April 9 (India Today) – Although the T20 format is generally looked upon to favour the batsmen, over time we have come to realise the value of a good bowler in the game.
A few quick wickets at any point in the 20-over format can change the course of the game irrespective of how destructive the opposition batsmen are.
A look at the buys in the IPL 2021 Auction also show how the franchises this time around have gone big in getting players who can deliver a few good overs in the game.
Here we take a look at the Purple Cap holders across the different seasons of the IPL:
IPL 2008:
Pakistan pacer Sohail Tanvir, playing for the Rajasthan Royals, picked up 22 wickets in the inaugural season of the IPL. This includes a splendid bowling spell against the Chennai Super Kings where he took 6/14.
IPL 2009:
India fast bowler RP Singh, playing for the Deccan Chargers, who went on to win the IPL 2009 title, took the Purple Cap with 23 wickets in 16 matches.
IPL 2010:
It was another Deccan Chargers bowler in the form of Prgayan Ojha, and a spinner this time around, who went on to claim the Purple Cap with 21 scalps in 16 matches. He bowled at an economy of 7.29 and an average of 16.8 in the tournament.
IPL 2011:
Mumbai Indians pacer Lasith Malinga took 28 wickets as his team went into the finals of IPL 2011. However, it was not a successful campaign for his side as MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings went on to win their second successive title.
IPL 2012:
South Africa fast bowler, Morne Morkel, was at his fiery best for the Delhi Daredevils and he snared 25 wickets to be the highest wicket-taker in the tournament. However, his team finished at the third spot as Gautam Gambhir-led Kolkata Knight Riders went on to win their maiden title
IPL 2013:
West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo had a stellar IPL 2013 campaign and went on to claim 32 wickets in the tournament, which is still the highest by any bowler for a single season.
IPL 2014:
It was another Chennai Super Kings bowler who took the Purple Cap the following year with the young Mohit Sharma taking 23 wickets in 16 matches.
IPL 2015:
Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Dwayne Bravo once again finished at the top of the Purple Cap list and became the first player to win the honour for the second time when he took 26 wickets as his team lost out to the Mumbai Indians in a thriller of a final.
IPL 2016:
This was the year when Sunrisers Hyderabad went on to win their first IPL title and a lot of this was because of the bowling of India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He took 23 wickets and led the team from the front with the ball.
IPL 2017:
It was once again Bhuvneshwar Kumar who took the honours as he again finished at the top of the chart with 26 wickets this time around. He became the first bowler to win the Purple Cap in successive editions of IPL.
IPL 2018:
Australia all-rounder Andrew Tye had a fantastic season for the under-achieving Kings XI Punjab as he took 24 wickets but the team under the captaincy of Ravichandran Ashwin finished at a dismal 7th spot.
IPL 2019:
40-year-old Imran Tahir showed everyone in IPL 2019 that age is just a number as he went on to scalp 26 wickets for the Chennai Super Kings. His team reached yet another final but were defeated by the Mumbai Indians as the Rohit Sharma-led team picked their fourth title.
IPL 2020:
It was a closely fought battle between Mumbai Indians’s Jasprit Bumrah and Delhi Capital’s Kagiso Rabada until the IPL 2020 final. With the two teams facing each other in the title clash, either player could have taken the honours. It was eventually the South African who finished the season on 30 wickets to take the Purple Cap.
Read more:
IPL Orange Cap winners from 2008 to 2020
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