The best XI of the Indian Premier League 2018
The Indian Premier League is now over as Chennai Super Kings have lifted the title for the third time in their history. It can be stated without any hesitation that the Super Kings are the most successful team in the IPL.
While Mumbai Indians might also have three IPL titles, Chennai Super Kings have qualified for the playoffs in every season. They have also taken part in seven finals and have won three of them.
So, it is not wrong to call them the most successful member of the Indian Premier League. However, the IPL is not all about them and them exclusively. There have been some exceptional individual performers in the IPL this season, who were some of the most important members of their team.
Bringing some of them together forms the best XI of the IPL season – and here is the best XI of this season’s IPL…
Shane Watson
The former Australian international cricketer was at his brilliant best this season. In fact, he wasn’t supposed to be in this list – with this spot being reserved for Jos Buttler – but stormed his way here with a fantastic match-winning century in the final.
The Aussie scored 555 runs in this year’s IPL in 15 matches while batting at a strike-rate of 145. He scored two centuries in the Indian Premier League this season and also took six wickets with the ball.
KL Rahul
His opening partner is none other than KL Rahul. Rahul was the only consistent performer for Kings XI Punjab and there was no way that anyone else could have been Watson’s opening partner here apart from him.
To think that Royal Challengers let go of both Shane Watson and KL Rahul so easily makes it all the more excruciating for the Bengaluru outfit. Rahul scored 659 runs at a strike-rate of a mammoth 158 in 14 matches.
Kane Williamson (vc)
The Sunrisers Hyderabad were supposed to be hurt with the loss of their usual captain David Warner. However, Kane Williamson not only proved out to be an arguably better strategist than Warner but also made sure that he was among the runs like David Warner was for the Sunrisers.
Captain Kane ended up as the top-scorer of this year’s IPL with 735 runs from 17 matches while batting with a strike-rate of an impressive 142.
Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant has been on the IPL radar for a while now but this season he completely broke free and displayed a type of carnage that no youngster has ever been able to display in the competition.
The Delhi wicketkeeper-batsman was at his vehement best this season and scored 684 runs from 14 matches with a strike-rate of an astonishing 178. The highest individual score in this year’s IPL also belonged to him when he smashed 128 not-out against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
MS Dhoni (c & wk)
The man who was supposed to be in a perpetual decline rose from the imaginary ashes to fly high like a phoenix. This was the IPL which saw MS Dhoni play his best cricket in a long time.
The wicketkeeper-batsman scored 455 runs from 15 innings and masterminded a third IPL title for the Chennai Super Kings with his cunning brain and astute leadership.
Hardik Pandya
He was undoubtedly the best Indian all-rounder in this year’s IPL as he was seriously effective with both the bat and the ball. His numbers speak for himself as he took 260 runs from 13 matches – while mostly batting lower in the order – and picked up 18 wickets as well.
Sunil Narine
It is really difficult to put him as an opener over the likes of the aforementioned players. Nevertheless, he is an excellent all-rounder and the Most Valuable Player of the Indian Premier League 2018 – and you can’t just leave out someone like that.
Opening the innings for KKR, he scored 354 runs from 16 matches while picking up 17 wickets for his team.
Rashid Khan
What can you say about this man? The Afghan is not only a brilliant bowler but also a supremely athletic fielder and devastating lower-order batsman. He single-handedly won his team the second qualifier game against KKR with his all-round performance and was also decent in the final.
In 17 matches, he took 21 wickets with an economy rate of under seven. He broke the record of Shane Warne for picking the most wickets for a foreign leg-spinner with his 21 wickets.
Umesh Yadav
He wasn’t entirely great with his death bowling but was almost unplayable with the new ball. Taking 20 wickets from 14 matches, he was one of Bangalore’s best players who gave the team a good start with the ball.
Siddharth Kaul
Sid Kaul earned himself an Indian cap with his performances in this year’s IPL. While his levels might have dropped after earning the call-up, one can’t deny the influence he had on Sunrisers’ bowling.
With 21 wickets from 17 games, he was one of the regular wicket-takers for his team.
Jasprit Bumrah
And the death-over specialist is here. Jasprit Bumrah might have started the tournament poorly but he eventually grew into it and picked 20 wickets from 14 matches at an economy rate of under 7. Not only was he influential in death overs, he was also very good with the new ball and was the spine of Mumbai’s bowling.
