Mumbai Indians’ (MI) dynamic batter Suryakumar Yadav was crowned the Most Valuable Player of the Season
New Delhi: Mumbai Indians’ dynamic batter Suryakumar Yadav was named the Most Valuable Player of the Season following the conclusion of the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Yadav, who also leads India’s T20I team, had an outstanding tournament, scoring 717 runs in 16 matches at an impressive average of 65.18, including five half-centuries. His stellar performance made him the first non-opener in IPL history to cross the 700-run mark in a single season.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans’ promising young star Sai Sudharsan was crowned the Emerging Player of the Season and also won the Orange Cap as the tournament’s highest run-scorer. The 23-year-old southpaw amassed 759 runs in 15 matches, maintaining an average of 54.21 and a strike rate of 156.17. Sudharsan’s brilliant season included a century (108*) and six fifties, although his team’s campaign ended with a loss to Mumbai Indians in the eliminator.
On the bowling front, Prasidh Krishna, also from Gujarat Titans, claimed the Purple Cap by taking 25 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 19.52, with his best figures being 4/41. The fair play award went to Chennai Super Kings for their exemplary conduct on and off the field.
Other notable awards included Kamindu Mendis winning the Catch of the Season, Vaibhav Suryavanshi being named Super Striker of the Season, and Nicholas Pooran taking home the Super Sixes of the Season award. Sai Sudharsan also earned the titles of Fantasy King of the Season and On-The-Go Fours of the Season, while Suryakumar Yadav dominated in the Most Dot Balls of the Season category.
The IPL final saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) break their 18-year trophy drought by defeating Punjab Kings in a thrilling six-run victory at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket venue. Krunal Pandya’s crafty spin and Josh Hazlewood’s pace bowling helped RCB keep Punjab’s chase in check, sealing a memorable win for the Bangalore-based franchise.
