The Cricketer looks back on the sixth week of the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League, picking out the eye-catching moments as the competition builds pace
Rajasthan Royals remain top of the table, with eight wins from their 10 matches. They have a four-point cushion over second-placed Kolkata Knight Riders and are six clear of playoff-chasing Chennai Super Kings, but did taste defeat in their most recent outing, losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad by one run.
Lucknow Super Giants and Sunrisers Hyderabad make up the rest of the top four.
Punjab Kings have won back-to-back matches for the first time in 2024, beating KKR and CSK to move into seventh place, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru have kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a nine-wicket win over Gujarat Titans. RCB have now won three matches but remain rooted to the bottom of the table with four matches to play.
Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians, however, are heading in the wrong direction. Following their defeat against RCB, the Titans sit eighth while ninth-placed Mumbai Indians are on a three-match losing streak.
Related: Visit the IPL hub
RCB teammates Will Jacks and Virat Kohli celebrate the former's match-winning century against Gujarat Titans [Punit Paranpje/Getty Images]
Will Jacks was the standout English performer in week six, showcasing his explosive capabilities en route to his maiden IPL century.
The RCB batter accelerated from a run-a-ball 17 to reach three figures off 41 deliveries, with his second fifty coming from just 10 balls. His knock, which included five fours and 10 sixes, was described by teammate Virat Kohli as "one of the better T20 hundreds anyone would ever see" and helped RCB chase 201 with 24 balls to spare against Gujarat Titans.
Richard Gleeson marked his IPL debut with figures of 1 for 30 against Punjab Kings. The Warwickshire quick was brought in to replace Devon Conway at Chennai Super Kings.
There were contrasting fortunes for Gleeson's former Lancashire teammates Phil Salt and Luke Wood. Salt struck a 33-ball 68 for KKR against Delhi Capitals but Wood was expensive on his return to the Mumbai Indians XI, leaking 1 for 68 (also against the Capitals).
Jonny Bairstow was the best of the rest, scoring 46 (30) for Punjab Kings against CSK, with Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, and Sam Curran all experiencing quiet weeks.
Reece Topley (RCB) and Liam Livingstone (Punjab Kings) were absent from their respective sides while Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Curran and Chris Woakes are still yet to feature this season.
Richard Gleeson made his IPL debut [R Satish Babu/Getty Images]
Jake Fraser-McGurk was at his blockbuster best during Delhi Capitals' 10-run win over Mumbai Indians.
The Australian opener blasted 87 runs off just 24 deliveries, including 11 fours and six sixes, briefly threatening to break the record for the fastest century in IPL history. Chris Gayle's 30-ball effort for RCB against Pune Warriors in 2013 is the current benchmark.
Delhi Capitals went on to post 257 for 4.
Fraser-McGurk, 22, has now scored 259 runs in just six innings, nearly 90 per cent of which (23 fours, 23 sixes) have come via boundaries. His strike rate (233.33) is the highest of any player to score more than 100 runs.
Jake Fraser-McGurk EQUALS his fastest 50 as the Delhi Capitals rack up the runs ⚡ pic.twitter.com/EoCMTQovOS
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) April 27, 2024
Ruturaj Gaikwad has overtaken Kohli at the top of the batting charts, with 509 runs at a strike rate of 146.68 strike rate. The CSK batter scored back-to-back half-centuries in round six and has only been dismissed for under 60 once in his past six innings.
Sunrisers Hyderabad bowler T Natarajan has taken possession of the purple cap. He has 15 wickets in eight matches, with Jasprit Bumrah, Mustafizur Rahman and Harshal Patel on 14.
Glenn Maxwell returned to action for RCB after taking a break from the game following a poor run of form. He picked up 1 for 28 from three overs against Gujarat Titans but wasn't required with the bat due to Jacks' heroics.
England named their squad for the T20 World Cup and the preceding series against Pakistan, with Buttler, Moeen, Bairstow, Curran, Jacks, Livingstone, Salt and Topley all included. These players are, therefore, expected to return to England prior to the first T20I on May 22, thus missing the IPL playoffs.
Join The Cricketer's brand new Whatsapp channel for the latest breaking news, comment and features - click here to become a member
Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.