IPL 2020 Awards | KL Rahul wins Orange cap; Kagiso Rabada bags Purple Cap

ByAakash Sivasubramaniam, SportsCafe Editor

11/11/2020

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Ooof, IPL 2020 was finally done and dusted and with that, the IPL recognised all the fabulous performances this season from the players. KL Rahul nicked the Orange Cap ahead of Shikhar Dhawan while Kagiso Rabada stayed put to win the Purple Cap, but who won the MVP?

Emerging Player of the IPL 2020 - Devdutt Padikkal (473 runs, 5 fifties at a strike-rate of 124.8)

One of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s surprise package this season, Devdutt Padikkal packed quite a big punch in just his first season for the Red and Gold. In 15 games, the southpaw scored 473 runs, including five half-centuries at an average of 31.53 in his debut season for RCB, opening the batting. Alongside that, the left-hander continued from where he left in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he put on a show for Karnataka. For RCB in a rather disappointing end to the season, Padikkal was a shining light or a shining star even with his performance at the top.

“It's a really great achievement for me and gives me great confidence for whatever lies ahead,” muttered Devdutt.

Tata Altroz Super Striker - Kieron Pollard (268 runs, one fifty at a strike-rate of 191.42)

Ah, there was a close competition, there was his team-mate, Hardik Pandya, too, who was lurking on the edge in an attempt to take over Pollard in terms of striking the ball. There was also CSK’s Ravindra Jadeja, who was threatening to take the reins but Pollard aced it just the way he would time the ball with his bat. The all-rounder, the big man from Trinidad, just punched his mark in the tournament, especially the unbeaten 60 against RCB, where they nearly took the team to victory from a spot of bother. At the age of 33, Pollard just seems to smash every delivery that is coming his way.

Most sixes in the competition - Ishan Kishan (30 sixes)

Oh sweet lord, the moment Ishan Kishan stepped on the pitch in the second encounter, he looked possessed, to not just score runs but clear the boundaries plenty of times during the tournament. At the start, it looked like Rajasthan Royals' Sanju Samson was running away with the award of most sixes in the competition but Ishan Kishan chased it really well and took the honours and made it his own. 30 sixes might be just a mark but his 516-run season ensured that Mumbai Indians won the title with ease, their fifth in the history of the competition. On a personal level, this was the best season for the southpaw, having worked really hard on his fitness before the start of this season. Samson, however, narrowly was just four sixes behind his fellow keeper.

Powerplayer of the season - Trent Boult (5 times)

Trent Boult and the powerplay overs seems to be like the best love story out there, so much so that it has taken Mumbai to their fifth title, the most in the IPL. Especially in the powerplay, the left-arm Kiwi swing bowler has picked up 16 wickets, with 14 of them coming in the first three overs. Three of his best spells this tournament - came against Chennai Super Kings in Sharjah, where he blew open the CSK top-order before returning to give Delhi a similar treatment in the first Qualifier and later in the final, where was brilliant in the first six overs.

Orange Cap - KL Rahul (Most runs: 670, Avg: 55.83, SR 129.34, 58 fours, 23 sixes)

KL RAHUL’s season has been exceptional, however, for KXIP they got knocked out before the business end of the tournament. From a personal point of view, the right-hander was once again the franchise’s best batsman and this year the best batsman in the IPL, with 670 runs in the competition, at an average of staggering 55.83, while striking it at 129.34, with 58 boundaries and 23 sixes and scoring 5 half-centuries and one century against Royal Challengers Bangalore. While Shikhar Dhawan got so close to him, the left-hander was still 52 runs behind the right-hander in the Orange Cap race.

“A big thank you to all the supporters. Winning the orange cap feels nice, but it would've been nicer if we had gone further in the tournament. However I got to learn a lot about being a leader this tournament,” said KL Rahul.

Purple Cap - Kagiso Rabada (Most wickets: 30, ER: 8.34, Avg: 18.26, SR: 13.13)

So close yet so far, that kind of a season for Delhi Capitals, who were acing sides in the early half of the tournament before suffering a long hang-over later in the season. Nevertheless, the South African pacer continued to showcase his best form, with a brilliant montage of pace bowling in the tournament. Slower deliveries, bouncers, toe-crushing yorkers and defending super-overs, Rabada aced it all, with 30 wickets this season, at an average of 18.26. While his powerplay performance was a bit of a lull, he was outstanding nevertheless. In the late stage of the tournament, MI’s Jasprit Bumrah gave Rabada a run for his money, with 27 wickets in the competition.

Most Valuable Player - Jofra Archer (20 wickets, 175 dots, 5 catches, 10 sixes)

Jofra Archer, Jofra ‘on-a-fire’ Archer was outstanding throughout the tournament despite Rajasthan Royals having a stinker of a tournament. With no real support around him, the right-hander just showcased how crucial it is to bowl well in the powerplay, with his skills being one of the best in the tournament. If variations are an art, Archer is not even the artist but the master, with a plethora of variations under his sleeves. 175 DOT BALLS, 20 wickets and all of it coming at an average of 18.25, Archer could do it all with his ball. It really did the talking for him.

“Really grateful to receive the award. It didn't go as well for the team, and hopefully this has shown what I can do and I hope it helps the team a little more later,” said Archer.