Here’s are the statistical highlights from the first 17 matches of the IPL 2024.
What have been the biggest takeaways after the first 17 matches of the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League? Almost a quarter into the tournament and we see some early patterns emerge and some historical trends reversed. From record scoring rates to a massive home-advantage, from KKR’s new aggressive mantra in the powerplay to MI’s lack of wickets with the new ball – it has been a fascinating start to the season.
Up, Up and away – soaring run-rate
The average run-rate in IPL 2024 after 17 matches is a staggering 8.84! Still early days, but if the batters continue to make merry and the number holds, it will be the highest scoring rate for any season. The run-rate for the season in 2023 was 8.5 – the previous highest run-rate for a season. Studying their pattern over the last five editions, the run-rate fell from 8.02 in 2019 to 7.9 in 2020. It fell drastically to 7.62 in 2021 – the year in which the tournament was marred by Covid-19 which tells you a thing or two about freedom and human expression!
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The run-rate rose to 8.04 in 2022 before further moving northwards to 8.5 in 2023.
Interestingly though, at a similar stage last year (after the first 17 matches), the run-rate at 8.95 was actually higher than where it stands at present in 2024.
Sixes galore, record totals but where are the hundreds?
A total of 312 sixes have been hit in IPL 2024 thus far which are the highest in the first 17 matches for any season! Just for perspective, there were a total of 259 sixes after the first 17 matches in IPL 2023 so there has been a significant jump this year. It is also a season of big totals with Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders recording the two highest totals in IPL history within the span of a week.
However, though there have been a total of 15 180-plus totals, no batter has yet reached the three-figure mark this season! But this drought of hundreds is not unique to 2024. The first century in 2023 was hammered by Harry Brook (playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad) against the Kolkata Knight Riders only in the 19th match of the edition.
The larger insight here though is the new approach being adopted by teams to pile on the humongous totals. No longer are the daddy individual tons needed to either anchor or power a team to a big 200-plus total. They are being strategically replaced by a higher number of cameos which allow a team to attack continuously and relentlessly thus also making the role of an accumulator almost redundant.
Sunil Narine – KKR’s highest scorer against the Capitals in Visakhapatnam – scored only 31.25% of his team’s total of 272. There were three other batters who scored 54, 41 and 26 at individual strike rates ranging between 200 and 325!
Home advantage but chasing not!
When the Knight Riders beat the Royal Challengers Bengaluru by seven wickets on the 29th of March in Bengaluru, they put to a halt, at least for the time being, the dominance of the home team this season. Prior to that encounter, the home team had won all the nine encounters in the tournament. It seemed to be an aberration though as the home team came out victorious in the three encounters that followed. However, the trend has somewhat reversed with the away team winning four matches on the trot thereafter. Overall, the numbers are still stacked 12-5 in favour of the home team!
Historically, chasing has been an advantage in the IPL with the team batting second winning 54.3% of the matches (not counting tied/ no-result encounters) since the league’s inception in 2008. Studying the pattern over the last four years in the IPL, the team chasing won as many as 37 matches (and lost just 22) in 2021. However, it was even-steven in 2022 with the team setting a target and the team defending, both winning 37 matches each. The trend seems to have reversed from last year with the team batting first coming out victorious in 40 of the 73 result-matches in 2023. Batting first has been more lucrative thus far in this season too with the team setting a target winning 10 of the 17 encounters.
KKR’s new aggressive mantra in the powerplay
KKR have started with a bang and sit pretty at the top of the points table with three wins from as many matches in the season. The dramatic change in their attitude and philosophy at the top of the order has been one of the biggest talking points of the tournament so far. KKR not only have the best batting average amongst all teams but also the highest scoring rate – and this has been the biggest differentiator between them and other teams in the tournament. KKR have a run-rate of 11.7 in IPL 2024. SRH, with a run-rate of 10.7 are a distant second.
No team has scored a higher percentage of runs in boundaries than KKR (66.97%) and neither does any team have a better frequency of hitting a boundary! KKR has scored a boundary every 3.8 deliveries and have also smashed the maximum sixes (45) in the tournament.
KKR have adopted a new aggressive template in the powerplay wherein they go all-guns blazing maximizing the fielding restrictions in the first six overs. 85/0 against RCB and 88 for 1 against Delhi Capitals – they have registered the two highest scores in the powerplay in the tournament and currently have a run-rate of 12 in the first six overs – by far, the highest in the powerplay this season. Just for perspective, KKR’s average run-rate in the powerplay between 2020 and 2023 was a mere 7.6. There has been a complete overhaul in strategy by KKR at the top of the order – the steady cautious start has given way to a ballistic onslaught against the new ball and it is paying dividends for them.
KKR also have the highest run-rate in the middle-overs (7 to 15) and death overs (16 to 20) suggesting that once they are off the block there is no holding back for them this season.
What is wrong with MI?
MI seem to be in free fall having lost their first three encounters this season. Despite hammering 246 in the loss to SRH in Hyderabad, MI’s combined batting average is the lowest this season. The bowling, with the exception of Jasprit Bumrah, has lacked venom and firepower. MI bowlers have picked the least number of wickets (13) amongst all teams in the tournament with also the second-worst economy rate (10.3).
The five-time champions also have massive leadership issues after handing over the captaincy to Hardik Pandya this season – a move which has not been the most popular with both the MI and GT fans. Some of Pandya’s tactics have also been questionable with his decision to not give the new ball to Bumrah in the first couple of matches being heavily criticised by former players and commentators.
