We have seen many breathtaking bowling performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the years and we will certainly see a lot more of those in the forthcoming edition as well. South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir was the highest wicket-taker last season with 26 scalps to his name whereas the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Deepak Chahar weren’t far behind with 25 and 22 scalps to their names respectively as well. All three of them have the chance to be in the top wicket-takers’ list in this season once again but the tournament could throw up a new name altogether as well. So let’s have a look at the potential Purple Cap winners of IPL 2020.
#5 Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso Rabada, who was retained by Delhi before the 2018 auctions, missed the whole of 2018 season and the last couple of the games of the 2019 season due to injury. However, before getting ruled out just ahead of the play-offs in 2019, Rabada was well ahead of anyone else in the race for the Purple Cap. With 25 wickets from 12 games, Rabada proved to be a game-changer for Delhi Capitals. With his lethal pace and deadly yorkers, the South African pacer was one of the best death bowlers of the season, as evident form the super-over where he managed to put brakes on the unstoppable Andre Russell.
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With an eye on the World T20 later this year, Rabada will look to make the most of the opportunities in the IPL. If fit and available for the whole season, Rabada will be one of the prime contenders to top the bowling charts this year.
#4 Trent Boult
Kiwi left-arm pacer Trent BoultTrent Boult was traded in by Mumbai Indians from Delhi Capitals during the transfer window for the upcoming season. Boult is undoubtedly one of the best left-arm quicks at the moment, but he has not played much T20 cricket off late. Also, he is yet to shine in the IPL even after playing more than 5 seasons. Having shown glimpses of brilliance, Boult has often been inconsistent and leaked runs at the death in the IPL. However, with Mumbai Indians he will get just the kind of pitch he wants, where the pitch will have enough pace and bounce.
Coming into the IPL with great form, it will not be a surprise if Boult finally sets the stage on fire in the IPL. Given the knack of picking a flurry of wickets on his day, the Kiwi speedster is a strong contender for the coveted Purple Cap.
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#3 Rashid Khan
One of the hottest properties in T20 cricket at the moment, Rashid Khan is a threat for the batsmen on any pitch at any stage of the game. Into his third season in the IPL, Rashid has been pivotal in SRH’s consistency in defending low totals. Such has been his accuracy and guile that more often than not teams just look to play him out, just like they did with Sunil Narine in his early days in IPL.
Having played in T20 leagues around the globe, Rashid is now wiser and more experienced and has found ways of getting wickets even when batsmen are looking to play him out. On wickets which are slow and low, the Afghan wrist-spinner might prove to be nightmare for the oppositions, just like the qualifiers in 2018 against CSK. One of the best leg-spinners in the tournament, Rashid Khan is certainly a contender for the Purple Cap.
Also Read: SWOT Analysis of Sunrisers Hyderabad for IPL 2020 | Squad & Probable Playing XI
#2 Pat Cummins
Pat Cummins was bought for a whopping 15 cr by KKR in the auctions, making him the most expensive overseas player in the IPL. One of the best all-format bowlers in the world at present, Cummins has not set the stage on fire in IPL yet. Having played for KKR and DC before, Cummins missed the 2018 season due to injury and skipped the 2019 season for World Cup preparations. But going into the 2020 season, the Aussie speedster is in the form of his life. Having pace, bounce and swing, Cummins is deadly accurate in his line and length and is therefore difficult to get away with.
Moreover, the Eden Gardens pitch is something Cummins will be happy to have as his home pitch in the IPL as it will suit his style of bowling. Coming into the IPL with form on his side, Cummins is a strong contender for the Purple Cap.
#1 Lungi Ngidi
Young South African pacer Lungi Ngidi was bought by CSK in the 2018 auctions and was quite impressive in the opportunities he got. Known for his red-ball bowling prowess before the start of the tournament, Ngidi was one of the most improved bowlers from the season as he went on to master death bowling by the end of the season. In the limited opportunities he got, Ngidi made life difficult even for the best in the business.
After missing the 2019 season due to injury, Ngidi will be back for CSK for the upcoming season, this time with much more white-ball experience. The recently concluded T20I series against England and Australia saw Ngidi consistently being amongst the wickets. Bowling the crucial overs with the new ball as well at the death, the pacer’s wicket taking ability held his team in good stead. Cometh the IPL, it will not be a surprise if Ngidi makes this season as his own and help CSK go for the glory.