IPL 2015: Top Run-Scorers, Leading Averages, Strike Rates and More T20 Stats
It was yet another absorbing day of action in the 2015 Indian Premier League, with Hyderabad Sunrisers and Kolkata Knight Riders securing critical victories in the race for the playoffs.
Hyderabad held off Rajasthan Royals in a high-scoring game early on in the day. The Sunrisers plundered a superb total of 201 for four from their 20 overs, and although the Royals batted well to reach 194 for seven, eventually they finished up seven runs short in their pursuit.
Kolkata were able to get the better of Delhi Daredevils in their match. Scoring was tough going for both sides on a turning pitch, but the Knight Riders were still able to post a decent total of 171 for seven. Delhi never quite looked in control in response, eventually losing by 13 runs.
Here’s how these games have affected various individual classifications and a recap of the day’s best performers.
Top 10 Run-Scorers
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| Player | Team | Runs |
| Ajinkya Rahane | Rajasthan | 438 |
| David Warner | Hyderabad | 406 |
| Chris Gayle | Bangalore | 357 |
| Shreyas Iyer | Delhi | 349 |
| Rohit Sharma | Mumbai | 343 |
| Virat Kohli | Bangalore | 335 |
| JP Duminy | Delhi | 329 |
| Brendon McCullum | Chennai | 315 |
| Robin Uthappa | Kolkata | 308 |
| Shikhar Dhawan | Hyderabad | 307 |
Top 10 Batting Averages
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| Player | Team | Innings | Runs | Average |
| Ajinkya Rahane | Rajasthan | 10 | 438 | 54.75 |
| Chris Gayle | Bangalore | 8 | 357 | 51.00 |
| Yusuf Pathan | Kolkata | 9 | 187 | 46.75 |
| AB de Villiers | Bangalore | 9 | 303 | 43.28 |
| Virat Kohli | Bangalore | 10 | 335 | 41.87 |
| JP Duminy | Delhi | 10 | 329 | 41.12 |
| David Warner | Hyderabad | 10 | 406 | 40.60 |
| Andre Russell | Kolkata | 8 | 236 | 39.33 |
| Rohit Sharma | Mumbai | 10 | 343 | 38.11 |
| Corey Anderson | Mumbai | 4 | 114 | 38.00 |
Top 10 Strike Rates
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| Player | Team | Runs | Strike Rate |
| Andre Russell | Kolkata | 236 | 190.32 |
| Deepak Hooda | Rajasthan | 125 | 186.56 |
| Brendon McCullum | Chennai | 315 | 174.03 |
| Kieron Pollard | Mumbai | 259 | 167.09 |
| AB de Villiers | Bangalore | 303 | 165.57 |
| Chris Gayle | Bangalore | 357 | 160.08 |
| Harbhajan Singh | Mumbai | 102 | 159.37 |
| David Warner | Hyderabad | 406 | 159.21 |
| Rohit Sharma | Mumbai | 343 | 145.95 |
| David Wiese | Bangalore | 106 | 143.24 |
Minimum 50 runs scored. Statistics courtesy of the official IPL website.
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Top 10 Wicket-Takers
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| Player | Team | Wickets |
| Ashish Nehra | Chennai | 17 |
| Dwayne Bravo | Chennai | 16 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Hyderabad | 16 |
| Mitchell Starc | Bangalore | 15 |
| Lasith Malinga | Mumbai | 15 |
| Imran Tahir | Delhi | 15 |
| Nathan Coulter-Nile | Delhi | 13 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | Bangalore | 13 |
| Sandeep Sharma | Punjab | 11 |
| Harbhajan Singh | Mumbai | 11 |
Top 10 Bowling Figures
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| Player | Team | Date | Opponent | Figures |
| Ashish Nehra | Chennai | April 22 | Bangalore | 4/10 |
| Mitchell Starc | Bangalore | May 6 | Punjab | 4/15 |
| JP Duminy | Delhi | April 18 | Hyderabad | 4/17 |
| Nathan Coulter-Nile | Delhi | May 1 | Punjab | 4/20 |
| Lasith Malinga | Mumbai | April 25 | Hyderabad | 4/23 |
| Sandeep Sharma | Punjab | April 18 | Kolkata | 4/25 |
| Sreenath Aravind | Bangalore | May 6 | Punjab | 4/27 |
| Imran Tahir | Delhi | April 12 | Rajasthan | 4/28 |
| Brad Hogg | Kolkata | April 30 | Chennai | 4/29 |
| Piyush Chawla | Kokata | May 7 | Delhi | 4/32 |
Top 10 Economy Rates
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| Player | Team | Overs | Wickets | Economy |
| Mitchell Starc | Bangalore | 22.0 | 15 | 5.45 |
| Suresh Raina | Chennai | 7.0 | 1 | 5.85 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | Chennai | 18.0 | 6 | 6.50 |
| Ashish Nehra | Chennai | 40.0 | 17 | 6.52 |
| Sandeep Sharma | Punjab | 38.0 | 11 | 6.65 |
| Brad Hogg | Kolkata | 17.0 | 9 | 6.70 |
| Sreenath Aravind | Bangalore | 4.0 | 4 | 6.75 |
| Murali Vijay | Punjab | 4.0 | 0 | 7.00 |
| Morne Morkel | Kolkata | 20.0 | 9 | 7.05 |
| Piyush Chawla | Kolkata | 30.0 | 11 | 7.10 |
Minimum three overs bowled. Statistics courtesy of the official IPL website.
Standout Performers
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Eoin Morgan Returns to Form
It’s been a rough start to 2015 for Eoin Morgan. He captained England to one of their worst ever World Cup campaigns earlier in the year, and he’s really struggled for form throughout the Indian Premier League.
The Irishman gave everyone a reminder of his undeniable class here however, smashing a stunning 63 off just 28 balls. Morgan’s former team-mate Kevin Pietersen paid tribute to his effort:
"Quite brilliant by, @Eoin16 there. Watch our chat on @skycricket in the break... #IPL
— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) May 7, 2015"
It was a crucial innings for Hyderabad Sunrisers as they made their way to an eventual total of 201 for four. Having lost opener David Warner early, they needed a player to score quick runs late on, and Morgan duly obliged with an innings that contained four fours and five massive sixes.
With the England international out of form, it’s easy to forget just how talented a player he is at his best. Provided he can stay in form, Morgan is the type of batsman who can give Hyderabad that crucial depth in the middle order and potentially provide the late impetus needed to help the Sunrisers secure a play-off spot.
Piyush Chawla Grabs Four Wickets
On a turning pitch in the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils, whichever team utilised their spinners the best was always going to be in better shape here. Taking four wickets for Kolkata, it was Piyush Chawla who made the most of the conditions.
He took four wickets for 32 runs from his four overs, decimating the Delhi top order with his darting deliveries and subtle variations. As we can see here, the team’s official Twitter feed paid tribute to Chawla after he was named Man of the Match:
"What an incredible show by Piyush Chawla! Congrats for winning the Man of the Match! #KKRvsDD #Go4More pic.twitter.com/YvNygdVHpl
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 7, 2015"
While the most enamouring thing about IPL cricket is the dynamism and intensity at which it is played, the role of spinners can be absolutely critical. When the pitch suits, as we were witness to here, they can be absolutely devastating.
Chawla seems to be starting to find his rhythm again after a mini-lull in the past few games. But as Kolkata bid to secure their spot in the top four, his experience and versatile bowling skills will be absolutely crucial to the cause.
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