What an incredible season it was. Mumbai Indians beat Rising Pune Supergiant by a run, bagging the IPL trophy for the third time in a nail-biting, enthralling match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. A blast of a final, it was a low-scoring game that saw brilliant performances by Krunal Pandya, Jaydev Unadkat, Mitchell Johnson, Adam Zampa and others.
IPL 2017 proved to be full of entertaining performances, glamorous show-ups, and high-octane cricket. We missed the likes of JP Duminy, Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Starc, Quinton de Kock, Dale Steyn, Dwayne Bravo among others. However, dominated by desi talent, IPL 2017 was a canvas brimming with a colourful delight of international talent, that brought with itself aggression, discipline, and athleticism.
Even though just four in number, these players are the essence of the temperament of a team, which was depicted very well in the tenth season of the IPL. The English, the Aussies, the Kiwis, the Lions and the South Africans, the West Indies, even an Afghani — each team was a well represented, united bundle of talent. To commemorate the international spirit of the Indian Premier League, we’ll take a look at the five best international performers.
Before that though, here are a couple of honourable mentions.
Mitchell Johnson
Nobody can forget the last over from the final match between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiant. RPS needed 11 off 6 balls to lift the IPL Trophy for the first time. Johnson, 35, delivered a match-winning performance and broke the jinx against RPS.
The Australian fast-bowler picked up three crucial wickets. A star for his team, he took 7 wickets in 5 matches and had an economy rate of 7.05. Experience spoke, and Johnson bowled with accuracy and consistency. He showed an impactful partnership with Jasprit Bumrah and also proved to be an inspiration for the younger lot.
Andrew Tye
Although a shoulder injury constrained him from playing any further, in mere six matches, Gujarat Lions’ bowler Tye took home the honours of the second best bowling figures (5/17 in four overs) and the best bowling average (11.75), also the best figures by a debutant.
He took a total of 12 wickets. An important member of the Lions’ squad, the Aussie impressed everyone by taking a hat-trick on his IPL debut — the first individual to do so in the history of the tournament. He also became the first bowler to take a five-wicket haul in IPL 2017 (against RPS).
#5 Ben Stokes
The costliest player in the history of IPL, English all-rounder Stokes was bought by Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) for a record amount of INR 14.50 Crores. It's safe to say that Stokes had a huge role to play in Pune finishing 2nd in the tournament. A crucial wicket taker and an aggressive batsman, his records for Pune are excellent.
His absence in the final was clearly a pinch for RPS. Stokes scored 316 runs and took 12 wickets from 12 matches at an average of 26.33. His strike rate, an imposing 142.98 is one of the best in the history of the tournament.
He was on fire against RCB with a 3/18 taking crucial wickets of Virat Kohli, Shane Watson, and Adam Milne, breaking the backbone of the team. He was the Man-of-the-match consequently and was also declared as the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of IPL 2017.
#4 Steven Smith
It was a bit of a surprise when Steven ‘Superman’ Smith, Australian captain of all formats was named the skipper of the RPS squad, despite the presence of ‘Captain Cool’ MS Dhoni. Notwithstanding rumours of clashes, both individuals collaborated in style to bring out the best in the team.
Smith led his team to the final of the IPL 2017, only to lose to Mumbai Indians narrowly. Nevertheless, the Aussie all-rounder treated us to some amazing acrobatic fielding, exciting catches and a mammoth of 472 runs. He is also famous for his incredibly accurate throws at the stumps.
He also had an impressive average of 39.33. His unbeaten 84 off 54 balls – blasting three sixes and seven fours – helped RPS beat MI, a side they beat thrice, is a knock that stands out.
#3 Chris Lynn
The Australian batsman proved to be a vital opener for the Kolkata Knight Riders in more instances than one. He scored a staggering of 295 runs in seven matches with a high score of 93* off 41 balls. In that knock, he mustered six fours and eight sixes and swamped the Gujarat Lions.
Lynn’s partnerships with Gautam Gambhir (against Gujarat) and Sunil Narine (against RCB) were extraordinary. Despite sustaining a shoulder injury, he came back with his usual destructive nature.
Known for being a hard-hitter, Lynn was another monstrous addition to their top-order which already boasted Robin Uthappa.
#2 Glenn Maxwell
Captain of Kings XI Punjab, Maxwell is always a delight to watch. Punjab had a good start this season but failed to make it to the top four. The Australian all-rounder put in some stellar performances against RCB, KKR and RPS. Despite criticism regarding Punjab being inconsistent, Maxwell led his side well and put a lot of faith on the Indian bowling contingent.
He bagged the YES Bank Maximum Season Award — for the most number of sixes in the tournament by hitting 26 sixes. He also earned the title of having the highest strike rate among players with 1000 IPL runs.
The Aussie scored 310 runs and his off-breaks came in handy as he picked seven wickets in 14 matches. KXIP also put the highest total of the season (230) and Maxwell played a key hand in the middle overs by smashing 47 of 21 balls.
#1 David Warner
The most prolific batsmen for the Sunrisers Hyderabad who took his team to victory in IPL 2016, David Warner continued his blitzkrieg form and scored a massive of 641 runs in 14 matches to win the Orange Cap in IPL 2017.
The Aussie became the first non-Indian player to score 4000 (4014) runs since the inception of the tournament in 2008. He captained his side to third in the league table, showcasing great ability in terms of selecting the right team to maintain balance.
His 126 against KKR was also the highest individual score in the recently concluded season. He entertained the crowds by taking some enthralling catches and his athletic fielding hugely impressed us.
