IPL 2023: Best playing 11 of Week 6 ft. Suryakumar Yadav, Matheesha Pathirana

The race for the playoffs of IPL 2023 is heating up in some style. While Gujarat Titans (GT) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are placed in the top two at present, Mumbai Indians (MI) have barged into the top four themselves with a couple of convincing victories, putting pressure on the ones just below them on the table.

Week 6 of IPL 2023 saw records tumbling for fun, with the points table continuing to morph into different forms at the end of each contest. As always, certain individual performances were of the highest caliber, with breathtaking knocks and impeccable bowling spells standing out as the highlights.

Here, we pick the best playing XI from the week gone by in IPL 2023.

---

Openers - Yashasvi Jaiswal and Philip Salt

Having smashed the fastest half-century in the history of the league off just 13 deliveries, there's no way Rajasthan Royals (RR) batter Yashasvi Jaiswal doesn't make this playing XI. His unbeaten 98 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) came on the back of an 18-ball 35 against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) that helped Rajasthan Royals (RR) mount a massive total on the board.

Delhi Capitals (DC) have endured a tough IPL 2023 campaign but Philip Salt has come in as a breath of fresh air. He made light work of a target of 182 against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on a tacky pitch, blasting a 45-ball 87 before a promising start was cut short against CSK on a more difficult surface.

---

Middle order - Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (c&wk), Glenn Maxwell, and Nehal Wadhera

Suryakumar Yadav makes this playing XI. Again. Surprised much? After a 22-ball 26 against CSK, he carted the RCB attack around for a 35-ball 83 that saw MI gun down 200 within no time. If you thought he couldn't possibly better that innings, he actually did with a maiden IPL ton against GT leaving all and sundry stunned with his jaw-dropping pyrotechnics.

RR skipper Sanju Samson has blown a little hot and cold in IPL 2023 but had a week to remember with the bat. He backed up a knock of 66 off 38 deliveries against SRH with a 29-ball 48 against KKR, remaining unbeaten across the two innings. He will not only don the wicket-keeper's gloves in this playing XI but is also the side's captain.

Glenn Maxwell might have scored a duck against DC but he was at his marauding best against MI, belting a 33-ball 68 studded with eight fours and four sixes. His menacing knock threatened to take RCB towards a total in excess of 220 as he stitched together yet another fruitful partnership with skipper Faf du Plessis.

There's no denying that MI's Nehal Wadhera has emerged as one of the finds of IPL 2023. With very minimal support, he scored a mature 51-ball 64 against CSK before striking an unbeaten 34-ball 52 against RCB. He also started aggressively against GT before his stay was cut short to a seven-ball 15.

---

All-rounders - Axar Patel and Rashid Khan

Axar Patel continues to remain underutilized by DC in IPL 2023 and the week gone by gave another account of the same.

Having sent down three economical overs against RCB, he wasn't called for a fourth although added the finishing touches with the bat. He sent down figures of 2/27 against CSK in Chennai and his 12-ball 21 could have possibly been a lot more had he been promoted to counter the spinners on a turning pitch.

Rashid Khan took a spectacular catch against LSG while returning 1/34 off his four overs, but it was against MI that he turned in one of the all-time great all-round performances. He was the only Titans player who seemed to turn up on the day, picking up four wickets before butchering an unbeaten 79 off 32 deliveries that saved his team the blushes.

---

Bowlers - Akash Madhwal, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Matheesha Pathirana

Akash Madhwal's accuracy with the yorker has solved a big problem for MI, with the Uttarakhand seamer looking at ease in the death overs. Having sent down a brilliant last over against RCB with a relentless exhibition of yorkers, he bagged three wickets against GT while showing the ability to hold his own with the new ball. This was also after he picked up a wicket against CSK last weekend.

Yuzvendra Chahal briefly held the Purple Cap for IPL 2023 before Rashid pipped him last night. He sent down top-class spells against SRH and KKR, bagging four wickets in each of those matches en route to becoming the IPL's all-time leading wicket-taker.

Matheesha Pathirana has been magnificent with his yorkers and variations for CSK, taking on the mantle of their lead death bowler with aplomb. He won the Player of the Match award against MI with returns of 3/15 before picking up three more against DC to play a pivotal role in his side consolidating second spot on the table.

As always, there were a host of other performers who found it tough to break into this playing XI. The GT trio of Mohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha all made their presence felt against LSG, with Mohit also doing a decent job against MI even as Suryakumar tore into him eventually.

Glenn Phillips had an outing to remember against RR with his impactful 7-ball 25 flipping the game on its head considerably. Oh, and Ravindra Jadeja was at his best with the ball against MI and DC, while also chipping in with pivotal runs against the latter on a difficult pitch.

These five names make this playing XI as the impact substitute options.

---

Best playing XI from Week 6 of IPL 2023: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Philip Salt, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (c & wk), Glenn Maxwell, Nehal Wadhera, Axar Patel, Rashid Khan, Akash Madhwal, Yuzvendra Chahal, Matheesha Pathirana.

Impact substitutes: Wriddhiman Saha, Mohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Glenn Phillips, and Ravindra Jadeja.

---

Who else would you have in your playing XI from the week gone by in IPL 2023? Have your say in the comments section below!

---