IPL Fantasy 2015: Projecting Top Point-Scorers for Upcoming T20 Cricket Fixtures
We're well into the grind of the 2015 Indian Premier League, and with teams beginning to look towards securing a spot in the playoffs, now is a brilliant opportunity to re-evaluate your respective fantasy sides.
Here's a look at some fixtures on the horizon and which players will be notching points aplenty in the coming games.
| April 28 | 3:30 p.m | Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders |
| April 29 | 3:30 p.m | Royal Challengers Bangalore v Rajasthan Royals |
| April 30 | 3:30 p.m | Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings |
| May 1 | 11:30 a.m. | Delhi Daredevils v Kings XI Punjab |
| May 1 | 3:30 p.m | Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals |
| May 2 | 11:30 a.m. | Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kolkata Knight Riders |
| May 2 | 3:30 p.m | Sunrisers Hyderabad v Chennai Super Kings |
| May 3 | 11:30 a.m. | Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians |
| May 3 | 3:30 p.m | Rajasthan Royals v Delhi Daredevils |
| May 4 | 11:30 a.m. | Chennai Super Kings v Royal Challengers Bangalore |
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| JP Duminy | Delhi | 665 |
| Ashish Nehra | Chennai | 642 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | Rajasthan | 584 |
| David Warner | Hyderabad | 567 |
| Dwayne Bravo | Chennai | 504 |
| Brendon McCullum | Chennai | 502 |
| Harbhajan Singh | Mumbai | 500 |
| Sandeep Sharma | Punjab | 499 |
| Imran Tahir | Delhi | 486 |
| Dwayne Smith | Chennai | 467 |
Points accurate as of 1 p.m. BST, April 27. For full listings, check out the official IPL website.
Brendon McCullum, Chennai
After a couple of close shaves early on in the tournament, the star-studded Chennai Super Kings are beginning to click into gear. Much of that is to do with the belligerent batting at the top of the order from Brendon McCullum.
The New Zealand skipper set the tone for a mammoth Chennai total of 192 for four in their recent clash against Kings XI Punjab, blasting 66 from just 44 balls. After a stunning World Cup, McCullum has carried his sparkling form into the IPL, and the 232 runs he's scored so far speak for themselves.
As noted by AltCricket, McCullum sets a superb example for others in all facets of his play:
"No fielder chases lost causes like Brendon McCullum. Huge boost to the team's ethos when a senior player is busting a gut. #IPL
— Alt Cricket (@AltCricket) April 22, 2015"
The quality within this Chennai team allows him to cut loose too. With players such as Dwayne Smith, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo in situ to back up McCullum, the insurance is there for the Kiwi star to go out and play his shots. Innings like the one aforementioned and his supreme unbeaten 100 earlier in the tournament are testament to that.
But as noted by Huffington Post's Ayaz Memon, there's much more to his game than slogging the ball with reckless abandon:
Kolkata have a capable bowling attack, but there have been some signs from them in this tournament that suggest if you do get stuck into them early on, they can become a little ropey. McCullum won't give them any time to settle, and he should pick up plenty of points when these two IPL juggernauts clash.
Projection: 55 runs
Mitchell Starc, Bangalore
The Royal Challengers Bangalore were struggling for rhythm in the opening exchanges of this campaign, but in their previous two matches, they were dominant against Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils, winning by nine and 10 wickets, respectively. A massive contributor to their turnaround in fortunes has been Mitchell Starc.
As we can see here, courtesy of Freddie Wilde of ESPNcricinfo, the Aussie left-armer has been absolutely magnificent for Bangalore as of late:
Prior to this tournament, much was made about the batting qualities of Bangalore, with the likes of Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers all in the XI. But they haven't fired as a collective so far, putting the bowlers under pressure. Starc's superb form has transformed this team's fortunes, though.
After being named the World Cup's best player, the fast bowler has been tremendous in this dynamic 20-over format. With batsmen looking to take chances, his forensically accurate bowling style has left stumps splayed across the country and given the Royal Challengers stiffer foundations to build upon.
As noted by Broken Cricket, his yorkers, in particular, are exceptionally dangerous:
Next up for Bangalore are the Royals, and with memories of that nine-wicket victory still fresh, expect Starc's side to be bristling with renewed confidence coming into the clash. After taking three for 22 against Rajasthan last time out, expect another virtuoso display from the Aussie as the Royal Challengers continue their renaissance in style.
Projection: Three wickets
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