Star India batter Virat Kohli has ended the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 2024 with the Orange Cap for most runs in the season, becoming the only Indian to have won this honour twice.
Virat, whose team Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) bowed out of the competition in the eliminator after a loss to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the eliminator, scored 741 runs in 15 matches at an average of 61.75, with a century and five fifties. His best score was 113* and his strike rate stood at 154.69, the highest it has ever been for Virat in a single IPL season. He also smashed 38 sixes this season, joint-most by him in a single season, tying with his tally of 38 sixes in the 2016 season, when he scored 973 runs in 16 matches with four tons and seven fifties.
The 35-year-old broke a lot of records in the season and won acclaim for changing his game to a much-more attacking one, especially against spin. Now in 252 IPL matches, Virat scored 8,004 runs at an average of 38.66 and a strike rate of 131.97, with eight centuries and 55 half-centuries. His best score is 113*.
At the second spot is Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored 583 runs in 14 matches at an average of 53.00, with a century and four half-centuries. His best score is 108*. His strike rate was 141.16.
The third spot is occupied by Rajasthan Royals (RR) all-rounder Riyan Parag, who had a breakout season with 573 runs in 16 matches and 14 innings at an average of 52.09 and a strike rate of 149.21. He scored four half-centuries in the tournament, with the best score of 52.09.
Some other top batters of the ongoing season are: Travis Head (SRH, 567 runs in 15 innings at an average of 40.50 and a strike rate of 191.55, with a century and four fifties), Sanju Samson (RR, 531 runs at an average of 48.27 and a strike rate of 153.46, with five half-centuries), Sai Sudarshan (Gujarat Titans, 527 runs in 12 matches at an average of 47.90 and a strike rate of 141.28, with a century and eight matches), KL Rahul (Lucknow Super Giants, 520 runs in 14 matches at an average of 37.14 and a strike rate of 136.12, with four half-centuries), and Nicholas Pooran (LSG, 499 runs in 14 matches at an average of 62.37, with a strike rate of 178.21 and three half-centuries).
Virat will now be seen in action during the ICC T20 World Cup, starting in West Indies and USA from June 1 onwards. He is the highest run-scorer in the tournament history, with 1,141 runs at an average of 81.50 in 27 matches and 25 innings. Virat has smashed 14 half-centuries in the tournament, with the best score of 89*.
Coming to the title clash between SRH and KKR, SRH won the toss and elected to bat first. KKR rocked SRH with continuous wickets, with the big buy Mitchell Starc justifying his Rs 24.75 crores price tag. Only skipper Pat Cummins (24 in 19 balls, with two fours and a six) and Aiden Markram (20 in 23 balls, with three fours) touched the 20-run mark and SRH was bundled out for 113 in 18.3 overs.
Andre Russell (3/19) was the top bowler for KKR. Starc (2/14) and Harshit Rana (2/24) also contributed well with the ball. Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy and Vaibhav Arora took a wicket each.
KKR needs 114 to win their third title and their first since 2014. (ANI)
