IPL 2015: Top Run-Scorers, Wicket-Takers, Averages and More After T20 Final
Mumbai Indians turned on the style to beat Chennai Super Kings in the final of the 2015 Indian Premier League, as they were crowned champions after a comprehensive 41-run win.
Lendl Simmons and Rohit Sharma shone with the bat for Mumbai, as they totted up 202 for five from their 20 overs after being put in to bat by MS Dhoni.
It was a score that was always beyond Chennai, and they fell well short despite a diligent half-century from Dwayne Smith; Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh starred with the ball for the Indians.
Here’s how the standings finished in a plethora of individual categories and a recap of which men shone brightest in the Kolkata final.
Top 10 Run-Scorers
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| Player | Team | Runs |
| David Warner | Hyderabad | 562 |
| Lendl Simmons | Mumbai | 540 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | Rajasthan | 540 |
| AB de Villiers | Bangalore | 513 |
| Virat Kohli | Bangalore | 505 |
| Chris Gayle | Bangalore | 491 |
| Rohit Sharma | Mumbai | 482 |
| Shreyas Iyer | Delhi | 439 |
| Brendon McCullum | Chennai | 436 |
| Kieron Pollard | Mumbai | 419 |
Top 10 Batting Averages
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| Player | Team | Innings | Runs | Average |
| Albie Morkel | Delhi | 3 | 86 | 86.00 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | Rajasthan | 13 | 540 | 49.09 |
| Jagadeesha Suchith | Mumbai | 6 | 48 | 48.00 |
| AB de Villiers | Bangalore | 14 | 513 | 46.63 |
| Virat Kohli | Bangalore | 16 | 505 | 45.90 |
| Lendl Simmons | Mumbai | 14 | 540 | 45.00 |
| Yusuf Pathan | Kolkata | 12 | 312 | 44.57 |
| Shane Watson | Rajasthan | 9 | 347 | 43.37 |
| David Warner | Hyderabad | 14 | 562 | 43.23 |
| JP Duminy | Delhi | 13 | 414 | 41.40 |
Top 10 Strike Rates
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| Player | Team | Runs | Strike Rate |
| Andre Russell | Kolkata | 326 | 192.89 |
| Hardik Pandya | Mumbai | 112 | 180.64 |
| AB de Villiers | Bangalore | 513 | 175.05 |
| Kieron Pollard | Mumbai | 419 | 163.67 |
| Harbhajan Singh | Mumbai | 117 | 160.27 |
| Deepak Hooda | Rajasthan | 151 | 158.94 |
| Pawan Negi | Chennai | 116 | 158.90 |
| Quinton de Kock | Delhi | 122 | 158.44 |
| Mandeep Singh | Bangalore | 157 | 157.00 |
| David Warner | Hyderabad | 562 | 156.54 |
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Top 10 Wicket-Takers
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| Player | Team | Wickets |
| Dwayne Bravo | Chennai | 26 |
| Lasith Malinga | Mumbai | 24 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | Bangalore | 23 |
| Ashish Nehra | Chennai | 22 |
| Mitchell Starc | Bangalore | 20 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Hyderabad | 18 |
| Harbhajan Singh | Mumbai | 18 |
| Mitchell McClenaghan | Mumbai | 18 |
| Harshal Patel | Bangalore | 17 |
| David Wiese | Bangalore | 16 |
Top 10 Bowling Figures
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| Player | Team | Date | Opponent | Figures |
| Ashish Nehra | Chennai | April 22 | Bangalore | 4/10 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | Chennai | May 10 | Rajasthan | 4/11 |
| Mitchell Starc | Bangalore | May 6 | Punjab | 4/15 |
| JP Duminy | Delhi | April 18 | Hyderabad | 4/17 |
| Sunil Narine | Kolkata | May 9 | Punjab | 4/19 |
| Nathan Coulter-Nile | Delhi | May 1 | Punjab | 4/20 |
| Lasith Malinga | Mumbai | April 25 | Hyderabad | 4/23 |
| Chris Morris | Rajasthan | May 16 | Kolkata | 4/23 |
| Sandeep Sharma | Punjab | April 18 | Kolkata | 4/25 |
| Sreenath Aravind | Bangalore | May 6 | Punjab | 4/27 |
Top 10 Economy Rates
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| Player | Team | Overs | Wickets | Economy |
| Jayant Yadav | Delhi | 7.0 | 2 | 4.14 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | Chennai | 39.0 | 10 | 5.84 |
| Shahbaz Nadeem | Delhi | 7.0 | 0 | 6.14 |
| Parvez Rasool | Hyderabad | 5.0 | 1 | 6.20 |
| Moises Henriques | Hyderabad | 25.0 | 11 | 6.32 |
| Zaheer Khan | Delhi | 24.1 | 7 | 6.45 |
| Mitchell Starc | Bangalore | 39.0 | 19 | 6.76 |
| Brad Hogg | Kolkata | 21.0 | 9 | 6.85 |
| Sandeep Sharma | Punjab | 50.0 | 13 | 7.00 |
| Murali Vijay | Punjab | 4.0 | 28 | 7.00 |
Minimum three overs bowled.
Standout Performers
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Simmonds and Sharma Show the Way
MS Dhoni’s decision to put Mumbai Indians into bat backfired spectacularly. Although Chennai Super Kings were able to make an early breakthrough thanks to a run out, the ball was coming on to the bat nicely for the batsmen, allowing Lendl Simmons and Rohit Sharma to capitalise.
The pair played magnificently after the early wicket, showcasing supreme temperament in a high-pressure situation. As noted by Alt Cricket, the duo played with wonderful poise:
"In a final you must be fearless - Rohit Sharma and Lendl Simmons have been magnificent so far! @mipaltan #IPL
— Alt Cricket (@AltCricket) May 24, 2015"
Sharma was the main aggressor, as he came out swinging from the off. As the skipper, it was important that he showed the way, and the manner in which he struck the ball was a fine example to the rest of his teammates.
The captain’s 50 from 26 balls was an exceptional effort, but the innings from Simmons was arguably even better. The West Indies international crunched 11 boundaries in a brilliant 68 from 45 balls, giving the likes of Kieron Pollard and Ambati Rayudu a perfect platform to push on to 202 for five.
As noted by Freddie Wilde of ESPNcricinfo, Simmons has been a model of consistency for Mumbai:
"Lendl Simmons has scored more than 50 in 10 of his 21 IPL matches. #IPL #IPLFinal #MIvCSK #MI #CSK
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) May 24, 2015"
Getting to a score in excess of 200 was a massive mental boost for this Mumbai team, and it left Chennai with a daunting chase to negotiate. The manner in which both aforementioned men played was critical to a blistering start, playing a critical role in this famous victory.
Malinga and Singh Shine with the Ball
Chennai do possess some superb batting options, but thanks to the canny bowling of veteran players such as Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh, Mumbai’s total never once looked under threat.
Malinga set the tone by conceding just seven runs from his opening two overs. Although the Sri Lanka star didn’t seize any wickets in that opening burst, his control saw the required rate soar for the Super Kings, increasing the pressure to score quickly.
It was the kind of pressure that prompts some rash shots, which Harbhajan capitalised on late in the innings. First he pinned Dwayne Smith, who was well set on 57, in front leg before wicket, before having the dangerous Suresh Raina stumped just as he began to motor.
As noted by former India international Aakash Chopra, Singh is adding even more weapons to his already broad skill set:
"I like this new delivery that Bhajji is bowling today...doosra is no more but off-spinners will continue to find ways to stay relevant. #IPL
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 24, 2015"
Mitchell McClenaghan also chipped in with three wickets for 25 runs, but it was the aforementioned icons who stepped up in the vital moments, making critical impacts. It’s clear both of these men still have a lot to offer at the top level, and it’d be no surprise to see the pair playing with comparable distinction in 12 months' time.
Statistics courtesy of the official IPL website.
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