The Indian Premier League is set to write a golden chapter as it enters the double-digit season, tenth, starting April 5.
The tenth season promises to double fans’ excitement to what they had back in the inaugural edition in 2008.
Taking a trip down memory lane, one may find millions of moment to cherish. However, a team lifting the glittery trophy has to be one of the most euphoric moments.
2008 – Legend starts it his way
Legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne, who claimed 1001 international wickets in his illustrious career, gave IPL a thumping start. He claimed 19 wickets and led the inaugural-season champions Rajasthan Royals (RR).
Pakistan’s Sohail Tanvir, while playing for Rajasthan, clinched the purple cap after concluding the season with highest 22 wickets and season-best spell of 6/14.
2009 – Gilchrist picks the right pulse
Another Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist picked the right pulse from Warne and excelled to the maximum to lead his team Deccan Chargers (DC) to the title.
Bestowed with The Man Of The Series award, Gilchrist scored 495 runs in 14 matches, second most runs after compatriot Matthew Hayden who scored 572 runs for Chennai Super Kings.
2010 – The rise of Dhoni’s CSK
The helicopter-shot and other fiery techniques of MS Dhoni stole all the limelight in the third season. Dhoni-led CSK beat Sachin Tendulkar’s Mumbai Indian (MI) by 22 runs to lift the trophy.
The god of cricket, Tendulkar could not lead his side to the crown, though was awarded the Man Of The Series for scoring highest runs (618 runs from 14 matches) in the tournament.
2011 – And he tightens his grip
In 2011, CSK became the only team to win two consecutive seasons of the IPL. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were the victim of circumstances this time, who lost the final by 58 runs.
West Indies’ Chris Gayle, playing for RCB, was star of the season as he scored highest 608 runs and struck record 44 sixes. Gayle concluded the edition with a marvelous strike rate of 183.13.
2012 – When Narine spins it magically
The fifth edition of the cash-rich league was marked to be a turning point. Spinners emerged as influences for the first time in the league that was highly-dominated by the batsmen.
West Indies spinner Sunil Narine took 24 wickets in the season with a best-spell of 5/19.
In the batting department, Gayle grew hungrier than before for runs. He smashed gigantic total of 733 runs with 59 sky-scrapping sixes in the season.
2013 – Rohit stuns Dhoni in a humdinger
Under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, Mumbai Indians defeated Dhoni-led CSK by 23 runs and thus a wave started that this Mumbai boy would one day lead the Indian side after Dhoni.
It couldn’t happen, though Rohit’s captaincy seams flawless as MI has won two titles under his leadership so far.
Skipper Rohit and wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik were the gem of the blues as they scored 538 and 510 runs respectively in 2013 season.
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh claimed 24 wickets for Mumbai, third most in the series.
2014 – An all-rounders’ edition
Gautam Gambhir-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) swayed the 2014 season and their core strength came from their all-rounders. With a middle-order comprising of India’s Yousuf Pathan, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and Netherlands’ Ryan ten Doeschate, KKR appeared formidable.
Australia’s Glenn Maxwell, who played for Kings XI Punjab (KXIP), was awarded The Man Of The Series after scoring 522 runs at a notable strike rate of 187.75.
Maxwell also smashed maximum number of sixes (36) in the season.
2015 – Mumbai repeat history
Once again, Rohit Sharma routed Dhoni’s brigade in the final to claim his second IPL title. West Indies’ Lendl Simmons was their leading batsman as he scored 540 runs from 13 matches with six fifty-plus knocks.
In the bowling attack, Sri Lankan spearhead Lasith Malinga remained the star performer for Mumbai. He claimed 24 wickets in 15 matches, second-best in the tournament following CSK’s Dwayne Bravo, who took 26 wickets in 17 matches.
2016 – Cricket comes swift and surreal
The 2016 edition saw batsmen holding a key to destruction, with RCB’s Virat Kohli and AB de Villiars leading the way. Sixes and boundaries appeared raining at times in stadiums and fans remained on edge of their seats.
Kohli, who scored four centuries and seven fifties to enjoy the league to the fullest, ended the season as the top-scorer with 973 runs. De Villiers was ranked third in top-scorers’ chart with 687 runs at a strike rate of 168.79.
Season-winning skipper David Warner was the second-most run-scorer as he hit 848 runs with nine fifty-plus knocks.