IPL 2020: Best performing XI for the first half of the IPL 13

Here is a best XI comprising of the 11 best performers from the first-half of the IPL 2020 tournament.

The IPL 2020, which is taking place in the UAE at three bio-secure venues- Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah, has completed its first round of all the franchises playing seven matches each.

Thus far, Mumbai Indians (MI) tops the points table with 5 wins and 10 points, with Delhi Capitals (DC) close second with the same number of points, but a lower net run rate. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) complete the top four standings. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at 7 and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at 8th spot rounds off the points table.

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The tournament has seen amazing performances by the players with both the bat and the ball and some players have done amazing feats including hitting five sixes in an over and teams scoring 90 runs in the last five overs nonchalantly.

Therefore, TEAM COC has decided to pick the eleven best performers of the first half of the IPL 2020 and present to you the COC Best Performing XI of the first half of IPL 13.

Check out the COC Best Performing XI of the first half of IPL 13 here

KL RAHUL (KXIP-WK)
M: 7 |Runs: 387| SR: 134.84| Avg: 64.50| HS: 132*| 100s: 1|50s: 3

KL Rahul has been exemplary with the bat for the Kings XI Punjab, but his captaincy and team’s performance has been poor, to say the least. Rahul, with the bat, has been something other altogether and his stats say the same.

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Rahul scored his highest IPL and T20 score of 132* against RCB in a high scoring match, which KXIP won. Unfortunately, that has been their only win in seven matches so far. Rahul has made 387 runs so far with three half-centuries to his name as well, one of which came when KXIP made 224 against RR in Sharjah. He currently holds the Orange Cap for the most runs in the tournament.

MAYANK AGARWAL (KXIP)
M:  7|Runs: 337| SR: 158.96| Avg: 48.14| HS: 106| 100s: 1|50s: 2

Mayank Agarwal has used the opportunity to open the innings in absence of Chris Gayle amazingly well, scoring 337 runs in 7 matches at an amazing strike-rate of 158.96, one century and 2 fifties as well.

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His maiden IPL century came against Rajasthan Royals in what was an amazingly high-scoring contest in Sharjah. Before that, he had also scored a brilliant 89 in KXIP’s first match of IPL 13 against Delhi Capitals, which ended in a tie and KXIP lost in the super over.

SURYAKUMAR YADAV (MI)
M:  7|Runs: 233| SR: 155.33| Avg: 38.83| HS: 79*| 100s: 0|50s: 2

Suryakumar Yadav continued from where he had left in IPL 2019 and has scored 233 runs in 7 matches for MI so far. Both of his half-centuries thus far in the IPL 2020 have come in victories for MI, who are placed no.1 in the points table.

Yadav has paced his innings well coming in at no.3 and has looked to bat through the innings, without letting his strike rate suffering, which is an impressive 155.33 for someone who bats at no.3. He has been a brilliant performer for the defending champions in the tournament’s first half.  

FAF DU PLESSIS (CSK)
M:  7|Runs: 307| SR: 147.59| Avg: 61.40| HS: 87*| 100s: 0|50s: 3

The three-time champions and finalists in the previous two editions of the IPL, Chennai Super Kings might be having a nightmare of a season in IPL 2020, but Faf du Plessis’ performance has been nothing short of a miracle for the franchise.

Du Plessis has led from the front, making 307 runs with 3 half-centuries and the best score of 87* which came in a 10-wicket thrashing of Kings XI Punjab. Du Plessis has held the fragile CSK batting order together along with Shane Watson, while others have crumbled around them.

SHREYAS IYER (DC-C)
M:  7|Runs: 245| SR: 138.41| Avg: 40.83| HS: 88*| 100s: 0|50s: 1

Shreyas Iyer has once again shown why he is considered to be one of the best long-term prospects for India. He has already cemented his place in the white-ball cricket and his ongoing performance in the IPL 2020 might impress the selectors even further.

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He has played exceptionally well, making 245 runs in the middle order for Delhi Capitals and has captained the team with gusto. His decisions have been pinpoint and resulted in DC been placed no.2 on the points table.

MARCUS STOINIS (DC)
M:  7|Runs: 175| SR: 175.00|HS: 53*|50s: 2| Wkts: 6| BB: 2/17| Eco: 9.88

Marcus Stoinis was floundering in the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise in IPL 2019, but for Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2020, the Australian all-rounder has become a genuine match-winner. He started off by bringing DC back into the game against KXIP by picking two wickets in the 20^th over of the match and taking it into a super over.

He has done well with both the bat and the ball, scoring 175 runs and picking six wickets, however, his importance has been the pace at which he has scored those runs. His strike rate has been 175 in IPL 13 thus far.

RAHUL TEWATIA (RR)
M:  7|Runs: 189| SR: 152.41|HS: 53|50s: 1| Wkts: 5| BB: 3/37| Eco: 7.90

Rahul Tewatia has etched his name into IPL glory books forever after his exploits for Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing IPL 2020. In particular, one match has made him a legend. RR was chasing a mammoth 225-run target against Kings XI Punjab and looked down and out until Tewatia smashed five sixes in one over from Sheldon Cottrell and took the team to an amazing victory.

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He repeated the feat against Sunrisers Hyderabad in RR’s recent most match, where his 45* helped his team get past a stiff target. His batting has enabled RR to play an extra bowler/batsman as well, though Tewatia himself has picked five wickets in IPL 13 thus far.

RASHID KHAN (SRH)
M: 7| Wkts: 10| BB: 3/12| Eco: 5.03

The Sunrisers Hyderabad might be struggling to string together a series of wins, but Rashid Khan has been their trump card in the first half of the IPL 2020 so far. 10 wickets with an economy of 5.03 from Rashid has been Warner’s saving grace when SRH has lost the services of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mitchell Marsh quite early in the tournament to injuries.

KAGISO RABADA (DC)
M: 7| Wkts: 17| BB: 4/24| Eco: 7.69

Kagiso Rabada has been the best bowler by far in the ongoing IPL 2020. He has bowled with pace and skill and has 17 wickets to show for it. His best bowling figures of 4/24 came against RCB in a thumping win for DC and Rabada had also starred in a brilliant super over against Kings XI Punjab as well.

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Rabada has helped Delhi Capitals dominate the IPL 2020 and is the reason along with the batting efforts, that the franchise is second on the IPL 13 points table.  

MOHAMMAD SHAMI (KXIP)
M: 7| Wkts: 10| BB: 3/15| Eco: 8.36

Despite Kings XI Punjab’s sorry performance in the first half of the tournament, where they have won just one match out of seven, their fast bowler Mohammad Shami has stood out due to sheer skill and performance and has been KXIP’s silver lining in dark clouds.

Shami has picked 10 wickets in 7 matches and his best bowling of 3/15 came in the tied match against DC, which KXIP lost in the super over.

JASPRIT BUMRAH (MI)
M: 7| Wkts: 11| BB: 4/20| Eco: 7.92  

Jasprit Bumrah looked a bit rusty in the first few matches of the IPL 2020, even going for 40 plus runs against CSK and RCB. But the Gujarat fast bowler bounced back amazingly in the next few matches, including his T20 career-best figures of 4/20 against Rajasthan Royals in Abu Dhabi.

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Bumrah has a total of 11 wickets at an economy of 7.92 and has led amazingly well from the front, especially after Lasith Malinga pulled out of the tournament due to personal reasons.

Best XI for the first half: KL Rahul (wk), Mayank Agarwal, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer (c), Faf du Plessis, Marcus Stoinis, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.