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It all began with the defending champions Chennai Super Kings taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on March 23rd. After 43 days and 56 exciting matches, four teams will be vying for the coveted trophy.
While Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad have made it to the playoffs this season, the Kolkata Knight Riders, Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore have missed out. It's been another exciting season of the lucrative league with all eight teams exhibiting excellent brand of cricket.
The league encounters offered much to rejoice for the fans who turned out in large numbers across all eight venues as they usually do during the hot and humid Indian summer. And now, the tournament heads to its business end with only four high-octane matches to be played- the Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and the grand finale.
In spite of their teams missing out on the playoffs spots, several players were exceptional throughout IPL 2019. Let us look at the best XI form the four teams that failed to make the last four this season.
Honorable mentions: Ajinkya Rahane and Navdeep Saini
Openers:
KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab) (Wicket keeper)
The World Cup-bound Indian batsman who was the third highest run-getter last year continued his excellent run with the willow this season as well amassing 593 runs in 14 matches at a strike-rate of 135.38.
With six half-centuries and a blistering century at the Wankhede Stadium, the Karnataka player had another memorable outing with Kings XI Punjab personally. In spite of the dashing opener's heroics at the top of the order, Ravichandran Ashwin's men failed to make the last four once again. Fans will hope for KL Rahul to carry his impressive run for team India at this summer's ICC Cricket World Cup.
Chris Gayle (Kings XI Punjab)
It was just another phenomenal season of IPL for the Universe Boss who was at his usual best at the top of the order. Chris Gayle, who will turn 40 this September scored 490 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 153.60.
The Big Jamaican whacked 45 fours and 34 sixes throughout the season that includes four half centuries. He smashed 99* off 64 balls against his former franchise RCB at Mohali, thereby missing his well deserved seventh IPL ton by just one run.
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Middle order:
Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) (Captain)
Virat Kohli was at his usual best with the willow having amassed 464 runs in 14 matches at a strike-rate of 141.46. The Indian skipper who scored two half-centuries and a century this season, registered his fifth IPL ton when he scored 100 off just 58 balls against KKR at Eden Gardens.
In spite of losing the first six matches, Kohli's men won five matches in the next eight games with one game ending in no result. Though RCB had their chances to make the playoffs in spite of their initial hiccups, they failed to capitalize on it.
AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Another player who scored the major chunk of runs for RCB was the Superman from South Africa. As always, AB de Villiers displayed a wide variety of shots throughout the season and especially his innings of 82* off 44 balls which comprised three fours and seven sixes against Kings XI Punjab at home was just spectacular.
The 35-year-old gathered 442 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 154.00 for RCB this season. With five half-centuries, the former Proteas star once again proved to be a consistent and a reliable performer in the RCB middle order.
Nitish Rana (Kolkata Knight Riders)
The southpaw amassed 344 runs in 14 matches at a strike-rate of 146.38. One of the mainstays in the KKR middle order, Nitish Rana who smashed 21 sixes and 27 fours registered three fifties this season.
Rana's valiant knock of 85* off 46 balls against RCB at Eden Gardens almost sealed the game for the hosts while chasing the target of 214 runs. The Delhi batsman has been consistent in his valuable contributions during the last three editions of IPL having scored 333, 304 and 344 runs respectively.
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Lower order:
Andre Russell (Kolkata Knight Riders)
It's indeed hard to believe that Andre Russell won't be a part of this season's playoffs. An experienced T20 campaigner, the Caribbean all-rounder is a kind of a player who is capable of changing the course of a game in no time.
A hard hitter and a useful bowler, the Most Valuable Player of 2015 IPL amassed runs in 14 matches at an impressive strike rate of 204.81 with his highest score being 80*. Russell, who registered four half-centuries, smashed a whopping 52 sixes and 31 fours in this edition of IPL apart from picking up 11 wickets.
Ravichandran Ashwin (Kings XI Punjab)
R Ashwin grabbed the headlines for 'Mankading' Rajasthan Royals' wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler in one of the league games at Jaipur. However, the Kings XI Punjab skipper finished the season with 15 wickets in 14 matches at an economy of 7.27 with his best figures being 3/23.
Though he marshalled his troops well, the Mohali franchise somehow failed to make the last four this season as well.
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Spinners:
Shreyas Gopal (Rajasthan Royals)
Shreyas Gopal had a dream 2019 IPL campaign having finished with 20 wickets in 14 matches at an economy of 7.22. The Karnataka leggie was one of the few positives for the Jaipur-based franchise picking up wickets at regular intervals apart from being quite economical.
He produced a memorable spell in the rain-curtailed 5-overs per side game against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Chinnaswamy Stadium where he picked up a hat trick. The 25-year-old dismissed Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Marcus Stoinis in the only over he bowled thereby finishing with the figures of 3/12.
Yuzvendra Chahal (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
One of the hottest prospects for Team India going into the 2019 World Cup, Yuzvendra Chahal did the major damage with the ball for the Royal Challengers this season. The leg spinner who became the 14th bowler to take 100 IPL wickets during the last home game of this edition against Sunrisers Hyderabad at home. He took 18 wickets in 14 matches in the season at an economy of 7.82 with his best figures being 4/38.
Chahal bowled the second most number of dot balls in an innings (18 dots) during his four over spell against Chennai Super Kings at MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Fast bowlers:
Mohammed Shami (Kings XI Punjab)
Mohammed Shami, who turned out for Kings XI Punjab at the 2019 IPL after being bought for INR 4.8 crore emerged as his franchise's leading wicket-taker with 19 scalps in 14 matches at an economy of 8.68 with his best figures being 3/21.
The fact that this is Shami's best ever performance in an IPL season augurs well for the Indian team as the Bengal pacer is one of the mainstays in the XI.
Jofra Archer (Rajasthan Royals)
Bought for a whopping INR 7.2 core at last year's auction, the flamboyant bowler was retained ahead of 2019 IPL by the Royals after his impressive debut season in which he scalped 15 wickets in 10 games.
A vital cog in Rajasthan's line up, Jofra Archer took 11 wickets in as many matches at an economy of 6.76 this season apart from impressing everyone with his bowling variations. The Barbados-born pacer who made his ODI debut for England on May 3rd against Ireland bolwed the most number of maiden overs this season.
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