An IPL of two halves

IPL 2014 has been played in two parts: the first was in bowler-friendly conditions in the UAE, when batsmen struggled to post big scores and bowlers enjoyed the upper hand in what's usually a batsman-dominated game; since the tournament returned to India, though, regular service has resumed, with teams posting bigger totals, and the ball disappearing for sixes far more often. The bowlers probably aren't enjoying the Indian leg so much, but the batsmen - and the crowds - aren't complaining.

The stats for the two legs of the tournament show the difference quite clearly. In the UAE, the average run rate in 20 matches was 7.55; there were two totals of more than 200, but both of them came in the same game - the third of the tournament, between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings. However, in 40 innings, there were only 12 totals of 160 or more, as bowlers - especially the faster ones - enjoyed the conditions there. There were 173 sixes in 20 games, at an average of one every 27 balls, while batsmen were dismissed without scoring 26 times.

Since May 2, though, the numbers have turned quite dramatically in favour of batsmen. The average run rate has increased by almost a run, and much of that has been because of the big hits: the rate of hitting sixes has gone up from one every 27 balls to one every 18, an increase of 33%. The number of zeroes, meanwhile, has almost halved. In 42 innings, there have been 23 totals of 160 or more, including four 200-plus scores. The dot-ball percentage has barely changed - it was 39% in the UAE, and 38% in India - but what's caused the run rates to increase is the number of boundaries the batsmen have managed off the other deliveries. In fact, the Indian leg of the tournament has seen a run rate of 8.43 after 21 games, which is the highest of any IPL tournament; the next-best is 8.30, in the inaugural edition, in 2008.

An IPL of two halves
	Matches	Average	Run rate	50s	0s	4s/ 6s	Balls per 4/6
In the UAE	20	24.69	7.55	29	26	464/ 173	9.97/ 26.75
In India	21	29.55	8.43	34	15	568/ 275	8.55/ 17.66

The team stats show that most sides have scored more runs, at a faster rate, in India, but those who've managed better results are the ones who've controlled the runs they've conceded. The team whose fortunes have changed the most is Mumbai Indians: the batting average has gone up from 18.33 runs per wicket to 33.95, while the run rate has increased from 6.60 to 8.33; at the same time, their bowlers have kept the runs in check, relatively - the economy rate has only gone up from 7.54 to 8.09. The result has been three wins in five games in India, after they had lost all five in the UAE.

Mumbai's batsmen have also found the Indian grounds much more favourable for six-hitting: they've smacked 35 in five games, 20 more than they had in five matches in the UAE. Even that difference doesn't compare with the corresponding stats for Royal Challengers Bangalore, though: in the UAE most of their batsmen were struggling for form, which resulted in only 16 sixes from five games; in India, though, Yuvraj Singh has finally found form, and AB de Villiers has been outstanding too. The result has been 52 sixes in five matches in India. That hasn't helped Royal Challengers win more matches, though, because their bowlers have also been that much more profligate in India, going at 9.11 per over, compared to 6.62 in the UAE.

Chennai Super Kings have been the most consistent side over the two legs so far, with an identical 4-1 record. Their bowlers have been more expensive in India too - the economy rate has gone up from 7.51 in the UAE to 8.53 in India - but the batting run rate has increased too. Apart from Mumbai, Kolkata Knight Riders are the other side whose batting average has increased significantly, from 21.14 to 33.04, thanks to Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa regaining form.

Teams in the two legs of IPL 2014
	In the UAE				In India
Team	W/ L	Bat ave/ RR	50s/ 6s	Bowl ave/ ER	W/ L	Bat ave/ RR	50s/ 6s	Bowl ave/ ER
Chennai Super Kings	4/ 1	32.40/ 8.22	6/ 33	20.25/ 7.51	4/ 1	37.50/ 8.60	4/ 31	25.87/ 8.53
Kings XI Punjab	5/ 0	31.51/ 8.83	5/ 32	20.27/ 7.67	3/ 2	33.00/ 9.69	5/ 40	33.76/ 9.03
Rajasthan Royals	3/ 2	22.73/ 7.38	4/ 20	20.84/ 7.34	4/ 2	23.96/ 7.89	4/ 41	23.69/ 7.72
Kolkata Knight Riders	2/ 3	21.14/ 7.52	3/ 16	22.53/ 7.24	3/ 2	33.04/ 7.90	5/ 17	28.44/ 7.91
Sunrisers Hyderabad	2/ 3	27.96/ 7.60	3/ 23	28.96/ 8.19	2/ 3	27.80/ 8.24	4/ 25	25.80/ 7.97
Royal Challengers Bangalore	2/ 3	21.57/ 6.77	2/ 16	20.96/ 6.62	2/ 3	27.12/ 8.69	5/ 52	29.06/ 9.11
Mumbai Indians	0/ 5	18.33/ 6.60	2/ 15	35.95/ 7.54	3/ 2	33.95/ 8.33	5/ 35	30.57/ 8.09
Delhi Daredevils	2/ 3	26.00/ 7.46	4/ 18	38.00/ 8.25	0/ 6	24.78/ 7.85	2/ 34	48.89/ 9.21

Among the individual batsmen, there have been quite a few who struggled for runs in the UAE, but have suddenly found their best form once the bandwagon has returned to India. Among them are Gambhir, Rohit Sharma and Uthappa. Wriddhiman Saha managed only 18 runs from three innings in the UAE, but in India he has carved out 145 in four innings at a strike rate of 146, including an incredible 26-ball 54 as Kings XI chased down 206 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Karun Nair didn't get too many chances in the UAE, but has flourished at the top of the order in India, scoring 212 in six innings at a strike rate of 134.

Yuvraj's UAE numbers look respectable, but they were boosted by just one innings - an unbeaten 52 off 29 balls against Daredevils; apart from that he scored 69 from 75 balls in four innings. In India, though, he has been a transformed player, scoring 174 runs at a strike rate of 167. He alone has struck 17 sixes in India, which is one more than what his entire team managed in five matches in the UAE.

Some of the non-Indian batsmen who had struggled in the UAE seem to have settled in nicely in India too. de Villiers has scored at a strike rate of 197 here, and has struck 19 sixes in 123 balls; in the UAE he managed a strike rate of 96, and struck one six in 76 balls.

Comparing batsmen stats in the UAE but have flourished in India
	In the UAE				In India
Batsman	Innings	Runs	Average	Strike rate	Innings	Runs	Average	Strike rate
Karun Nair	2	9	4.50	52.94	6	212	42.40	134.17
Wriddhiman Saha	3	18	6.00	94.73	4	145	48.33	146.46
Yusuf Pathan	4	18	6.00	94.73	3	61	30.50	141.86
Gautam Gambhir	5	46	9.20	74.19	5	206	51.50	129.55
Faf du Plessis	4	51	12.75	98.07	3	121	40.33	137.50
Corey Anderson	5	73	14.60	91.25	4	77	25.67	163.82
AB de Villiers	4	73	24.33	96.05	5	242	60.50	196.74
Rohit Sharma	5	84	16.80	110.52	5	182	60.67	130.93
Shikhar Dhawan	5	85	17.00	114.86	5	130	26.00	116.07
Dinesh Karthik	5	94	18.80	117.50	6	142	23.67	124.56
Robin Uthappa	5	97	19.40	108.98	5	285	57.00	139.70
Suresh Raina	5	99	19.80	119.27	5	134	33.50	144.08
Yuvraj Singh	5	121	30.25	116.34	5	174	43.50	167.30
Ambati Rayudu	5	133	26.60	104.72	5	177	35.40	136.15

Among the bowlers, the numbers for the spinners hasn't changed much, but the fast bowlers did much better in the UAE than they have done in India so far. In India they've gone at more than eight-and-a-half an over, while in the UAE their economy rate was 7.35.

Pace stats, in the UAE and in India
	Wickets	Average	Econ rate	Strike rate
In the UAE	156	23.32	7.35	19.0
In India	132	33.10	8.59	23.1

Spin stats, in the UAE and in India
	Wickets	Average	Econ rate	Strike rate
In the UAE	63	32.17	7.42	26.0
In India	76	29.61	7.60	23.3

Several fast bowlers - both Indian and overseas ones - put in superb performances in the UAE, when the conditions offered them bounce and seam movement, but have been pretty ordinary in India. Sandeep Sharma, the former India Under-19 bowler currently with Kings XI, took seen wickets at 8.85 and an economy rate of 5.63 in the UAE, but has gone at almost ten an over in India; Varun Aaron has bowled exactly 14.5 overs in the UAE and in India, but his UAE bowling figures were 8 for 84; in India he has figures of 4 for 150. Ashok Dinda had an economy rate of 6.94 in the UAE, but it's ballooned to 11.40 in India. The one notable exception among Indian bowlers has been Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has been terrific in both countries: he took eight wickets at 15 and an economy rate of 6.15 in the UAE, and 10 wickets at 11.20 and an economy rate of 5.69 in India. Jasprit Bumrah played only one game in the UAE, but has been terrific in India, achieving an economy rate of 6.68 from 19 overs.

Bowlers much more skilled and experienced than Dinda and Aaron have struggled in Indian conditions this season. Dale Steyn took six wickets at an average of 21.33 and an economy rate of 6.40 in the UAE, but in India his average has doubled and his economy rate increased to 8.50. Similarly, Mitchell Johnson has leaked 8.31 per over, and Kane Richardson 9.16. Lasith Malinga has been an exception, achieving an economy rate of 6.10 in the UAE and 6.81 in India. He's off to England, though, for the ODI series, which means Mumbai's already wafer-thin chances will take a further beating.

Apart from a handful of pace bowlers, the rest have all struggled in India. They can at least thank the timing of the national elections, though, for ensuring that the entire tournament wasn't played in India this season.

Comparing bowler stats in the UAE and in India
	in the UAE				in India
Bowler	Overs	Wickets	Average	Econ rate	Overs	Wickets	Average	Econ rate
Sandeep Sharma	11.0	7	8.85	5.63	19.1	7	26.85	9.80
Varun Aaron	14.5	8	10.50	5.66	14.5	4	37.50	10.11
Ishwar Pandey	15.0	3	29.33	5.86	16.0	1	139.00	8.68
Rishi Dhawan	13.2	4	20.50	6.15	14.0	5	24.00	8.57
Kane Richardson	15.0	6	16.00	6.40	12.0	3	36.67	9.16
Dale Steyn	20.0	6	21.33	6.40	20.0	4	42.50	8.50
Mitchell Starc	20.0	7	18.71	6.55	19.0	6	25.33	8.00
Mohit Sharma	15.5	8	13.25	6.69	19.0	10	16.80	8.84
Ashok Dinda	17.0	2	59.00	6.94	10.0	2	57.00	11.40
Mitchell Johnson	19.2	7	20.42	7.39	19.0	3	52.67	8.31
R Vinay Kumar	14.0	4	26.50	7.57	10.0	2	49.50	9.90

Delhi out of title hunt, Rajasthan get closer to playoffs

IPL7, GAME 41—Daredevils on track for another last-place finish after ninth loss of the season.

Delhi captain Pietersen is bowled by Bhatia.

Rajasthan Royals took another step towards the playoffs, crushing bottom-placed Delhi Daredevils for their seventh win. The defeat also ended a very slim chance Daredevils had of making the top four. Royals were ahead right through the game after being asked to bat on a pitch that got slower as the game progressed, a decision Kevin Pietersen later conceded was wrong.

Ajinkya Rahane provided the base with a steady 64, Kevon Cooper and Sanju Samson the momentum in the middle, and James Faulkner the finishing flourish as Royals racked up 201 for 6. Pietersen had backed his batsmen to chase whatever Royals scored, but Daredevils crumbled without much fight, most of it coming from Manoj Tiwary, who was unbeaten on 61 as his team-mates crumbled around him.

Rahane and Karun Nair got Royals going with an opening partnership of 44 in 5.3 overs. The new ball in the first innings was probably the best time to bat on the pitch, and Rahane was away with a series of fours. Nair seemed to pick up when he lofted Siddarth Kaul for a couple of boundaries but was caught in front next over by Shahbaz Nadeem.

Cooper had come in at No 10 in his only game of the season before tonight. He was sent in at No 3 to go after the bowling, and he did exactly that, swatting three sixes in making 32 off 16. The spinners were operating at that time, and with the pitch turning, Royals might have stalled. Cooper, although he never looked in control, did not allow that to happen. When one of his mishits finally went to a fielder, Sanju Samson came in and ensured there was no let-up in the scoring.

Samson lofted and flat-batted Kaul for two sixes in the 15th over. Rahane had been going at just over run-a-ball at the other end, but he opened up in the next over as Royals surged to a big finish. Rahul Shukla was taken for three fours behind square leg in the 16th over, once by Samson and twice by Rahane. The opener swung Nadeem for six over deep midwicket in the following over before he was bowled for 64 off 50 by the left-arm spinner.

Imran Tahir bowled a superb 18th over, conceding only two and removing Stuart Binny with a googly and Samson, for 40 off 25, with a legbreak. Seeing that, Pietersen decided to give the penultimate over to part-timer legspinner Tiwary, whose only over earlier had gone for 11. Ben Cutting and Faulkner swung him for a six each. Faulkner hit two successive ones over long-on off Shukla in the last over to push Royals past 200. Royals had taken 77 off the final six overs, despite Tahir's two-run effort in the 18th.

Mayank Agarwal hit a few fours off the new ball, but after he failed to clear mid-off in the third over, Daredevils quickly fell apart. Dinesh Karthik swung a Dhawal Kulkarni slow bouncer to fine leg, and the slow bowlers came on to squeeze Daredevils further.

JP Duminy could not keep a cut down off Pravin Tambe, and Rajat Bhatia's leg rollers took care of Pietersen and Ross Taylor. Tiwary and Kedar Jadhav were the last batting pair at 58 for 5 in the tenth over but the latter was run out by a direct hit from Cutting to make it 75 for 6.

Tiwary hung around till the end, but reducing the margin of defeat was of no avail when the campaign had already ended.

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