IPL 2020: Most Valuable Player (MVP) from each franchise

Here are the most important performers for the each team in IPL 2020.

The IPL 2020 tournament proved to be a major success for the BCCI and all the fans, who watched it live from their homes. Despite the last-minute shift to the UAE and hosting the 60 matches at only 3 venues- Sharjah, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, the matches proved to be interesting.

Stats: Most Runs and Wickets in an IPL edition

We got to see the first-ever double super over in T20 cricket between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), other super overs, and some exciting batting and bowling from both Indian and overseas stars. Many of these players performed consistently for their teams, which benefitted them.

While, some players helped their teams reach new heights, for others, their performances couldn’t do much for the team, as they didn’t get much help from others, but they did give it their everything for the sake of the team.

Therefore, Team COC presents to you the Most Valuable Player (MVP) from each franchise

JASPRIT BUMRAH- MUMBAI INDIANS (MI)
M: 15| WKTs: 27| BB: 4/14| ECO: 6.73

Jasprit Bumrah ended up with 27 wickets in the IPL, the most by an Indian bowler ever in the history of the tournament. He also wore the Purple Cap for a while as well, for the first time in his IPL career. It was a big comeback for Bumrah after his poor showing on the New Zealand tour after his return from back issues.

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While Trent Boult, Boult, and James Pattinson/Nathan Coulter-Nile did the damage in the starting overs, Bumrah took the mantle of keeping the runs down and picking wickets in the death overs, mainly. This was due to the absence of his mentor, Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga and the protégé came up on the top with flying colors.

MARCUS STOINIS- DELHI CAPITALS (DC)
M: 17| RUNS: 352| HS: 65| AVG: 25.14| SR: 148.52| 50s: 3 | WKTs: 13| BB: 3/26| ECO: 9.53

The Australian all-rounder had a poor outing in the 2019 IPL season for Royal Challengers Bangalore and was promptly released before the IPL 2020 auction. He then had a bumper Big Bash season with over 700 runs and Delhi Capitals jumped at the opportunity to buy him.

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And the buy proved to be a great decision, as Stoinis proved to be DC’s trump card. He showed his skills by taking their first match against KXIP into a super over when all seemed lost and proved to be their best bet whenever the team was in trouble.

Though late, he was asked to open the innings as well, something that he should have been doing earlier given that Shaw and Rahane failed at the top to give Dhawan the kind of support he needed. But Stoinis remained DC’s best player throughout the IPL 13 and the statistics show the same.

RASHID KHAN- SUNRISERS HYDERABAD (SRH)
M: 16| WKTs: 20| BB:  3/7 | ECO: 5.37

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain David Warner planned his entire bowling attack around Afghanistan’s leg-spinner Rashid Khan who became their most important bowler after SRH lost the services of Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

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Rashid didn’t disappoint whenever the ball was thrown to him and he ended up with 20 wickets in 16 matches at an economy of just 5.37. His best figures of 3/7, which are the most economical figures in IPL history as well, came against Delhi Capitals when SRH defend 219 runs.

AB DE VILLIERS- ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE (RCB)
M: 15| RUNS:  454|HS: 73*| AVG: 45.40| SR: 158.74 |100s: 0| 50s: 5| 6s: 23 | 4s: 33

AB de Villiers was RCB’s best batsman by far, even though Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal scored runs and looked impressive as well. De Villiers played the role of finisher to the tee and ensured that RCB made it into the playoffs of the IPL for the first time since 2016 and it was a great achievement for the franchise, who finished last twice in the last three IPL editions.

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He has shown that experience trumps everything and with his superhuman skills, De Villiers was the man for RCB throughout the IPL 2020.  From his blistering 55* in just 22 balls against Rajasthan Royals, when RCB needed 45 runs from 18 balls; to other important knocks, Mr. 360 never disappointed.

He even kept wickets for the team, to enable them to bring in an extra batsman or bowler to balance the side better. AB de Villiers proved to be a true team man if there was any.

VARUN CHAKRAVARTHY- KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS (KKR)
M: 13| WKTs: 17| BB: 5/20| ECO: 6.84

KKR’s Varun Chakravarthy proved to be the best spinner in the IPL 2020, picking the only five-wicket haul in the tournament. His spin was instrumental for KKR as Sunil Narine struggled with the ball and even had to sit out due to his action being called suspicious.  

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His bowling in powerplay was part of the KKR leader group’s plans for the team’s success. His outing helped him earn a call-up for the Indian team on the T20I leg of the Australian tour. Though he will miss the tour due to a shoulder injury, everyone will keep an eye out for Chakravarthy in 2021 IPL, as the T20 World Cup will also happen in India that year.   

MOHAMMAD SHAMI- KINGS XI PUNJAB (KXIP) 
M: 14| WKTs: 20| BB: 3/15| ECO: 8.57

Kings XI Punjab almost made it into the playoffs despite losing 6 out of their first seven games in the tournament. Buoyed by the batting of Chris Gayle, KL Rahul, and Mayank Agarwal, KXIP powered through the second half of the tournament and were only eliminated as they lost their last league match to CSK.

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However, they might have fared better in the tournament if only their best bowler by far, Mohammad Shami had gotten some support at the other end. He picked up 20 wickets in the tournament including his IPL best figures of 3/15. He even defended 5 runs in a super over against a red-hot MI batting, giving his team a chance to earn two points.

If only, Chris Jordan, Sheldon Cottrell, and others had done their job nicely at the other end, Shami was red hot, bowling picture-perfect yorkers and getting the ball to swing from the other end.

SAM CURRAN- CHENNAI SUPER KINGS (CSK) 
M: 14| RUNS: 186| HS: 52| AVG: 23.25| SR: 131.91| 50s: 1 | WKTs: 13| BB: 3/19| ECO: 8.19

After a disappointing IPL season, in which the CSK team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time ever and were the first team to be knocked out, the team management, including captain MS Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming admitted that they need younger and fresher talent next year.

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One of the young talents they need to retain before the 2021 IPL auction will certainly be England’s Sam Curran. The left-arm all-rounder proved to be outstanding for CSK with both the bat and the ball, as he filled in for an injured Dwayne Bravo at the start of the tournament, and managed to keep his place in the XI, even when the West Indian legend was available. 

Making 186 runs and picking 13 wickets in 14 matches is proof that Curran is the star of the future not only for England but for Chennai as well. He batted wherever the team asked him to, even opening the innings. He bowled in tough overs and kept things down when the bowlers were been hammered, but he shined brightly in tough times.   

JOFRA ARCHER- RAJASTHAN ROYALS (RR)
M: 14| WKTs: 20| BB:  3/19| ECO: 6.55

The Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the IPL 2020 was rightly given to Jofra Archer, who single-handedly carried the Rajasthan Royals’ bowling attack on his shoulders. RR tried everything from experienced Jaydev Unadkat to young Kartik Tyagi, but they couldn’t provide the kind of support Archer needed.

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Archer bowled extremely fast and did amazing work both with the new ball and in death overs, bowling a total of 175 dot balls in the tournament. But alas, his 20 wickets at 6.55 rpo economy proved to be ineffective as RR couldn’t make it into the playoffs, as other bowlers and many of the batsmen failed to do their job.