Photo Credit: Cricket South Africa
Proteas pair Faf du Plessis and Kagiso Rabada lead the batting and bowling numbers after the opening week of the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL) that kicked off last Saturday.
Both have been consistent throughout, while there have also been encouraging displays by Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where the 13th edition of the tournament is unfolding.
Former South Africa captain Du Plessis wears the Orange Cap after the first seven days of action after amassing an aggregate of 173 runs at a strike rate of 149.13 from three games for Chennai Super Kings.
Batting at number three, the 36-year-old has been both dependable and consistent, recording scores of 58*, 72 and 43 thus far – although none of those efforts have won him the Player of the Match.
The Super Kings are the only side to have played three games to date, winning just one of them so far.
Ngidi played in two of those matches, nabbing three for 38 in their win over Mumbai Indians, and also taking one for 56 in a defeat to Rajasthan Royals.
Meanwhile, Rabada has been highly popular during his two run-outs for Delhi Capitals, the first on Sunday when the paceman delivered arguably the best Super Over in the competition’s history.
The Purple Cap holder conceded only two and claimed the two wickets needed to restrict Kings XI Punjab to two, which was the lowest recorded.
He then went on to claim three for 26 versus Chennai on Friday as Delhi made it two wins from two, the fast bowler taking his tally to five wickets overall.
Rabada’s national team-mate Nortje also featured in both outings for the Capitals and has two wickets so far.
Elsewhere, veteran AB de Villiers has again proved popular for Royal Challengers Bangalore with one half century in his two innings’. His long-time international team-mate Dale Steyn also played both games for RCB, collecting a single wicket.
Finally, national limited-overs skipper Quinton de Kock hit scores of 33 and one for Mumbai in their two matches, while David Miller was out without facing a ball on his Rajasthan debut on Tuesday.
The full list of South Africans at IPL 2020 are: Faf du Plessis, Lungi Ngidi, Imran Tahir (all Chennai Super Kings), AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn, Chris Morris (all Royal Challengers Bangalore), Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje (both Delhi Capitals), David Miller (Rajasthan Royals), Quinton de Kock (Mumbai Indians), Hardus Viljoen (Kings XI Punjab).
