IPL 2020 Purple Cap: Mohammad Shami is the new leader in a table dominated by MI

An outstanding bowling effort by the Mumbai Indians (MI) helped them register their biggest victory – in terms of runs – over the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) after beating them by 48 runs in Match 13 of IPL 2020 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

To defend 192 runs, all the MI bowlers stepped up to match the heroics of their batsmen in the first innings as KXIP could only manage 143 for eight to lose for the third time in four matches. The win took MI to the top of the IPL 2020 table with two wins and the best NNR (net run-rate) in the league, while KXIP is languishing in sixth position.

The KL Rahul-led side kept losing wickets at regular intervals as all five MI bowlers were amongst wickets. In the process, leg-spinner Rahul Chahar climbed up to third on the IPL 2020 Purple Cap list with six wickets from four matches. He dismissed the in-form KL Rahul and the dangerous Glenn Maxwell to return figures of two for 26 from four overs last night.

Even though he was the most expensive MI bowler against KXIP, he also got a solitary wicket which means Trent Boult is also on six wickets from the four matches played so far. However, he occupies the fifth slot on the IPL 2020 wicket-takers list due to having a higher bowling average.

IPL 2020 Purple Cap list

6 of the top 10 wicket-takers in IPL 2020 featured in last night's KXIP vs MI clash (Image Credits: Sportskeeda)

The defending champions continue to dominate the bottom half of the IPL 2020 Purple Cap list as well. James Pattinson took his fifth IPL wicket as he picked up two wickets for 28 runs last night and thus, climbed up to eighth in the table.

But the pick of the bowlers was once again Jasprit Bumrah. After having a torrid opening fixture against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Bumrah has bounced back in style to occupy the ninth position with five wickets under his belt. He returned figures of two for 18 from four overs and dismissed Mayank Agarwal, who scored a century in KXIP’s last match, and James Neesham.

The losing team had something to smile about as well as pacer Mohammad Shami became the current holder of the IPL 2020 Purple Cap with eight wickets from four matches. Kagiso Rabada is second on the list having picked up a wicket less.

Sheldon Cottrell, Shami’s new ball partner, is fourth in the table with six wickets and has had a dream start to his IPL career. After getting smashed for 30 runs in an over by Rahul Tewatia in the previous match, he was KXIP’s most economical bowler last night with figures of one for 20 from four overs.

Considering the dominance of leg-spinners in IPL 2020, KXIP probably missed a trick by omitting Murugan Ashwin from their starting eleven. He has picked up four wickets from two matches so far and occupies the tenth position.

But a tightly-packed IPL 2020 Purple Cap list leaves the door open for further changes tonight as CSK will take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Dubai. While Rashid Khan, who was the Man of the Match against the Delhi Capitals (DC) on Tuesday, would aim to break into the top 3 of the IPL 2020 bowling charts, CSK’s Sam Curran won’t be lagging behind either.

Check out IPL 2020 schedule