Punjab Kings pacer Harshal Patel wins second Purple Cap in IPL

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 26 (ANI): Punjab Kings versatile quick Harshal Patel won the Purple Cap in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 after the conclusion of the tournament on Sunday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Harshal finished the tournament with 24 wickets in 14 matches at an economy of 9.73 and an average of 19.87. He won his first Purple Cap in 2021 during his time with Royal Challengers Bengaluru by bagging 32 wickets in a single season.
Kolkata Knight Riders mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy had the opportunity to surpass Patel in the final of the tournament against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Chepauk.
Varun needed a five-wicket haul to surpass Patel in the leading wicket-takers list. However, he ended up with the sole wicket of Shahbaz Ahmed as the Riders marched on to lift their third IPL title.
Chakaravarthy ended the season in the second spot for the most wicket-taker with 21 scalps in 15 matches.
While Harshal clinched the Purple Cap, Royal Challengers Bengaluru's iconic batter Virat Kohli with the Orange Cap for the most runs in the season. The 35-year-old became the first player to win this honour twice.
Virat 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.
He broke several records during the season. 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*. He became the first player to reach the 8000-run mark in the history of the competition.
Coming to the match, KKR managed to hold SRH to the lowest score in the final in the history of the competition. SRH succumbed to a total of 113 before playing out 20 overs.
In reply, KKR chased down the target of 114 in just 10.3 overs to lift their third IPL title. (ANI)