IPL 2020: A unique edition amid Covid-19
The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is being played without crowds or the usual glamour due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the cricket fever has skyrocketed among the fans ever since the showpiece event marked the resumption of cricket for India. Let's have a look at some of the key moments and events of the tournament:
NO CROWD, YET MOST VIEWED
The opening match of the IPL between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings broke viewership records as 20 crore people tuned in to watch the match.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly later expressed, "You will get everything here! I can bet you that the IPL has been a smashing success this year, in terms of the ratings, the number of people who have watched the game."
TEWATIA'S BRUTAL ASSAULT
ON COTTRELL
While chasing 224 against Kings XI Punjab, with 51 needed off the last three overs, Rahul Tewatia unleashed a brutal assault on left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell, hitting him for five sixes in an over in Sharjah, and went on to win the match for Rajasthan Royals.
CSK GOT KNOCKED OUT PRIOR TO THE PLAYOFFS
Chennai has appeared in the tournament for 11 seasons, including the current one. But MS Dhoni's own form and the overall low morale of the team proved to be too much for them as they failed to reach the playoffs for the first time ever.
FIRST-EVER HISTORIC DOUBLE SUPER OVER
In T20 times, cricket can be a crazy sport, and the clash between Mumbai and KXIP needed two super overs after scoring the same numbers twice, sending the cricket world into a frenzy.
The second super over saw Mumbai making 11 runs because of Kieron Pollard. While chasing it, Chris Gayle hit the first ball for a six, and then Mayank Agarwal hit two fours to ensure KXIP's win.
GAYLE, FIRST TO HIT 1000+
T20 SIXES
'Universe Boss' Gayle became the first batsman in history to smash 1,000 T20 sixes after passing the milestone during his knock of 99 from 63 balls against Rajasthan in this edition of IPL.
SHREYAS-LED DELHI'S
ROAD TO FINAL
Shreyas Iyer got the responsibility to lead an IPL team for the first time in his career, and the young rising star of India led Delhi Capitals into their first-ever final.
POORAN'S ASTONISHING FIELDING EFFORT
KXIP cricketer Nicholas Pooran produced one of the best fielding efforts against Rajasthan when Sanju Samson pulled Murugan Ashwin's short of a length delivery. It was destined to clear the ropes, and it surely did, only for an out-stretched Pooran to catch the ball mid-air and throw it back into the field in the blink of an eye.
PARAG'S BIHU DANCE
It is always good to see the youngsters take center stage in the world's toughest T20 league. After guiding Rajasthan past Hyderabad, Riyan Parag celebrated his winning shot by exhibiting some moves from the traditional Bihu Dance, the indigenous folk dance from the Indian state of Assam.