Saturday's IPL 2024 match between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals (DC) witnessed a shakeup in the Purple Cap race, given to the leading wicket-taker. Mumbai Indians' star pacer Jasprit Bumrah reclaimed the coveted Purple Cap with a crucial wicket against DC as he dethroned RCB's Harshal Patel from top spot. He dismissed Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant, taking his tally for the season to 14 wickets. This puts him back at the top of the leaderboard.
Mukesh Kumar makes a move
Delhi Capitals pacer Mukesh Kumar also impressed, climbing to the fourth spot in the race. While his bowling figures of 1/59 might not seem overwhelming in a high-scoring match, his three key wickets – Ishan Kishan, Tim David, and Piyush Chawla – proved crucial.
Changes in the Top 5
Kuldeep Yadav, who failed to take a wicket in this match, remains within the top 5 at the fifth position, despite dropping one spot. Additionally, Khaleel Ahmed, who has had a mixed season so far, chipped in with two wickets for Delhi Capitals, propelling himself to the seventh position in the Purple Cap race.
Chahal Stumbles, Boult Knocks on Top-Ten Door
Yuzvendra Chahal, currently third in the race with 13 wickets, surprisingly went wicketless for Lucknow Super Giants. He remains the only player from both sides in the top ten. Rajasthan Royals pacer Trent Boult, who grabbed an early wicket in the first over, sits just outside the top ten with 10 wickets and is positioned 14th on the Purple Cap list.
Meanwhile, the first match on Sunday, April 28 between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) could significantly change the standings. SRH's T Natarajan, currently at sixth with 12 wickets, will be looking to break into the top five with a strong performance. CSK bowlers Mustafizur Rahman (12 wickets) and Matheesha Pathirana (11 wickets) also have a chance to climb the ranks. In contrast, the afternoon game between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Titans is less likely to impact the Purple Cap race. Mohit Sharma, the highest wicket-taker across both teams with 10 wickets, currently sits at a distant 17th on the list.
List of bowlers who are in Purple Cap contention:
POSITION | NAME | TEAM | WICKETS | MATCHES | RUNS | AVERAGE | ECONOMY |
| 1 | Jasprit Bumrah | MI | 14 | 9 | 239 | 17.07 | 6.63 |
| 2 | Harshal Patel | PBKS | 14 | 10 | 326 | 23.29 | 10.18 |
| 3 | Yuzuvendra Chahal | RR | 13 | 9 | 306 | 23.53 | 11.05 |
| 4 | Mukesh Kumar | DC | 13 | 7 | 282 | 21.69 | 11.05 |
| 5 | Kuldeep Yadav | DC | 12 | 6 | 230 | 19.16 | 8.51 |
| 6 | T Natarajan | SRH | 12 | 6 | 209 | 22.9 | 8.7 |
| 7 | Khaleel Ahmed | DC | 10 | 10 | 351 | 29.25 | 9.48 |
| 8 | Arshdeep Singh | PBKS | 12 | 9 | 302 | 23.3 | 9.53 |
| 9 | Sam Curran | PBKS | 12 | 9 | 271 | 19.3 | 9.67 |
| 10 | Mustafizur Rahman | CSK | 12 | 7 | 277 | 18.3 | 10.07 |
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