Punjab Kings pacer Harshal Patel, the reigning Purple Cap winner from IPL 2021, has once again emerged as a frontrunner for the coveted award this season. His impressive performance against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, where he claimed three crucial wickets for 38 runs, propelled him to the top of the wicket-takers’ list, displacing Mumbai Indians’ star bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
Patel’s exceptional bowling display has been instrumental in his team’s success throughout the tournament. With 20 wickets to his name, he has consistently delivered match-winning performances. However, his efforts were not enough to secure victory for the Punjab Kings in their recent encounter with the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Despite his heroics, the Punjab Kings fell short by 60 runs, effectively eliminating them from playoff contention.
Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah, who had previously occupied the top spot, currently sits in second place with 18 wickets from 12 matches. Despite being the standout bowler for the Mumbai Indians, Bumrah’s team has also failed to qualify for the playoffs, marking a disappointing end to their campaign.
Other bowlers in contention for the Purple Cap include KKR spinner Varun Chakaravarthy (16 wickets), Arshdeep Singh (16 wickets), T Natarajan (15 wickets), and Mukesh Kumar (15 wickets). With several matches remaining in the tournament, the race for the Purple Cap promises to be intense and highly competitive.
In the recently concluded match between the Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore, star batter Virat Kohli stole the show with a magnificent 92 runs off 47 balls, propelling his team to a formidable total of 241/7. In response, the Punjab Kings were dismissed for 181 runs in 17 overs, despite valiant efforts from Rilee Rossouw and Shashank Singh. Mohammed Siraj emerged as the pick of the bowlers for RCB, claiming three wickets for 43 runs, while Swapnil Singh, Lockie Ferguson, and Karn Sharma each picked up two wickets.
