Indian T20 League, the most-watched cricket league in the world, usually sets explosive batting and powerful hitting as the centre of attention. What the fans tend to overlook, though, is the fact that bowlers are actually the trump cards, who are equally capable of dictating the pace of the game.

Since its inception in 2008, the league has seen some of the most breathtaking bowling performances and these five players dominate the list of tournament’s all-time top wicket-takers.

Most wickets in Indian T20 League

5. Ravichandran Ashwin 

Having been loyal to just one Indian T20 League side, the right-arm off-break bowler has notched 180 wickets in 177 games at an average of 25.39. The lead spinner for team Kolkata is also one of the few bowlers in the league with seven four-wicket hauls to his name.

4. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Playing for the Hyderabad franchise in the 2024 season of the Indian T20 League, India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been a vital cog for this team. In the course of 176 matches across seasons, Bhuvneshwar has scalped 181 wickets at an average of 27.23 and an economy rate of 7.56.

3. Dwayne Bravo

Dwayne Bravo, who is one of the two players to have won the Purple Cap twice in the league, started his career with Mumbai before moving to MS Dhoni-led Chennai in 2011. Having played 14 seasons, the West Indies cricketer picked 183 wickets in 161 matches while holding an economy of 8.38.

2. Piyush Chawla

Having played for Punjab from 2008 till 2013, leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was roped in by Kolkata in 2014, and he performed well for them before joining Team Mumbai. In 192 matches so far, Chawla surpasses Bravo's record to have scalped 192 wickets. He holds an average of 26.6 and an economy rate of 7.96.

1. Yuzvendra Chahal

The fourth Indian spinner in this top five, no bowler has taken more wickets in the Indian T20 League than Yuzvendra Chahal. The tricky right-arm spinner boasts plenty of variations and can turn the ball a long way. In 160 games so far, he's taken 205 wickets at an impressive average of 22.45 and an economy of 7.84.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Manjunath Kiran

The Dharamshala Cricket Stadium is a picturesque international cricket stadium located in Dharamshala hill station of Himachal Pradesh, India.

Also known as the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium (abbreviated as the HPCA Stadium), the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium is considered to be one of the most beautiful cricket grounds in the world.

Established in 2003, the world-class venue has a seating capacity of 23,000. 

Situated at an altitude of 1,457 m above sea level and overlooked by the snow-capped Himalayan mountains in the background, the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium staged its first international match, a One Day International (ODI) played between India and England in 2013. Since then, the stadium has hosted 10 T20Is, nine ODIs and two Test matches so far. 

Known for being the abode of spiritual leader Dalai Lama, Dharamshala has been the home ground for Himachal Pradesh cricket team and also for Team Punjab in the Indian T20 League. The HPCA stadium has also hosted several domestic matches including Ranji Trophy and few Indian T20 League matches.

Let’s have a closer look at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium T20 records and stats.

Dharamshala Cricket Stadium T20 records and stats

Highest total

Team Punjab holds the record for the highest total at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium in T20 cricket. During an Indian T20 League match in 2011, the Adam Gilchrist-led Punjab posted 232/2 in their 20 overs against Team Bangalore. Captain Adam Gilchrist led from the front as he slammed a 55-ball 106 along with contributions from Shaun Marsh (79 not out) to post a record T20 total at the venue. In reply, Team Bangalore were bundled out for 121 in 17 overs as Punjab won the match by 111 runs. 

Lowest total

The Ireland cricket team registered the lowest total at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium in the T20 format. In a rain-curtailed six-over match, Ireland could only manage 47/7 in reply to Netherlands�?59/5 during the World T20 First Round Group A match in 2016. Meanwhile, the Punjab cricket team recorded the lowest total at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in domestic T20 cricket. Chasing 128, Punjab were bowled out for 101 in 19.3 overs against Jammu & Kashmir in an Inter State Twenty-20 Tournament match in 2017. Earlier, J&K posted 127/7 in their allotted overs to register a 26-run victory.

Most runs

Australian cricketer Shaun Marsh scored the most runs at the venue in T20 cricket. Representing Team Punjab in the Indian T20 League, the swashbuckling left-handed batter amassed 334 runs in seven matches at an average of 66.80 and a strike rate of 142.73. Marsh slammed three fifties at this venue in T20 cricket. Former Team Punjab captain Adam Gilchrist features second on the list with 295 runs in eight matches.

Most wickets

Veteran Indian spinner Piyush Chawla has bagged the most wickets at this cricket ground in the T20 format. Playing for Team Punjab in the Indian T20 League, the leg-spinner scalped 10 wickets in nine T20 matches at an average of 18.23 and an economy of 7.18. Pacer Sandeep Sharma is second on the list with 10 scalps in seven T20 games at this venue. Having represented the likes of Punjab, Rajasthan in the Indian T20 League and Punjab in domestic cricket, Sandeep bowled at an impressive economy of 6.71 and an average of 18.80.

Highest individual score

Adam Gilchrist and Rohit Sharma share the record for the highest individual score at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium in T20 cricket. Opening the batting, former Team Punjab skipper Gilchrist smashed 106 off 55 balls against Team Bangalore during an Indian T20 League match in 2011. His knock was laced with eight fours and nine sixes. Rohit Sharma also scored a 66-ball 106 in the first T20I of South Africa’s tour of India in 2015. Rohit’s knock included 12 fours and five maximums. 

Best bowling figures

India spinner Amit Mishra has the best bowling figures at this venue in the T20 format. Playing for his former side Team Deccan in the Indian T20 League, the leg-spinner registered match-winning figures of 4/9 against Team Punjab in 2011. Defending 198, Mishra dismissed Ryan McLaren, Mandeep Singh, Ryan Harris and Praveen Kumar to help bowl out Punjab for 116 in 19 overs. Earlier, Deccan posted 198/2 in their allotted overs.

Highest partnership

Team Punjab’s Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh hold the record for the highest partnership at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium in T20 cricket. During an Indian T20 League match in 2011, Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh forged a brilliant 206-run partnership for the second wicket against Team Bangalore. Gilchrist hammered 106 while Marsh scored 79 not out to power Punjab to 232/2 in their 20 overs. Punjab later skittled out Bangalore for 121 to register a 111-run victory.

Photo credit: Alamy

Veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla may have found it difficult to establish a place in Team India’s starting XI, but he has never fallen short of suitors in the Indian T20 League circuit since the very beginning. 

Between 2008-2013, Chawla played for Team Punjab and picked 84 wickets during the tenure. That makes up for a whopping 53.85 per cent of his total wickets (156) in the Indian T20 League. 

From 2014 to 2019, Chawla represented Team Kolkata and took 66 wickets for them. In 2020, he moved to Team Chennai and after playing just seven matches that year, he was bought by Team Mumbai ahead of the 2021 Indian T20 League season.

Despite being a part of the Indian T20 League since 2008,  Chawla has maintained his economy at 7.87 and is the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the competition’s history. And thus, it comes as no surprise that he has troubled some of the best batsmen in his T20 career.

Batsmen dismissed most number of times by Piyush Chawla in T20 cricket

Of the many players he has dismissed in the shortest format, a certain Ambati Rayudu - his former Chennai teammate - remains his favourite victim. The Chennai batsman has fallen to Piyush Chawla on six occasions; most Chawla has dismissed a player in his T20 career.

Player	Number of dismissals
Ambati Rayudu	6
Suresh Raina	4
Brendon McCullum	4
AB de Villiers	4
Virat Kohli	3

The list is followed by the likes of Suresh Raina, another Chennai batsman, and hard-hitters like Brendon McCullum and AB de Villiers, all of whom he bagged four times. Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli and Australian all-rounder Shane Watson feature in the list too. The duo has been dismissed on three occasions by the leg-spinner.

Piyush Chawla may have played just seven Twenty20 Internationals for India, but he has gone on to establish himself as one of the veterans of the Indian T20 League.

Featured photo: AFP / Manjunath Kiran

It has been a decade since Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit the iconic six to seal the 2011 ICC World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium, thereby making India the first team to lift the World Cup trophy on home soil.

The Indian cricket team has gone from strength to strength in world cricket since then but where are the players now?.

Here’s a look at the current status of the players from the 2011 World Cup-winning Indian team.

2011 World Cup-winning Indian team: Playing XI for final vs Sri Lanka

Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain and wicket-keeper), Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, S Sreesanth

Sachin Tendulkar: The Master Blaster ended the 2011 World Cup as the second-highest run-getter with 482 runs, with two centuries. He played an important role in India clinching the title.

Sachin continued playing until the 2012 Asia Cup, where he reached his 100th international century and retired from ODIs thereafter. Meanwhile, Tendulkar’s Test career continued till November 2013, when he played his 200th Test match and retired from all forms of cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar is now the 'Icon' of Mumbai in the Indian T20 League and also makes occasional appearances on several talk shows.

Virender Sehwag: It was Tendulkar-Sehwag’s opening pair that had propelled India to strong starts at the 2011 World Cup. The explosive Nawab of Najafgarh had ended the ICC tournament with 380 runs including a century to his name.

Virender Sehwag’s form post the ICC World Cup was inconsistent until early 2013. He was eventually dropped. He continued playing domestic tournaments and was a mainstay in the Indian T20 League until 2015. Sehwag announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in January 2016.

Active on social media, Sehwag has also garnered a fan-following due to his quirky Hindi commentary. He also donned the hat for coaching and mentoring, most notably for Punjab in the Indian T20 League.

Gautam Gambhir: The aggressive southpaw was India’s top scorer in the 2011 World Cup final with 97 runs and is widely considered to be one of India’s unsung heroes. Gautam Gambhir ended the tournament as the sixth-highest scorer with 393 runs.

Surprisingly, Gautam Gambhir’s brilliant batting wasn’t acknowledged with national call-ups as he was dropped from both the Test and limited-overs side soon after. Gambhir continued playing in the Indian T20 League and led Kolkata to two titles in 2012 and 2014. His consistency got him brief stints in the Test side in 2014 and 2016 but Gambhir wasn’t effective enough.

The most difficult decisions are often taken with the heaviest of hearts.

And with one heavy heart, I’ve decided to make an announcement that I’ve dreaded all my life.

➡️http://t.co/J8QrSHHRCT@BCCI #Unbeaten

�?Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) December 4, 2018

Gambhir announced his retirement in December 2018 to foray into politics and won from the East Delhi constituency in the Lok Sabha elections. He is currently a member of the Parliament.

Virat Kohli: If there has been any Indian player from the 2011 World Cup squad who has grown leaps and bounds, it’s Virat Kohli. Since lifting the World Cup as a 22-year-old, Kohli has gone on to become India’s captain across all formats and create unparalleled records.

The Delhi-lad has amassed over 25 centuries in Tests and over 40 tons in ODIs. He was also honoured with the Sir Garfield Sobers award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade and ICC Men’s ODI Player of the Decade at the ICC Awards of the Decade.

After becoming India’s Test captain in 2015 and the ODI and T20I captain in 2017, Virat Kohli led India to the ICC Champions Trophy final in 2017 and the 2019 World Cup semi-final. In the Indian T20 League, Virat Kohli has been piling runs for Bengaluru.

Yuvraj Singh: Amassing 362 runs and scalping 15 wickets in the 2011 World Cup, Yuvraj Singh was India's standout player and was even adjudged the Player of the Tournament.

A 29-year-old Yuvraj was in the form of his life and the all-rounder had a bright future. But months after the World Cup win, Yuvraj was diagnosed with cancer and by the time he could make a comeback to international cricket, it was 2012.

However, Yuvraj Singh was never the same since and after sporadic stints in Indian colours he eventually announced his retirement in June 2019. He still occasionally plays cricket having done so in the Abu Dhabi T10 and the Road Safety World Series.

Well done youngsters !!! congratulations #indian legends @sachin_rt @virendersehwag @MohammadKaif @munafpa99881129 @imMsgony @IrfanPathan @iamyusufpathan pic.twitter.com/ZTFX8MlfMh

�?Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) March 21, 2021

MS Dhoni: It was the captain’s unbeaten 91-run knock in the final that helped India lift their first 50-over ICC World Cup in 28 years, and his match-winning six is now the stuff of legends.

With two World Cup trophies in his cabinet, MS Dhoni earned the label of ‘Captain Cool�? He won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. 

In 2015, MS Dhoni shockingly decided to retire from Test cricket. He played his last ODI match for India in the 2019 ICC World Cup and eventually announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020.

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A post shared by M S Dhoni (@mahi7781)

However, MS Dhoni continues to ply his trade in the Indian T20 League. The Chennai captain has led his team to three titles and will look to lead his franchise to another title in the upcoming edition of the league.

Suresh Raina: The Uttar Pradesh-lad played quite a few valuable knocks in the middle-order during the 2011 World Cup and later went on to become one of India’s most reliable batsmen in the subsequent five years.

Runs eventually dried up for the southpaw and Raina was dropped from the ODI side in 2015 and the T20 side in 2016. Despite his comeback in 2018, he wasn’t selected for the 2019 World Cup. Incidentally, Raina announced his retirement from all forms on August 15, 2020, just moments after Dhoni’s retirement.

Though Raina missed the 2020 Indian T20 League owing to the pandemic, ‘Mr IPL�?has been retained for the 2021 edition by Chennai.

Harbhajan Singh: With nine wickets in the 2011 World Cup, Harbhajan Singh was an important member of the side. But his career plummeted rapidly following the historic win. He was dropped from the ODI side after just five months and from the Test side, six months later.

Though his experience fetched him call-ups in the T20I side in 2012 and 2016, the ‘Turbanator�?wasn’t a regular in the team. However, Harbhajan remains a mainstay in the Indian T20 League, having played for Mumbai, Chennai and now Kolkata.

Looking forward to win another with purple and gold.. thank you for having me.. all you will get from me is 100 percent commitment at all time.. see you all soon #KKRHaiTaiyaar @KKRiders @Eoin16 @iamsrk http://t.co/zVV2h0NZTD

�?Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) February 18, 2021

Zaheer Khan: With a whopping 21 wickets in nine matches, Zaheer Khan was the wrecker-in-chief for India in the 2011 World Cup and the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. However, it could only extend his limited overs career to one more year as the speedster was dropped from the ODI side in 2012 

The left-arm pacer remained a mainstay in the Test side though and ended his international career on his terms in 2014 

He played in the Indian T20 League until 2017 and after retirement, has become a cricket analyst appearing on several shows. Currently, Zaheer Khan is associated with the Mumbai franchise as the director of cricket, where his primary role is to nurture talents.

Munaf Patel: Taking 11 wickets in eight matches at the 2011 World Cup, Munaf Patel was one of the less revered heroes. Patel’s career saw a downward spiral following the campaign, with injuries and poor form seeing him last play for India in 2011.

He remained a mainstay in the Indian T20 League though and kept trying for a national comeback through Baroda in the domestic circuit, but it didn’t work out. Munaf Patel retired in November 2018 and has featured in the Abu Dhabi T10 League for a few seasons. His most recent exploits were at the 2021 Road Safety World Series.

S Sreesanth: S Sreesanth will be remembered as an expensive bowler for India in the final match, as the Kerala pacer had conceded 52 runs without a wicket in eight overs.

Sreesanth was arrested in 2013 on charges of spot-fixing in the Indian T20 League and BCCI gave him a life ban. The decision was, however, set aside by the Supreme Court in 2019 and his sentence was reduced to seven years.

Sreesanth was always in the public eye as he participated in reality TV shows and a few regional films during that time. He last grabbed headlines during the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he made his comeback.

Thanks a lot for all the support and love ..it’s just the beginning..with all of ur wishes and prayers many many many more to go..❤️ lots of respect to u nd family .. #blessed #humbled #cricket #bcci #kerala #love #team #family #india #nevergiveup pic.twitter.com/bMnXbYOrHm

�?Sreesanth (@sreesanth36) January 11, 2021

Other players from India’s 2011 World Cup squad

Ashish Nehra: Ashish Nehra featured in just two matches in the 2011 World Cup. His career between 2011 and 2016 was afflicted by injuries but a magnificent showing at the Indian T20 League in 2014 and 2015 saw him getting national call-up in 2016. Nehra announced his retirement in 2017.

Ravichandran Ashwin: Having an experienced Harbhajan Singh and in-form Yuvraj Singh as spin bowlers, a young Ravichandran Ashwin could get just two matches in the 2011 World Cup. But, the Chennai tweaker still managed to take four wickets, contributing to the team’s success.

Your ICC Men's Test Team of the Decade

A line-up that could probably bat for a week! #ICCAwards pic.twitter.com/Kds4fMUAEG

�?ICC (@ICC) December 27, 2020

R Ashwin has since gone on to become one of the best spinners in the world and India’s red-ball specialist. He was one of India’s best players during the 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy and has become the second quickest bowler to 400 wickets.

Apart from Kohli, R Ashwin was the only Indian cricketer to be named in the ICC Men’s Test Team of the decade. Ravichandran Ashwin has been a mainstay in the Indian T20 League as well.

Piyush Chawla: The leg-spinner had very little role in the 2011 World Cup with many even considering him lucky to be a part of the squad. Chawla was dropped months after the World Cup win and hasn’t played for India since 2012. He is still a regular Ranji Trophy player and has got success in the Indian T20 League with Kolkata.

Yusuf Pathan: Like Chawla, Yusuf Pathan’s contribution in the 2011 World Cup was insignificant. His international career lasted just over a year although he kept churning runs on the domestic front, particularly in the Indian T20 League.

Feature Courtesy Image: AFP/ Manan Vatsyana

Record Indian T20 League champions, team Mumbai entered the auction with a clear idea of roping a strike partner for Jasprit Bumrah. After parting ways with Lasith Malinga, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Pattinson and Mitchell McClenaghan, the dire need of acquiring a front-line pacer was evident and they did get that.

The defending champions are roaring again at the back of retaining the core and would want to become the first team in Indian T20 League history to win the title three times in a row. Judging by the talent they have in their roster, one just cannot rule out the possibility, and the addition of Adam Milne and resigning Coulter-Nile has further helped their cause.

A familiar face has come back to the Wankhede #OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/4jNbQcg4sU

�?Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) February 18, 2021

Apart from the pace duo, the defending champions also acquired the services of Piyush Chawla, who was released by Chennai, James Neesham and Arjun Tendulkar amongst others.

Blue suits PC!

Here’s a message from our latest recruit #OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/QYAGAa2pfu

�?Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) February 18, 2021

Players Bought: Adam Milne (3.20 Cr), Nathan Coulter-Nile (5 Cr), Piyush Chawla (2.4 Cr), James Neesham (50 L), Marco Jensen (20 L), Yudhvir Charak (20 L), Arjun Tendulkar (20 L)

Full Squad: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Quinton de Kock, Anmolpreet Singh, Aditya Tare, Chris Lynn, Saurabh Tiwary, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Jayant Yadav, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohsin Khan, Rahul Chahar, Anukul Roy, Adam Milne, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Piyush Chawla, James Neesham, Marco Jansen, Yudhvir Charak, Arjun Tendulkar.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / Noah Seelam

Three-time Indian T20 League champions Chennai, who finished seventh last year, have started their rebuild by retaining veteran Suresh Raina for the upcoming season and releasing spinner Harbhajan Singh.

The former Indian spinner took to social media to thank the team management by saying, "As my contract comes to an end with Chennai, playing for this team was a great experience. Beautiful memories made and some great friends which I will remember fondly for years to come."

As my contract comes to an end with @ChennaiIPL, playing for this team was a great experience..beautiful memories made &some great friends which I will remember fondly for years to come..Thank you @ChennaiIPL, management, staff and fans for a wonderful 2years.. All the best..

�?Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) January 20, 2021

Chennai's decision to retain Raina was a surprise for many after his shocking departure from the team camp in Dubai last year. Raina had left the Chennai bubble even before the tournament kicked off, sending shockwaves amongst the management and the fans alike. The all-rounder boarded a flight out of the UAE to return to India, citing nothing but personal reasons for his departure.

One of team Chennai's officials, however, has confirmed that despite the previous disagreement, Raina - who is Chennai's most successful batsman with 4,527 runs - will be retained.  

“Yes, we will retain Raina and Dhoni will be the captain. Apart from Harbhajan Singh, we might release a few more players,�?the CSK official told The Indian Express.

"Harbhajan has been released as you are aware and Watson has retired. Apart from that, don't see any big name missing out. Bravo and du Plessis will be with us," a Chennai spokesperson was quoted by ANI.

The other players to be released by Chennai are Piyush Chawla, Kedar Jadhav and Murali Vijay. Chawla was the most expensive Indian player at the 2020 auction (6.75 crores), but the spinner picked a mere six wickets in seven games. Jadhav and Vijay scored 62 (five games) and 32 (three games) runs, respectively.

Releasing as many as four players and the retirement of Shane Watson means the team now has 22.7 crores in their purse ahead of the Indian T20 League 2021 auction.

Released: Kedar Jadhav, Piyush Chawla, Murali Vijay, Harbhajan Singh, Shane Watson, Monu Singh

Retained: Narayan Jagadeesan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KM Asif, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Josh Hazlewood, Karn Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Imran Tahir, Deepak Chahar, Faf du Plessis, Shardul Thakur, Mitchell Santner, Dwayne Bravo, Lungi Ngidi, Sam Curran, Sai Kishore

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Sajjad Hussain

An inspiring innings from Sanju Samson guided Rajasthan to a 16-run victory over Chennai on Tuesday; their eighth win over the three-time Indian T20 League champions in 22 games.

Riding on the back of a 121-run stand between captain Steve Smith and Sanju Samson, Rajasthan posted 216 on board following the final-over carnage by Jofra Archer. Chennai made a glaring start with the bat, but slumped from being 56/1 to 77/4 inside just two overs.

• Steve Smith and Sanju Samson set Twitter on fire

There were several things to take note of from the game, including Rahul Tewatia’s three-wicket haul and Faf de Plessis�?yet another majestic innings. That said, here we take a look at what we learned from Rajasthan’s first triumph over Chennai in three attempts.

Samson is Rajasthan’s trump card

While captain Steve Smith led from the front, Sanju Samson yet again delivered a performance of a lifetime, scoring a quickfire 74 off 32 deliveries which included a whopping nine sixes and a boundary. Rajasthan were 10/1 after three overs and with both Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler absent, they were in a dire need of a strong partnership to set the stage for the batsmen to come. On came Samson and opened the floodgates, scoring 78.38 percent of runs just from the boundaries.

FIFTY!

Sanju Samson on fire! He brings up a quickfire half-century off 19 deliveries #Dream11IPL #RRvCSK pic.twitter.com/wrmwCUk5B4

�?IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) September 22, 2020

Prior to this game, the 25-year-old had scored a measly 79 runs in seven innings against Chennai, with his highest being 26. He was equally impressive even with the gloves, having played part in as many as four wickets (two stumpings and as many catches).

Once Stokes and Buttler are back, all eyes will be set on Rajasthan’s famed foreign contingent, but keep an eye on Samson in the midst. Expect him to be his side’s silent assassin.

Bad day in store for Ngidi and Chawla

After an exhilarating display in the opening game, a lot was expected from pacer Lungi Ngidi and Piyush Chawla. Chawla, the 31-year-old Aligarh-born leggie, who picked his 151st Indian T20 League wicket on Saturday, becoming the third-highest wicket-taker in Indian T20 League’s history, was fairly economical against Mumbai, but all that changed on Tuesday. Chawla gave 28 runs in his first overs, that included four sixes, and his figure went up to 47 after two overs. He did scalp a wicket on the night, but that came at an expense of a hefty economy rate of 13.75.

http://t.co/ikKdSK3Ocm pic.twitter.com/tmSQmQglDX

�?Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) September 22, 2020

Ngidi, for his part, conceded runs at 9.50 against Mumbai, but a return of three wickets all but overshadowed the leak. Against Rajasthan, he not only gave away runs at 14.00 but also returned with a solitary wicket. Not to forget the last over fiasco where he conceded a whopping 30 runs; the joint-most expensive 20th over in the Indian T20 League.

Sam Curran is the real deal

It was the usual notion that Chennai would dearly miss their star all-rounder Dwayne Bravo in their opening game against Mumbai, but little did everybody know what England’s Sam Curran was about to deliver. He may have only picked a solitary wicket while conceding 28 runs against the defending champions, but his scalp came at a crucial point. With the bat, the young 22-year-old smashed 18 off just six as Chennai registered their first victory of the tournament.

On Tuesday, all eyes were on Curran and it is safe to say he didn’t disappoint. While every other bowler was hit across the park, the 22-year-old conceded 33 in his four overs, the second-best figure for Chennai on the night, and notched three wickets, that of Steve Smith, Rahul Tewatia and Riyan Parag. 

Curran showed sheer confidence even with the bat, opening his innings with a boundary and two back-to-back maximums before being dismissed in the ninth over. His judgements, especially with the bat, may not be of the highest order, but the youngster has rightfully lived up to his potential even in the pressure moments. And with Bravo still out on the nursing table, Chennai are well and truly in safe hands.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / Rajasthan

Mumbai' struggle on UAE soil continued on Saturday as Chennai, despite a rather difficult start, came back strongly to win the 2020 Indian T20 League opener by five wickets.

The defending champions started on the front foot, with Rohit Sharma opening the honours with a boundary, but soon after the openers were disMumbaissed, Chennai took control of the situation. A win for Chennai means their captain MS Dhoni now has 100 wins for Chennai in the Indian T20 League. The 39-year-old has captained in 161 matches, won 100, lost 60.

Chawla in the league of greats

Despite a strong start, Mumbai stumbled to the bowling brilliance of Piyush Chawla, who ended his day conceding just 21 runs in four overs while picking a wicket. While his return may not have been flattering, the timing of it certainly proved crucial. Both Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock had given Mumbai a positive start, scoring 45 runs in the opening four overs. And after Ngidi was hit for 18 runs in his opening over, momentum was well and truly on Mumbai’s side.

Most wickets in IPL
Player	Wkts
SL Malinga	170
A Mumbaishra	157
PP Chawla	151
Harbhajan Singh	150
DJ Bravo	147

On came Chawla and the picture changed. After having conceded a solitary run in his first three deliveries, the former Kolkata spinner got the better of Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma and set the stage for what was to come. The 31-year-old gave away just three runs in his opening over, which, in a way, paved the way for others to pile on the pressure on Mumbai. Even the likes of Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya struggled to do anything positive.

He had a solitary wicket to his name on the night, but that was enough for him to get into the league of greats, as this return means he is now the third-highest wicket-taker in IPL’s history (151 wickets), behind only Lasith Malinga (170) and Amit Mishra (157).

Watson’s struggle against Mumbai continues

Shane Watson is Chennai’s second-highest runscorer against Mumbai, but his returns against the defending champions haven’t oozed any sort confidence of late. Opening the partnership alongside Murali Vijay, the Australian was dismissed for four, which is now his third single-digit dismissal against Mumbai in his last five outings.

Watson vs Mumbai in last 5 inns in IPL
Venue	Date	Runs
Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi	9-Sep-20	4
Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium	12-May-19	80
MA Chidambaram Stadium	7-May-19	10
MA Chidambaram Stadium	26-Apr-19	8
Wankhede Stadium	3-Apr-19	5

His outstanding performance in last year’s final (80 off 59) remains his highest return, while his other scores read 5, 8, 10 and 4. Meanwhile, early in the game, the 39-year-old became the eighth Australian to take 100 catches as an outfielder when he played his role in disMumbaissing Quinton de Kock. Also, it was the first time that he was disMumbaissed by Trent Boult in the IPL.

Mumbai�?opening game voodoo

Mumbai, since the inaugural edition of the Indian T20 League, have won just four of their 13 opening games, with their last victory coming way back in 2012 against Chennai. Since 2013, the Rohit Sharma-led side has lost to Bangalore once, Kolkata, Pune and Chennai twice, and Delhi once.

Mumbai in their season-opening games in IPL
Season	Opp	Margin	Result	Ground
2008	Bangalore	5 wickets	Lost	Mumbai
2009	Chennai	19 Runs	Won	Cape Town
2010	Rajasthan	4 runs	Won	Mumbai (BS)
2011	Delhi	8 wickets	Won	Delhi
2012	Chennai	8 wickets	Won	Chennai
2013	Bangalore	2 runs	Lost	Bengaluru
2014	Kolkata	41 runs	Lost	Abu Dhabi
2015	Kolkata	7 wickets	Lost	Kolkata
2016	Pune	9 wickets	Lost	Mumbai
2017	Pune	7 wickets	Lost	Pune
2018	Chennai	1 wicket	Lost	Mumbai
2019	Delhi	37 runs	Lost	Mumbai
2020	Chennai	5 wickets	Lost	Abu Dhabi

This was, in fact, their sixth defeat in the United Arab Emirates, meaning that they are still winless at the venue. All of their last five defeats came in the 2014 edition of the tournament. The positive sign, however, was the fact that this was their highest return in the powerplay overs (51) in/ the UAE.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter/Indian T20 League