A thrilling IPL 2024 double header on April 27 witnessed a shakeup in the Orange Cap race, with both captains from the evening match making significant strides. Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Sanju Samson played a blinder, scoring a scorching 71 runs off just 33 deliveries against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). This brilliant knock propelled him closer to the top of the leaderboard, leaving him just 45 runs behind the current leader, Virat Kohli (430 runs). Samson now sits firmly in second place with a total of 385 runs. While on the losing side, Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul also impressed with a well-composed 78-run innings. This performance propelled him to the third spot in the race, closely trailing Samson with a total of 378 runs.
Rishabh Pant continues to soar
Meanwhile, the afternoon match saw some movement as well. Rishabh Pant, captain of Delhi Capitals, climbed to the fourth position with 371 runs despite scoring only 31 against Mumbai Indians. Kolkata Knight Riders's Sunil Narine continues to hold onto the fifth position with 357 runs in eight matches.
In the afternoon match, Delhi Capitals almost shattered Mumbai Indians' playoff aspirations with a convincing victory. Despite a valiant half-century (50 runs) from young talent Tilak Varma, who now sits at seventh place in the Orange Cap race with 336 runs in nine innings, Mumbai's chase of 259 runs fell short. This loss further complicates their path to the playoffs.
The evening match belonged entirely to Rajasthan Royals. Lucknow Super Giants set a target of 197 runs at the Ekana Stadium, known for its slow pitch. However, Rajasthan made light work of the chase, showcasing their batting prowess once again. This dominant performance secured their eighth win in nine matches, solidifying their position at the top of the table. Additionally, they extended their lead over the second-placed Kolkata Knight Riders to a comfortable six points.
List of batters who are in contention of Orange Cap:
POSITION | NAME | TEAM | MATCHES | RUNS | AVERAGE | S/R |
| 1 | Virat Kohli | RCB | 9 | 430 | 61.42 | 145.76 |
| 2 | Sanju Samson | RR | 9 | 385 | 77.00 | 161.08 |
| 3 | KL Rahul | LSG | 9 | 378 | 42.00 | 144.27 |
| 4 | Rishabh Pant | DC | 10 | 371 | 46.23 | 160.60 |
| 5 | Sunil Narine | KKR | 8 | 357 | 44.62 | 184.02 |
| 6 | Ruturaj Gaikwad | CSK | 8 | 349 | 58.16 | 142.44 |
| 7 | Tilak Verma | MI | 9 | 336 | 48.00 | 158.49 |
| 8 | Sai Sudharshan | GT | 9 | 334 | 37.11 | 128.95 |
| 9 | Riyan Parag | RR | 9 | 332 | 55.33 | 169.61 |
| 10 | Travis Head | SRH | 7 | 325 | 46.42 | 212.41 |
On April 28, Virat Kohli will get the opportunity to further extend his lead when his team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, faces Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. Gujarat Titans' captain, Shubman Gill, will aim to break back into the top ten of the Orange Cap rankings, having scored 304 runs across nine innings so far. Later, Chennai Super Kings will clash with the formidable Sunrisers Hyderabad. Sunrisers' star opener, Travis Head, who is currently ranked 10th with 325 runs and a remarkable strike rate of 212.41, will be in the spotlight. CSK's captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, who leads his team in scoring, holds the sixth position in the Orange Cap list with 349 runs from eight matches.
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