The 2020 Indian Premier League has started with five action packed games. We at CricViz look at some of the key moments, innings, knocks, phases that have emerged so far and bring you ‘The IPL Week in Six Numbers’ where we’ll dive into the numbers that defined these moments. CricViz’s Srinivas Vijaykumar lists out the key numbers in the first edition.
9.48 – England all-rounder Sam Curran is becoming an excellent impact player with the bat in T20s in the last two years. Since the start of 2019 the left-hander has scored at 9.48 runs per over significantly higher compared 7.13 RPO until 2018. He’s featured in both games for CSK this season ahead of Dwayne Bravo who has been on the sidelines recovering from a knee injury. Curran came in to bat at number six v MI and number four v RR with CSK using him to counter the leg-spinners in the absence of CSK’s primary left-hander Suresh Raina. So far Curran has returned 18 (6) & 17 (6) – a total of 35 (12) at 17.50 RPO – he hasn’t scored many runs, but he’s scored them quickly and taken the leg spin match-up down. The England all-rounder isn’t new to batting up the order, especially in recent times. Since the start of 2019 in T20s, the left-hander has played 10 innings in the top four and 11 innings batting at 5-7. Until 2018, Curran had played 34 out his 36 T20 innings at six or lower. One occasional criticism of this very successful Chennai side is that they have at times been a little predictable and inflexible; their aggressive usage of Curran so far this season suggests that might be changing.
+46.6 – Mayank Agarwal’s batting impact when he scored an astonishing 89 (60) in Match 2 of almost taking KXIP across the line against DC in the tied game. His batting impact of +46.6 is the highest by an individual batsman in the IPL since the start of 2018, 125 matches ago. It was an innings of two clear halves. The opening batsman started his innings slowly as the rest of the KXIP top order collapsed around him from 30 for 1 to 55 for 5 in pursuit of a the target of 158. Across his first 30 balls he scored at run-a-ball but as Kings XI entered the second half of the run chase Agarwal accelerated to score 59 runs off his last 30 balls. The aggressive second half of his innings was marked by his powerful stroke-play in front of square on the off side. In his 30 balls he only scored 17% through long on and off (five of 30 runs) but thereafter that rose to 57% (34 out of 59 runs) as he stepped on the accelerator.
4 – The number of CPL spinners left out by their sides – Sandeep Lamichhane by DC, Imran Tahir by CSK, Mujeeb Zadran by KXIP, Mohammad Nabi by SRH. In the recently concluded editions of CPL, the four spinners picked up 55 wickets in total at 5.38 RPO with an excellent strike rate of 17.6. Each of the four spinners conceded at less than 6 RPO, were all equally impressive and in-form coming into the IPL. So far teams have largely preferred allocating overseas bowling spots to quicks rather than spinners but the absence of these four bowlers robs their sides of elite performers. It will be interesting to see how long this persists, particularly as the pitches become more worn as the season progresses.
30 – Runs scored by DC (v KXIP) and RR (v CSK) in the 20th over of the innings – the second & third occasion 30 runs has been scored in the 20th over in an IPL innings and the joint highest along with MI (v RPS in April 2017). Across all T20s since the start of 2003, two of the 10 most expensive 20th overs have come in the last five days.
77% – Mumbai Indians’ win percentage against the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. These two teams faced each other on 26 occasions in the IPL with MI winning 20 of them. MI’s domination over KKR is incredible not just in the IPL but across all T20 leagues. Of all the head to heads in T20 leagues where teams have faced each other on 15 occasions, MI’s 76.9% win percentage against KKR is the highest. The key difference between them has been at the death with MI’s riches with the bat and ball in the last five overs consistently. In all meetings in total, MI have scored at 10.59 rpo in the last five overs while they’ve conceded at 9.29 rpo. The reverse fixture between these teams will be played on 16th October.
35 – Runs scored by Rohit Sharma playing the pull shot against KKR in Match 5, the most runs he has ever scored playing the shot in a T20 innings. KKR fed to his strength & he capitalised clinically. Across his T20 career Rohit has scored at 15.50 runs per over playing the pull and hook against seam bowlers. Of all the batsmen to have played at least 100 of these shots in T20s only Richard Levi (15.75 RPO) has scored at a quicker than Rohit. For all Rohit’s brilliance with the shot, KKR did not help themselves by bowling very short. The 43 runs he scored off the short ball is the second most he has ever scored in a T20 innings. Teams shouldn’t need reminding but the innings reaffirmed: don’t bowl short to Rohit.
Srinivas Vijaykumar is an analyst at CricViz. Follow him on Twitter @srini_vk
