IPL 2020 Purple Cap: Table remains clustered but KXIP trio can go top tonight

It was a collective effort from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bowlers as they kept the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) batters in check, restricting them to 142 in their 20 overs. The Knight Riders would then chase it down with seven wickets remaining in Match 8 of IPL 2020 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Even though there was not much to show in the wickets column, KKR used seven bowlers for their 20 overs and everyone performed to their maximum potential. If SRH scoring 40 runs for the loss of one wicket in the powerplay overs is considered a below-par performance, KKR pressed the pedal even harder in the middle overs.

The Hyderabad-based franchise were only able to score 70 runs in the next 10 overs and KKR had the upperhand going into the death. Pat Cummins was the most talked-about player in the build-up to last night’s clash after conceding 49 runs off three overs in the previous match against the Mumbai Indians (MI). He came back superbly to finish as the pick of the bowlers with figures of one for 19 from four overs.

It seemed like KKR knew the Abu Dhabi surface for a long time as the line and length dished out to the SRH batters were immaculate, with the batsmen unable to even rotate strike. Wriddhiman Saha was the embodiment of the result as he finished with a strike rate below 100 – 30 off 31 balls.

On the other hand, the SRH pace triumvirate of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed and T Natarajan looked lacklustre in the second innings. The Afghanistan duo of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi fared better, considering they had to combat the dew factor. But, that wasn’t enough as KKR got home with two overs to spare to register their first win of IPL 2020.

IPL 2020 ‘Purple Cap’ list

Only one wicket separates the top 9 on the IPL 2020 'Purple Cap' list (Image Credits: Sportskeeda)

Only seven of the 20 wickets falling last night meant there wasn’t any change whatsoever on the IPL 2020 ‘Purple Cap’ list. Delhi Capitals (DC) speedster Kagiso Rabada sits pretty at the top with five wickets, separated from Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) Sam Curran by virtue of a better bowling average.

The focus, however, will shift to Sharjah tonight as the Rajasthan Royals (RR) will take on the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP). The Punjab pace duo of Mohammad Shami and Sheldon Cottrell, and leggie Ravi Bishnoi would be licking their lips at the prospect of becoming the new holder of the IPL 2020 ‘Purple Cap’ tonight. All three bowlers are tied on four wickets apiece.

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