The race for the IPL 2024 Purple Cap, awarded to the season's leading wicket-taker, continues to heat up. Delhi Capitals' Khaleel Ahmed re-entered the top contender list with seven wickets in just four matches. Tilak Varma's dismissal during Mumbai Indians versus Delhi Capitals clash, helped Khaleel leapfrog Chennai Super Kings' Mustafizur Rahman and Lucknow Super Giants' Mayank Yadav, who both have the same number of wickets. Khaleel currently holds the second spot with seven wickets in a total of four matches.
The battle for the fifth spot also saw some movement. Mumbai Indians' Gerald Coetzee's stunning four-fer against Delhi Capitals helped him secure a place in the top five. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals' Nandre Burger, who briefly entered the top five fray on Saturday, slipped to sixth in the standings. Mayank Yadav too slipped out of top 5 race as he could only bowl one over during LSG versus GT's clash and remained wicketless. LSG's young gun Mayank Yadav, at just 21 years old, showcased his raw talent by bowling the fastest delivery of the tournament so far. He clocked a blistering 156.7 kph against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
RR's spin maestro Yuzvendra Chahal remains firmly in the lead, holding onto the coveted Purple Cap with eight wickets in four outings. GT's Mohit Sharma is stationed at no.3 spot with seven wickets in four matches while Chennai Super Kings' Mustafizur Rahman is currently fourth in the leading wicket-taker list of IPL 2024.
Full list of most wicket takers in the ongoing IPL 2024 as of MI vs DC and LSG vs GT's clashes:
No. | Player | M | Ins | Ovs | Runs | Wkts | BBI | Avg | Econ | SR | 4w/5w |
1 | 4 | 4 | 14.0 | 89 | 8 | 3/11 | 11.12 | 6.35 | 10.5 | 0/0 | |
2 | 4 | 5 | 20.0 | 170 | 7 | 25/3 | 24.48 | 8.50 | 17.14 | 0/0 | |
3 | Mohit Sharma | 4 | 5 | 19.0 | 165 | 7 | 21/2 | 23.57 | 8.68 | 16.28 | 0/0 |
4 | Mustafizur Rahman | 3 | 3 | 12.0 | 106 | 7 | 29/4 | 15.14 | 8.83 | 10.28 | 1/0 |
5 | Gerald Coetzee | 4 | 4 | 14.3 | 154 | 7 | 34/4 | 22.0 | 10.62 | 12.42 | 1/0 |
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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