Indian Premier League season 11, after 56 matches of an intense battle in the league stage between 8 franchises finished on 20th May 2018, Sunrisers Hyderabad Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals have qualified for the playoff stages.
While the first 2 franchises entered with ease, Kolkata Knight Riders won their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad while Rajasthan Royals qualified by default as other contenders Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab lost their final league matches.
Many individual performances were standout in the entire league stages. Some of these superb performances have helped the team to win the match but, not necessarily all of them have to lead to the respective teams reaching the knockout stage.
However, credit has to be given to the best individuals performances who gave their 100%. Among the batsmen, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Ambati Rayadu, Chris Gayle, Watson, AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Jos Buttler stood out for their franchises.
In the bowling department, Andrew Tye, Umesh Yadav, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Siddarth Kaul, Rashid Khan, Sunil Narine have done well for their respective teams.
Here are the top 8 performances in the league stage of VIVO IPL 2018
- Rishabh Pant 128* against SRH
The stylish hard-hitting young left-handed batsman and Under 19 sensation of 2016, Risbabh Pant was retained by Delhi Daredevils in the auctions had a dream season being the leading runs scorer at the end of the league stage. He played a total of 14 matches and scored 684 runs with an average of 52.61. Pant was the most consistent batsman from Delhi Daredevils line up to score runs.
His best innings of the season came against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, New Delhi on 10th May 2018. His marathon innings of 128* off 63 balls, unfortunately, did not help the team win the match. He scored at an astounding strike rate of 173.60. He reached a half-century off 36 balls and then smashed his century off 56 balls. During his brilliant knock, he hit 15 fours and 7 sixes with a strike rate of 203.17. This performance might cement his place in the national squad sooner than later.
- Ambati Rayadu 100* against SRH
Ambati Rayadu performed exceptionally well for Chennai Super Kings franchise this season so far. He has played a total of 14 matches and scored 586 runs at an average of 45.07 with a strike rate of 153.40. Rayadu and Watson have provided CSK brilliant start many times. The veteran player scored so far 1 century and 3 half-centuries.
Ambati Rayadu has hit 52 fours and 33 sixes in this season. His best knock in this tournament came against Sunrisers Hyderabad at MCA Stadium, Pune played on 13th May. Chasing 180, both Rayadu and Watson reached their half-centuries off 31 balls. Watson was dismissed for 57. Rayadu continued his scintillating batting to reach his maiden IPL century off 62 balls. During this match-winning performance, he hit 7 fours and 7 sixes with a strike rate of 161.29. CSK won that match by 8 wickets.
- KL Rahul 51 off 16 against DD
KL Rahul was the lone warrior for Kings XI Punjab despite their disappointing 7th place finish in the 2018 IPL season. He played a total of 14 matches and scored 659 runs with an average of 54.91. His best score was 95* against Rajasthan Royals.
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The Karnataka lad batsman scored a total of 6 half centuries. He played innovative shots and increased his strike rate from 125 to 158.41 this season. It was an amazing season for KL Rahul who hit 66 sixes, also 32 fours in the tournament.
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He showed his class by scoring the fastest half-century in IPL history off 14 balls against Delhi Daredevils on 8th April 2018 played at PCA Stadium, Mohali. Chasing 167, KL Rahul provided a quickfire start and hit a half-century off 14 balls. During his innings, he hit 6 fours and 4 sixes with a strike rate of 318.75. He was finally dismissed for 51 off 16 balls. Kings XI Punjab won that match by 6 wickets and KL Rahul was named as man of the match for his quick fire 50.
Jos Buttler who was played in the middle order in the initial matches was asked to open the innings against Delhi Daredevils on 2nd May. This changed the fortunes of Rajasthan Royals and to himself. He played a total of 13 matches and scored 548 runs with an average of 54.80, with a strike rate of 155.24. The England wicketkeeper-batsman scored 5 successive half-centuries for Rajasthan Royals since opening the innings.
He could not play the final league match against Royal Challengers Bangalore as he had to leave to represent his country against Pakistan.
His best knock came against Mumbai Indians during the 47th match played at Wankedhe Stadium, Mumbai on 13th May. Chasing 169, Jos Buttler started slowly but then took charge and remained unbeaten on 94 off 53 balls with 9 fours and 5 sixes with a strike rate of 177.35. Rajasthan Royals won the match by 7 wickets.
Buttler played a key role in helping Rajasthan Royals reaching the playoff stage with his brilliant batting. He hit 52 fours and 21 sixes.
Ankit Rajpoot, a lesser-known medium pace bowler did not play full quota of matches for Kings XI Punjab this season. He featured in 8 matches and picked 11 wickets with an economy of 8.52 runs per over. His best figures came against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Hyderabad played on 26th April 2018.
The tall bowler has the best figures by an uncapped bowler in IPL history. During his spell, he picked 3 early wickets of Shikhar Dhawan, Kane Williamson and Wriddhiman Saha. Then in the death overs, Ankit grabbed wickets of Manish Pandey and Mohammad Nabi. He finished with figures of 5/14 in 4 overs with an economy of 3.50 runs over. His bowling efforts helped Kings XI Punjab restrict SRH to 132 for 6.
During this dream spell, he bowled 17 dot balls but could not win the match for Kings XI Punjab as their batsmen fell short of the target by 13 runs. Ankit Rajpoot was named as man of the match for superb performance with the ball.
- Sheryas Gopal 4/16 against RCB
In an all-important match between RCB and Rajasthan Royals played at Sawai Man Singh Stadium, Jaipur on 19th May, the young uncapped talented Karnataka bowler, Sheryas Gopal playing for Rajasthan Royals bowled a dream spell.
Chasing a target of 165, Parthiv Patel and AB de Villiers were cruising at 75 for 1 in the 9th over. Sheryas Gopal picked wickets of Patel, Moeen Ali and Mandeep Singh in quick succession. He then grabbed the dangerous AB de Villiers to break the backbone of Royal Challengers Bangalore batting line up.
He finished with figures of 4/16 in 4 overs with an economy of 4. In this spell, he bowled 10 dot balls. Rajasthan Royals won the match by 30 runs. Gopal was named a man of the match for his match-winning spell.
- Lungi Ngidi 4/10 against Kings XI Punjab
The young South African pace bowler Lungi Ngidi was brilliant in the last league match of VIVO IPL 2018 against Kings XI Punjab played at MCA Stadium, Pune on 20th May 2018. CSK captain MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to field first. He got the early breakthrough by dismissing dangerous Chris Gayle and in the form batsman KL Rahul cheaply.
Coming back for a second spell, Ngidi picked up the wickets of captain R Ashwin and Andrew Tye in successive balls. He finished with outstanding figures of 4/10 in 4 overs with an economy of just 2.50 runs per over. In this spell, Lungi bowled 16 dot balls. His bowling efforts helped restrict KXIP to just 153 runs. CSK won the match by 5 wickets. For his brilliant bowling performance with the ball, Lungi Ngidi was named as the man of the match.
Playing his debut IPL season, Lungi impressed with swing and speed picking up 9 wickets with an economy of 6.11 runs per over from the 5 matches he has played so far.
- Rohit Sharma 94 vs RCB
Rohit Sharma has not been in good form this season. However he played a captains knock against Royal Challengers Bangalore played at Wankedhe Stadium, Mumbai played on 17th April 2018. The captain came to the crease when Mumbai Indians lost both openers Surya Kumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan in two successive balls with no score on the board.
Rohit played aggressively and along with Evin Lewis added 108 runs for the 3rd wicket. After Lewis left, he took charge and scored his half-century off 32 balls. After completing his half-century, Rohit attacked Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling line up. He made 94 off 52 balls with 10 fours and 5 sixes with a strike rate of 180.76. MI posted a massive total of 213 for 6 and won that match by 46 runs.