Lucknow Super Giants registered the second-highest IPL total of all time when they smashed 257 runs against Punjab Kings at Mohali on Friday. Royal Challengers Bangalore’s 263 against Pune Warriors India in 2013 still remains the highest total, but the fact that it took 10 years for a team to even come close to RCB’s humongous total is testimony to what Chris Gayle and Co. had managed at the Chinnasamy Stadium in 2013.
However, LSG’s onslaught on Friday was also special and if you take a closer look at the team scores this season, a clear pattern emerges – that of teams scoring more runs this edition as compared to the previous years.
IPL 2023: Orange Cap Complete List of Batters with Most Runs, Check here
LSG kept the record keepers to work till late and apart from the second-highest team total, one of the records the current IPL season created with the match in Mohali was the highest number (20) of 200-plus scores. IPL 2023 surpassed IPL 2022 wherein 18 200-plus scores were registered.
But even before the 38th match was played, Virat Kohli and Faf Du Plessis; Ajinkya Rahane and Devon Conway; Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler; and Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer – all these batters had taken the already soaring Indian Premier League to a new height.
The current season saw the highest average scores for the first innings as well as the second innings. The average first innings score after 34 games was 179 – seven more than the second-best year of 2018.
Similarly, the second innings average score after 34 matches was 165 – six more than the second-best year, again, 2018.
The only aspect wherein 2018 inches ahead of 2023 is successful run chases. While 2018 saw 166 runs as an average target successfully chased, 2023 trails by one run at 165. However, with a few more games, the 2023 season has all the chances of overtaking the 2018 tournament.
But what would you attribute such high scores to – a more aggressive batting style, predictable and below-par bowling, or batting-friendly pitches?
While these factors cannot be quantified, the run-scoring trend throughout the 20 overs can be quantified. The average powerplay score in the first innings – 49 – is the second highest this season, one run behind 2018’s average score of 50. The average second innings score of 48 is the fourth highest. This shows the batters have aced their powerplay game – more so in the first innings.
But the phase of the game, when batters have been the most dominant this season, is middle overs. Teams have averaged 72 runs during overs 7 to 15 in both innings and this score stands second when compared with other seasons. The first innings average score is two runs behind 2018’s 74. The second innings score is tied at the top with 2022’s 72.
Death overs in this season have not been up to the mark. The first innings average in overs 16 – 20 has been 50, which ranks fifth across seasons. But the statistic that is completely contrary to the ongoing trend is the average death overs score in the second innings – 37. This is the lowest death overs average across all the seasons.
While a few odd matches did not see the fag end of the match, several other run chases were marred with a very inept approach towards the run chase. LSG’s batting against GT, failing to chase 35 in the last six overs, is the prime example.
While we talk about pitches and playing conditions, a few stadiums contribute plenty to the aforementioned trend.
The average first innings score at Wankhede (185), Eden Gardens (222), and Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium (179) are the highest for the venue. Chinnaswamy Stadium (194) and Chepauk (175) follow with second best first innings average score at the venue. The only stadiums that fall way behind on the list are Sawai Mansingh Stadium (154) with the sixth highest average score, and Arun Jaitley Stadium (154) being eleventh on the list compared to previous seasons.
One of the other reasons for such high scores might be the absence of some of the lethal bowlers including Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins. Injury woes to the likes of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood only add to the list.
IPL 2023 Points Table: Check Team Standings, Team Points, Wins, Losses & Orange Cap, Purple Cap
While the current season has already broken records of the previous seasons at the halfway stage, it can only be expected that by the end of the season, the crackers will be louder and brighter, the kite will soar higher, and the crowds will make it more colourful.
Get the latest Cricket News, IPL 2023 Live Score, Orange Cap and Purple Cap holder details here
Comments
0 comment