delhi should do to win their maiden title

 

 

For Rishabh Pant, there isn’t a recognised wicket-keeper back-up for him in the Delhi team. Considering the new captain will have new responsibilities to shoulder, and fatigue likely to take a toll on him, the Ricky Ponting-coached team will have to shift their team dynamics should they give the keeping duties to Sam Billings.

Who can be the highest run-scorer for Team Delhi?

Rishabh Pant has had an enjoyable 2021 so far, with a string of match-winning performances in the recent series against England convincing the management to hand him the reigns of the Delhi captaincy. The 23-year-old has stacked 2079 runs in just 68 games at an average and strike rate of 35.23 and 151.97 respectively, a sign that he is prepared to anchor Delhi’s charge for a maiden Indian T20 League crown.

Who can be the highest wicket-taker for Team Delhi?

Looking up at Delhi’s bowling options, one can simply say the Kagiso Rabada will be the champion bowler for the team in the 2021 edition. However, those who have followed the league closely, Amit Mishra will be the leading contender to play a key role in the upcoming campaign. The 38-year-old, with 160 wickets in the T20 extravaganza, featured in three games last term before a finger injury ended his campaign. Mishra is on the cusp of two major milestones - 11 wickets to become the highest wicket-taker in the Indian T20 League and five matches to become the first Delhi player with 100 appearances in the cash-rich league.

Where will Team Delhi finish in Indian T20 League 2021?

Delhi’s current team roster is an indication that they could make it into the playoffs round at the very least, and the presence of experienced figures in Dhawan, Ashwin, Smith and Rahane will be influential to their cause. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to perfect execution of their strengths and that is something Rishabh Pant will need to work in tandem with head coach Ricky Ponting.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Sajjad Hussain

Check out the top bowlers in the Indian T20 League this season and find out who’s leading in the most wickets taken chart in this year's Purple Cap leaderboard.

The Purple Cap is awarded to the bowler with most dismissals at the end of the tournament. The award is passed on from one bowler to another depending on who has taken most wickets at the time before the final winner is decided at the end of the tournament.

Pakistan pacer Sohail Tanvir won the Purple Cap in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2008 after taking 22 wickets and playing a crucial role in Rajasthan's only victorious campaign to date.

The following two editions saw RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha win the Purple Cap with the now-defunct Deccan team in 2009 and 2010 respectively.

The leading wicket-taker in the tournament's history with 170 scalps, Lasith Malinga won the Purple Cap in the following edition in 2011 and Morne Morkel was the bowler with most wickets in the subsequent edition.

The only two bowlers who have won the Purple Cap on more than one occasion are Chennai’s Dwayne Bravo, who had the most wickets in 2013 as well as 2015 and Hyderabad’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who had dismissed more batsmen than any other bowler in 2016 and 2017.

Chennai, in fact, took home the Purple Cap for three successive seasons from 2013 to 2015. As mentioned above, Bravo accounted for two of those, while Mohit Sharma was their main man with the ball in 2014.

The last two editions witnessed Punjab’s Andrew Tye bag the award in 2018 and Chennai’s Imran Tahir went home with the prize in 2019.

Indian T20 League 2020 Purple Cap holder

Delhi pacer Kagiso Rabada managed to pip the Mumbai duo to win the 2020 Indian T20 League Purple Cap after picking 30 wickets in 17 games.

Position	Player	Team	Wickets
1	Kagiso Rabada	Delhi	30
2	Jasprit Bumrah	Mumbai	27
3	Trent Boult	Mumbai	25
4	Anrich Nortje	Delhi	22
5	Yuzvendra Chahal	Bangalore	21

Feature image courtesy: Twitter.com / Mumbai

The penultimate game of the season will see Delhi take on Hyderabad for a chance to play in the Indian T20 League 2020 final and I'm very excited for this match-up as it pits one of the best teams in the tournaments in Delhi against the in-form, firing-on-all-cylinders Hyderabad.

It’s that time in the tournament where the big players need to step up and be responsible for guiding their team to victory. So, with that in mind, here are the players I think will be the ones to decide this contest:

Delhi �Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada has been Delhi’s ace pacer this season, but he had an outing to forget against Mumbai in Qualifier 1, giving away 42 runs in his quota of four overs in what was a rare wicketless game for the South African. What probably hurt him more was that he also had to see Jasprit Bumrah pick four wickets and take a two-wicket lead in the race for the Purple Cap. I'm certain Rabada can’t wait to redeem himself on Sunday against the team that smashed him for 54 runs in their most recent league stage encounter.

Hyderabad �David Warner

Captain David Warner has been in sublime form for Hyderabad, notching up 546 runs and trailing only KL Rahul in the race for the Orange Cap. His incredible knock of 85 against Mumbai helped Hyderabad reach the playoffs, and while he checked out early against Bangalore in the Eliminator, he looked in good touch during his brief stay at the crease. Warner's performance will likely decide who goes on to face Mumbai in the final on Tuesday.

Delhi �Marcus Stoinis

If not for Marcus Stoinis, Delhi would have probably suffered one of the most embarrassing defeats in franchise history against Mumbai in Qualifier 1. The Australian all-rounder picked a wicket in his only over and then scored 65 off 46 balls after coming in to bat with the score at 0/3, keeping Delhi in the hunt right up until the 16th over. Stoinis possesses the ability to take the game away from the opposition on his own and Delhi will need him to bring his A-game again on Sunday against Hyderabad.

Hyderabad �Jason Holder

Mitchell Marsh's injury proved to be a blessing in disguise for Hyderabad as his replacement Jason Holder has been one of the stars for the side and would be one of the contenders for MVP if we only considered the second half of the season. Holder has picked up 13 wickets in six matches at an economy rate of 7.62 and also scored some handy runs with the bat, the highlight being his measured knock of 24 against Bangalore in the Eliminator. The West Indian is crucial to Hyderabad's chances of not only beating Delhi but also going all the way.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @IndianT20League

Mumbai made it three wins in three against Delhi this Indian T20 League season by defeating Shreyas Iyer's team by 57 runs in the first Qualifier on Thursday to book their place in the final for the third time in four years.

The defending champions dominated the games right from the outset despite losing their captain Rohit Sharma early in the game. Riding on the back of two 50+ runs partnerships, Mumbai posted 200/5 on board and a sensational bowling effort from Jasprit Bumrah (14/4) and Trent Boult (9/2) guided Mumbai to a comfortable victory.

A game that was held at Mumbai's way for a majority of time had plenty of things to talk about.

Rohit Sharma’s form ringing alarm bells at Mumbai 

The Mumbai captain was dismissed on a golden duck on Thursday - his first since May 2018 - meaning that he now has the most ducks in Indian T20 League history alongside Harbhajan Singh and Parthiv Patel. Sharma’s form has certainly been alarming given that he has registered six single-digit scores this season, and Mumbai just cannot afford to take it lightly especially at this stage of the tournament. While dropping a captain can be a grinding statement, the hierarchy needs to take into account how Ishan Kishan coped after being promoted up in the order. 

A breakdown in figures of Rohit Sharma, Quinton de Kock and Ishan Kishan outline further conflict as the skipper has averaged a mere 19.57 in the Powerplay overs this season, scoring 137 runs in 11 innings while being dismissed a whopping seven times. Ishan Kishan, who has played two fewer innings than the captain during this phase, has scored 136 runs at an average of 136. Kishan, in fact, is averaging 100 while opening (four innings), but the figures drop subsequently to 40.14 at No. 4. Not exactly a poor return, per se, but the numbers speak for themselves. 

Mumbai players in Powerplay in 2020
Player	Innings	Runs	Balls	Dismissals	Dot Balls	4s	6s	Average	St. Rate	Balls per boundary
Rohit Sharma	11	137	124	7	69	14	7	19.57	110.48	5.9
Ishan Kishan	9	136	114	1	56	19	4	136	119.29	4.95
Q. de Kock	15	289	210	7	87	31	10	41.28	137.61	5.12

Is it time for Mumbai to reconsider?

Bowling units on a different spectrum

Quick recap:

1: Wickets taken by Delhi pacers on the night.

6: Wickets taken by Mumbai pacers on the night.

Amongst the pacer who bowled more than two overs for Delhi, Kagiso Rabada turned out to be the most economical one, ending his night with a lowly figure of 10.50. The likes of Anrich Nortje and Daniel Sams, on the other hand, went for 12.50 and 11.00 respectively. The three men, in fact, combined for just one wicket and seemed to have run out of ideas, allowing the Mumbai batsmen to pick their lines quite early on. It is safe to say that Nortje’s obdurate approach of constantly delivering short-pitch bowls gave Mumbai a helping hand in one way or another.

In the 16th over, the South African was hit for 18 runs. In the final over, his reluctancy of bowling through the stumps to Hardik Pandya was punished by 20 runs, meaning that the 26-year-old gave away 50 runs on the night - a whopping 25 percent of Mumbai’s total.

Contrary to Delhi’s return though, Mumbai struck in the very first over, dismissing Prithvi Shaw and Ajinkya Rahane, restricting them from opening the account. On came Bumrah after Trent Boult’s carnage and it was three-for-none in no time. The pacers�effort of combining for four wickets in the Powerplay overs was duly rewarded as Delhi managed a mere 32 runs during the phase. Delhi did manage to climb the impossible ladder during the middle overs, with Marcus Stoinis and Axar Patel combining for 71 runs, but the Australian simply had no answers to Bumrah's trickery, who dismissed him in the very first ball upon returning in the 16th over.

Prithvi Shaw needs a fix

179: Runs scored by Prithvi Shaw in his first five games.

26: Runs scored by the 20-year-old in his last five outings.

A duck on Thursday means Prithvi Shaw has now been dismissed without opening his account on three occasions this season; joint highest alongside Shikhar Dhawan, Dinesh Karthik and Nitish Rana. Delhi will get another go at booking their place in the final, but if they are to turn their fortunes against Mumbai, they need to find the lost form of Prithvi Shaw. Opening the batting means he is certain to square off against pacers, against whom he has been utterly inadequate. In fact, this season, 12 of his 15 dismissals have come against pacers while scoring just 122 runs during the entirety of the season.

Openers are tasked to set the momentum and have the luxury of welting during the field restriction and failing at it causes rupture, as we saw tonight. What Delhi needs to do is to let bygones be bygones and work on Shaw’s deficiencies if they are to have a go at the title.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @IndianT20League