The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 was nothing short of a spectacle. With teams battling it out in nail-biting finishes and players setting new benchmarks, this season was a treat for cricket enthusiasts. Let’s read about all the records broken in IPL 2023.
Chennai Super Kings’ Historic Win
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) clinched their 5th IPL trophy, equaling Mumbai Indians as the most successful team in the league’s history. The final was a thrilling encounter with CSK defeating Gujarat Titans. Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja played a pivotal role, hitting the winning runs in the final moments of the game.
Batting Records Broken in IPL 2023
The 2023 season witnessed some explosive batting performances:
- Centuries Galore: A record 12 centuries were scored this season, surpassing the previous highs of 8 in 2022 and 7 in 2016. Shubman Gill stood out, scoring three centuries in just four innings.
- 200+ Totals: Teams went all guns blazing, registering 200+ scores 37 times, a significant jump from 18 times in 2022 and 15 times in 2018.
- Successful 200+ Chases: Chasing big totals became a norm, with teams successfully chasing 200+ scores 8 times. Mumbai Indians led the pack, achieving this feat four times.
Individual Brilliance
- MS Dhoni’s Milestone: The veteran cricketer set a new record by featuring in 10 IPL finals, surpassing Suresh Raina’s 8 appearances.
- Young and Old Making Marks: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan became the youngest players to score IPL half-centuries at 21. On the other hand, Wriddhiman Saha, at 38, became the oldest player to achieve this feat.
- Sixes Rained: Players hit a whopping 1124 sixes, breaking the previous records of 1062 in 2022 and 687 in 2021.
- Fastest Fifties: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nicholas Pooran recorded the fastest fifties in IPL history, reaching the milestone in just 13 balls.
- Shubman Gill’s Special Record: Gill might have missed out on breaking Virat Kohli’s record for most runs in a season, but he did surpass Kohli’s record of twelve 30+ scores in a season.
- Partnership Records: Virat Kohli and Faf Duplessis stitched together 939 runs, equaling the partnership record set by Kohli and AB De Villiers in 2016.
Batting Dominance
The season was a paradise for batters:
- Average First Innings Score: Teams, on average, scored 183 in the first innings, a rise from 172 in 2018 and 171 in 2022.
- Run Rate: The overall run rate for the season was an impressive 8.99 runs per over.
- Half-Centuries: Batters recorded 153 half-centuries, a significant increase from 118 in 2022 and 117 in 2016.
Bowling Records Shattered in IPL 2023
While IPL 2023 was predominantly a batsman’s game, bowlers too had their moments of glory and set some remarkable records. Here’s a look at the significant bowling achievements from the season:
Purple Cap Dominance by Gujarat Titans
In a rare occurrence in the IPL, three bowlers from the same team, Gujarat Titans, finished at the top of the Purple Cap race. This trio comprised:
- Mohammed Shami: The experienced pacer was lethal with his swing and seam, often providing crucial breakthroughs for his team.
- Rashid Khan: The Afghan leg-spinner continued to bamboozle batsmen with his variations and was a key player in the middle overs.
- Mohit Sharma: The medium-pacer, known for his clever change of pace, was effective in the death overs.
Economical Spells
Despite the onslaught of runs, some bowlers managed to keep things tight:
- Ravindra Jadeja (CSK): Delivered an economical spell of 4 overs for just 12 runs against Royal Challengers Bangalore, which included the prized wicket of Virat Kohli.
- Rashid Khan (GT): In a match against Delhi Capitals, Rashid gave away only 14 runs in his 4-over spell, picking up 3 crucial wickets.
Best Bowling Figures
Several bowlers delivered match-winning performances:
- Jasprit Bumrah (MI): Recorded figures of 5/14 against Kolkata Knight Riders, which is among the best in the season.
- Kagiso Rabada (DC): The South African speedster picked up 5 wickets for 19 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad, turning the game in his team’s favor.
Milestones Achieved
Some bowlers reached significant milestones in their IPL careers:
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Crossed the 150-wicket mark in the IPL.
- Sunil Narine: The mystery spinner from Kolkata Knight Riders reached the landmark of 400 wickets in T20 cricket during this IPL season.
Final Words
While the batsmen had a field day in IPL 2023, setting numerous records, the bowlers too had their moments under the sun. Their resilience and ability to bounce back in challenging situations were commendable. As the IPL continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how the bowlers adapt and devise new strategies to counter the hard-hitting batsmen.
