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Purple Cap: Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) T Natarajan's bowling efforts went in vain as Orange Army suffered a 15-run defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their IPL 2024 clash on April 25. Natarajan joined the Purple Cap race with an impressive spell of 2/39 which helped him surpass Mustafizur Rahman to climb to fifth place among the top wicket-takers. Mumbai Indians's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah maintained his lead for the Purple Cap, tying with RCB's Yuzvendra Chahal and Harshal Patel with 13 wickets from eight innings.
After taking two wickets in the match against Gujarat Titans, Kuldeep Yadav of Delhi Capitals broke into the top five highest wicket-takers of IPL 2024.
Let's have a look at the list of bowlers who are in contention of Purple Cap:
- 1. Jasprit Bumrah (MI): The Mumbai Indians' pace spearhead, Bumrah remains the king of the bowlers' leaderboard (Purple Cap) with 13 wickets. He continues to dominate even in a season with high-scoring matches.
2. Yuzvendra Chahal (RR): Despite being overlooked by the national team, Chahal has been a standout performer for Rajasthan Royals. He reached a historic milestone, becoming the first bowler in IPL history to take 200 wickets.
3. Harshal Patel (PBKS): After a slow start, Harshal Patel has turned things around for Punjab Kings and is now the third-highest wicket-taker despite their struggles in close matches.
4. Kuldeep Yadav (DC): The Delhi Capitals' left-arm wrist spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, hasn't shied away from challenges, especially against SRH. He's proven his value by claiming 12 wickets in just six games, solidifying his place among the top spinners.
5. T Natarajan (SRH): The left-arm pacer, Natarajan, has climbed to the fifth spot on the wicket-takers' list after his performance against RCB. His versatility allows him to bowl effectively in all phases of the game, picking up wickets while maintaining an economical spell.
POSITION | NAME | TEAM | WICKETS | MATCHES | RUNS | AVERAGE | ECONOMY |
| 1 | Jasprit Bumrah | MI | 13 | 8 | 204 | 15.69 | 5.96 |
| 2 | Yuzuvendra Chahal | RR | 13 | 8 | 265 | 20.38 | 8.34 |
| 3 | Harshal Patel | PBKS | 13 | 8 | 278 | 21.38 | 9.58 |
| 4 | Kuldeep Yadav | DC | 12 | 6 | 181 | 15.08 | 7.54 |
| 5 | T Natarajan | SRH | 12 | 6 | 209 | 17.42 | 8.7 |
| 6 | Mustafizur Rahman | CSK | 12 | 7 | 277 | 23.08 | 10.14 |
| 7 | Gerald Coetzee | MI | 12 | 8 | 288 | 24 | 10.17 |
| 8 | Matheesha Pathirana | CSK | 11 | 5 | 152 | 13.82 | 7.6 |
| 9 | Sam Curran | PBKS | 11 | 8 | 211 | 19.18 | 8.79 |
| 10 | Kagiso Rabada | PBKS | 10 | 8 | 273 | 27.3 | 8.53 |
Purple Cap's history
Notably, the Purple Cap, awarded to the IPL's leading wicket-taker, is a coveted prize. While most seasons see a new champion emerge, Bhuvneshwar Kumar remains the sole player to claim it in back-to-back years. The record for most wickets in a single season is a thrilling tie. Both Harshal Patel (2021) and Dwayne Bravo (2013) finished strong, securing the Purple Cap with an impressive haul.
The inaugural season in 2008 saw Pakistan's Sohail Tanvir become the first Purple Cap winner with 22 wickets. The following year, RP Singh, a former Indian left-arm pacer, outshone Tanvir by taking 23 wickets in South Africa. Pragyan Ojha, former Indian spinner, joined the winners' circle in 2010 with 21 scalps, before overseas players started dominating the race.
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