IPL 2017: Top Run-Scorers, Wicket-Takers, More in Indian Premier League T20
Although Sunrisers Hyderabad are out of the 2017 Indian Premier League, David Warner and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will take some catching in the race to be crowned the top run-scorer and most prolific wicket-taker, respectively, in the Twenty20 cricket competition.
Warner's total of 641 runs from this season's IPL sees him well clear in the battle for the Orange Cap. The man most likely to catch him at this late stage of the competition is Kolkata Knight Riders' Gautam Gambhir, although he is 155 runs behind with a maximum of two matches to play.
Kumar has 26 wickets for the tournament and seems to have the Purple Cap wrapped up. A four-wicket haul from Rising Pune Supergiant's Jaydev Unadkat, who has snaffled 22 victims, in the grand final would see the accolade shared.
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Here's a closer look at a couple of players still involved in the competition who have a slender chance of finishing top of these individual stakes.
For full statistics visit the IPL's official website.
Orange Cap
1. David Warner (SRH) - 641 runs
2. Gautam Gambhir (KKR) - 486 runs
3. Shikhar Dhawan (SRH) - 479 runs
4. Suresh Raina (GL) - 442 runs
5. Steve Smith (RPS) - 421 runs
Purple Cap
1. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (SRH) - 26 wickets
2. Jaydev Unadkat (RPS) - 22 wickets
3. Mitchell McClenaghan (MI) - 19 wickets
4. Imran Tahir (RPS) - 18 wickets
5. Rashid Khan (SRH) - 17 wickets
Gautam Gambhir, Kolkata (486 runs)
Since the inception of the Indian Premier League, it's difficult to think of a player who has been as consistently composed at the crease as often as Gambhir.
The Kolkata captain is an expert when it comes to chasing down totals. The left-hander is capable of adapting his game to different situations and has the temperament to cope on the big stage, too. It was no surprise it was him who helped the Knight Riders past the Sunrisers in a narrow win to keep their tournament hopes alive.
While Gambhir only made an unbeaten 32, in a rain-reduced match, it was key to Kolkata getting over the line.
Former India international Aakash Chopra had high praise for the 35-year-old:
The versatility in Gambhir's play makes him so crucial to this Kolkata team. There are times when the batsman can settle in to an innings and play sensibly, but, as he showed against Hyderabad, he can be explosive, too.
If Kolkata can beat the Indians in their upcoming playoff and progress into the final against Rising Pune, then there's no reason why Gambhir can't surpass Warner if he plays a couple of brilliant knocks. Given his pedigree in this competition, you certainly wouldn't rule it out.
Jaydev Unadkat, Rising Pune (22 wickets)
Should Kolkata make it into Sunday's final, the man who will be tasked with nullifying the influence of Gambhir and Co. is Unadkat.
The left-armer has been consistent throughout this year's tournament, although he produced a standout performance against Hyderabad earlier this month to push himself up the Purple Cap standings.
The Sunrisers' batsmen failed to cope with his excellent seam bowling, with the 25-year-old helping himself to five wickets for the loss of 30 runs.
As noted by cricket journalist Freddie Wilde, he hasn't featured in quite as many matches as the other leading wicket-takers:
So while Kumar may be four wickets ahead of Unadkat at this stage, the Rising Pune man has played three matches less, meaning his team have an ace in the pack when they go into the grand final on Sunday.
During his time on the field, Unadkat has showcased wonderful variation with the ball. Being left-handed gives the opposition batsmen a different problem to contend with, while the Supergiant star's ability to bowl well-disguised off-cutters has made him difficult to get away, as has his utilisation of swing and seam.
Having shone so far, the challenge for Unadkat now will be replicating these standards on the biggest stage. If he can, Rising Pune have an excellent chance of being crowned as the tournament champions.
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