The IPL 2023 is going to be the 16th edition of the tournament, which is going to start from 31st March. The Indian Premier League started way back in 2008, and ahead of the IPL 2023, broadcasters Star Sports launched an award programme to celebrate the previous 15 years of the IPL.
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IPL is the most popular T20 franchise tournament in the world. It has provided some of the greatest moments on the cricket field throughout the years. Star Sports launched the awards programme to honor the best players in the league. On Monday (February 20), the awards were presented in different categories, including Best Batter, Best Captain, and many more. Former India players Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, and Irfan Pathan were on the jury for the award ceremony.
List of Award Winners: 15 Years of IPL
Best Captain:
India and Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma got the award in the Best Captain category. Rohit led his team to four IPL titles, and MI has won 5 IPL titles in total. That made them the most successful franchise in the tournament’s history.
Best Batter:
South African Batting Legend AB De Villiers has won the best batter award. De Villiers has represented Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils in his IPL career and has been one of the most influential batters for the former franchise.
AB De Villiers IPL Stats: Matches (Innings): 184 (170); Runs: 5162; Average: 39.71; Strike Rate: 151.69; Highest: 133; 50s: 40; 100s: 3; Sixes: 251
Best Bowler:
Mumbai Indians’ Jasprit Bumrah won the award for the best bowler in the IPL for the last 15 years. The Indian pacer has picked up 145 wickets for MI since his debut in 2013. He has been a pivotal part of the Mumbai squad throughout the last ten years.
Incredible Overall Impact Player:
Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell won the Overall Impact award for his role with both bat and ball. The West Indies player has been a vital player in the Knight’s setup and is one of the most dangerous batsmen in T20 history. He helped KKR to win many matches single-handedly in the past. That’s why He is the most impactful player in the tournament.
Best Batting Performance in a Season:
Former RCB captain Virat Kohli was given the “Incredible batting performance” award for his fantastic batting in the 2016 IPL season. Kohli scored 973 runs in that season with 4 centuries, as RCB reached the final that year.
Best Bowling Performance in a Season:
Sunil Narine got the award for best performance with the ball in a season for his debut year with KKR in 2012. The spinning magician picked up 24 wickets in that season at an economy of 5.5. He helped the Knight Riders to win the IPL for the first time in IPL history that year.
