Ever since its first season, the Indian Premier League has been the perfect stage for players to showcase their talent and skills. According to Wikipedia, the most popular T20 league in the world further motivates every player who is a part of the massive tournament to prove themselves by offering awards and accolades for achieving numerous milestones. One of the most prestigious awards is the Orange Cap, which is awarded to the batsman who has the maximum number of runs at the end of the tournament. The tournament features so many awards to enhance the level of competition and honor the most talented players in front of millions of fans and viewers. Awards also make playing fantasy cricket more interesting. Before moving on to the Orange Cap, here is a brief look at what fantasy games are and how they make cricket and other sports more interesting:
Fantasy games are defined as the virtual form of the most popular sports. Every major tournament of any popular sport brings fans the opportunity to indulge in fantasy games. By playing these, enthusiasts can test their knowledge of their favorite game by creating virtual teams and predicting the outcomes of different aspects of real-life matches. For instance, cricket enthusiasts who wish to start their fantasy cricket journey and predict outcomes of different aspects of matches of major tournaments such as the IPL can go for their preferred fantasy game app by choosing one from the plethora of top-tier readily available applications. Similarly, those interested in other sports can also download fantasy game applications and embark on their fantasy sports journey. Playing fantasy games and battling it out against other enthusiasts is a great way for players to enhance their understanding of the game in question.
Top-tier batsmen put in immense efforts throughout the tournament to earn the Orange Cap award. Numerous players have taken the Orange Cap home by scoring the most number of runs in the IPL. Here is a list of all the players who have won the Orange Cap in the history of IPL:
Season 1 (2008) – Shaun Marsh (Kings XI Punjab)
The Australian prodigy Shaun Marsh proved his worth by becoming the first-ever winner of the prestigious Orange Cap award. He scored 616 by playing only 11 matches in the tournament. The left-handed batsman’s average stood at a whopping 68.44 runs, while his strike rate was approximately 140.
Season 2 (2009) – Matthew Hayden (Chennai Super Kings)
Matthew Hayden is yet another Australian batsman who has won the Orange Cap. In the second season of IPL, Hayden scored 572 runs throughout the tournament and managed to clinch the trophy for himself. His average run rate was 52 and his strike rate in the tournament stood at approximately 145.
Season 3 (2010) – Sachin Tendulkar (Mumbai Indians)
Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary Indian batsman, secured the Orange Cup for himself in the third season of IPL. By playing 15 innings, Master Blaster scored a total of 618 runs. He maintained a respectable average of 47.53 runs and a magnificent strike rate of 132.61.
Season 4 (2011) – Chris Gayle (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
The hard-hitting West Indian batsman Chris Gayle proved his batting prowess by winning the Orange Cap. He scored 608 runs after playing only 12 matches in the fourth season of the Indian Premier League. He averaged 67.55 runs and had a tremendous strike rate of 183.
Season 5 (2012) – Chris Gayle (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
In the fifth season of the IPL, Chris Gayle swept the Orange Cap award from under the noses of other contenders again by hitting a staggering 733 runs in 14 matches. His average run rate stood at 61.08 runs, while his strike rate was around 161.
Season 6 (2013) Michael Hussey (Chennai Super Kings)
By smacking 733 runs in 17 matches, the ex-Australian skipper received the Orange Cap award in the sixth edition of the IPL. He had a decent strike rate of approximately 130, while his average was around 52 runs.
Season 7 (2014) – Robin Uthappa (Kolkata Knight Riders)
By scoring 660 runs in 16 matches, Robin Uthappa registered his name on the list of Orange Cap winners in the 7th season of IPL. He averaged around 44 runs and had a strike rate of 137.78.
Season 8 (2015) – David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
The Australian opener secured the Orange Cap for himself in the 8th season of IPL by scoring 562 runs in 14 matches. He averaged 43.23 runs and had a staggering strike rate of 156.54.
Season 9 (2016) – Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Virat Kohli stunned everyone by scoring a whopping 973 runs in just 16 matches and received the Orange Cap award. His average stood at a mesmerizing 81.06 runs, and his strike rate was approximately 152.
Season 10 (2017) – David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
David Warner won the Orange Cap again in IPL’s 10th edition by scoring approximately 641 runs in just 14 matches. He had an average strike rate of 58.27 runs, while his strike rate read 141.81 in the statistics table.
Season 11 (2018) – Kane Williamson (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
Kane Williamson, the New Zealand skipper, earned the Orange Cap by scoring 735 runs in 17 matches. He averaged around 52.50 runs, and his strike rate was 142.44.
Season 12 (2019) – David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad)
David Warner won the Orange Cap accolade for the third time in IPL’s 12th season. He scored 692 runs by playing 12 matches. He averaged 69.20 runs and had a respectable strike rate of 143.87.
Season 13 (2020) – KL Rahul (Punjab Kings)
The leader of Punjab Kings scored 670 runs in just 14 matches to earn the prestigious Orange Cup award in the 13th season of IPL. He had a decent strike rate of 129.34 and an average run rate of 55.83.
Season 14 (2021) – Ruturaj Gaikwad (Chennai Super Kings)
Ruturaj Gaikwad registered his name on the list of Orange Cap winners by scoring an overall score of 635 runs in 16 IPL games. His strike rate stood at approximately 136.27 runs, while his average run rate was around 45.36.
Winning the Orange Cap is not an easy feat since batsmen have to perform consistently throughout the tournament to have a fair chance. With the current season of the IPL still in full swing, numerous contenders are eyeing the Orange Cap this season. Whoever it is, fans will have to wait till the end of the season to know the player’s name.