The Providence Stadium is one of the largest sporting venues located in Providence, Guyana.

Located about 9 km south of the capital, Georgetown, the Providence Stadium is also  popularly known as the Guyana National Stadium.

Established in 2006, the Providence Stadium has a seating capacity of 15,000, including three major stands and a grass bank that can accommodate around 4,000 spectators.

It was built to host Super Eight matches in the ICC World Cup 2007 held in March and April.

The Providence Stadium was also one of the selected venues for the ICC World T20 2010.

Earlier in 2008, the Providence Stadium staged its first Test match between West Indies and Sri Lanka. Led by Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka won the Test by 121 runs.

Since then, it has hosted two Test matches so far. Let’s have a look at the Providence Stadium Test records and stats:

Providence Stadium Test records and stats

Highest total

The Sri Lanka national cricket team holds the record for the highest total at the Providence Stadium in Test cricket. During the first Test of Sri Lanka’s tour of West Indies in March 2008, the Mahela Jayawardene-led visitors posted a record total at the venue in the longest format. Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka rode on Mahela Jayawardene’s 136 and Malinda Warnapura’s 120, along with contributions from Chaminda Vaas (54 not out) and Michael Vandort (52) to record 476/8d in their first innings. In reply, West Indies were bowled out for 280 in their first innings before Sri Lanka scored 240/7d to set-up a target of over 400. Chasing 437, West Indies managed 315 in the fourth innings as Sri Lanka won the Guyana Test by 121 runs.

Lowest total

The West Indies cricket team registered the lowest total at the Providence Stadium in Test cricket. Hosts West Indies were bundled out for 152 in their second innings of the first Test against Pakistan in May 2011. Shivnarine Chanderpaul top-scored for West Indies with 36 not out. Saeed Ajmal was the wrecker-in-chief for Pakistan as recorded figures of 6/42. Earlier, the Daren Sammy-led West Indies posted 226 in their first innings before they skittled out Pakistan for 160. Chasing 219 in the fourth innings, Pakistan were bowled out for 178 as West Indies registered a 40-run victory in Guyana.

Most runs

West Indies cricketer Ramnaresh Sarwan scored the most runs at this ground in Tests. Between 2008 and 2011, the former right-handed batter amassed 186 runs in two Tests at an average of 46.50, including two fifties to his name. Former Sri Lankan left-hander Malinda Warnapura features second on the list with 182 runs in two innings at an impressive average of 91. He slammed one hundred and one fifty at this venue in Test cricket.

Most wickets

Former Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal picked up the most wickets at the Providence Stadium in Test cricket. The right-arm off-spinner bagged 11 wickets in a solitary Test in 2011 at an average of 10.09. He claimed two five-wicket hauls at the venue in Tests. Sri Lanka’s Chaminda Vaas is second on the list with eight wickets in two innings in 2008. He took one fifer at this venue in Test cricket.

Highest individual score

Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene registered the highest individual score at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. Batting at number four, Mahela Jayawardene scored 136 against hosts West Indies in the first innings of the opening Test in March 2008. His scintillating century was laced with 13 fours to help Sri Lanka post a record total of 476/8d at the venue in the longest format. The visitors rode on Mahela Jayawardene’s hundred to win the Test by 121 runs.

Best bowling figures in an innings

Saeed Ajmal recorded the best bowling figures in an innings of a Test at this venue in May 2011. The former right-arm off-spinner registered brilliant figures of 6/42 to help Pakistan bundle out West Indies for 152 in their second innings. Saeed Ajmal dismissed Darren Bravo, Kemar Roach, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Carlton Baugh, Ravi Rampaul and Devendra Bishoo. Despite Ajmal’s magnificent spell, Pakistan lost the Test by 40 runs in Guyana. 

Best bowling figures in a match

Saeed Ajmal also holds the record for the best bowling figures in a Test match at the Providence Stadium. The off-spinner took 11 wickets during the first Test of Pakistan’s tour of West Indies in 2011. While Ajmal bagged five wickets for 69 runs in the first innings, he scalped six wickets for 42 runs in the second innings. However, the off-spinner’s brilliant performance went in vain as West Indies beat Pakistan by 40 runs.

Highest partnership

West Indies�?Dwayne Bravo and Ramnaresh Sarwan recorded the highest partnership at the Providence Stadium in Test cricket. Dwayne Bravo and Ramnaresh Sarwan forged a 134-run stand for the second wicket in their second innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka in 2008. Chasing 437 in the fourth innings, Dwayne Bravo scored 83 while Ramnaresh Sarwan added 72. Despite their best efforts, West Indies were bowled out for 315 as the visitors secured a 121-run victory in Guyana.

Photo credit: Alamy

Former West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo currently holds the record for picking the most wickets in T20 cricket.

The right-arm medium pacer has bagged 625 wickets in 573 matches at an average of 24.29 and an economy of 8.24. He is the first and the only cricketer to reach 600 wickets in the T20 format.

Apart from playing for the West Indies cricket team, Bravo has donned the jersey of several franchises in the Indian T20 League, Caribbean Premier League, Big Bash, Vitality T20 Blast and Bangladesh Premier League. 

Since making his T20I debut against New Zealand in 2006, Bravo has been a vital cog in the West Indies team in the shortest format of the game, winning the ICC World T20 titles in 2012 and 2016.

In his stellar T20 career, the Trinidad and Tobago-born cricketer has claimed the most wickets for Team Chennai in the Indian T20 League, picking 183 wickets in 160 matches at an impressive average of 23.73.

Bravo is followed by Afghanistan's Rashid Khan and West Indies all-rounder Sunil Narine.

Yuzvendra Chahal is the only Indian player to feature in the list of top 10 wicket-takers in T20 cricket.

Besides Bravo, three players - Rashid, Narine and Tahir - have scalped 500 plus T20 wickets. 

Interestingly, when T20 cricket was introduced by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2003, it was believed that spinners would be clobbered all around the park in the shortest format of the game.

However, since the inception of T20, spinners have played an important role in most games. Five spinners are currently in the top 10 list for most wickets in T20 cricket.

Most wickets in T20 cricket

Player	Matches	Wickets	Best Figures	Average	Economy
Dwayne Bravo	578	630	5/23	24.28	8.25
Rashid Khan	441	600	6/17	18.25	6.47
Sunil Narine	519	557	5/19	21.55	6.12
Imran Tahir	405	502	5/23	19.95	6.96
Shakib Al Hasan	444	492	6/6	21.49	6.79
Andre Russell	512	462	5/15	25.12	8.67
Wahab Riaz	348	413	5/8	22.63	7.54
Lasith Malinga	295	390	6/7	19.68	7.07
Sohail Tanvir	388	389	6/14	26.36	7.49
Chris Jordan	368	386	4/6	27.21	8.60

Featured photo: NOAH SEELAM / AFP

Indian T20 League, the most-watched cricket league in the world, usually sets explosive batting and powerful hitting as the centre of attention. What the fans tend to overlook, though, is the fact that bowlers are actually the trump cards, who are equally capable of dictating the pace of the game.

Since its inception in 2008, the league has seen some of the most breathtaking bowling performances and these five players dominate the list of tournament’s all-time top wicket-takers.

Most wickets in Indian T20 League

5. Ravichandran Ashwin 

Having been loyal to just one Indian T20 League side, the right-arm off-break bowler has notched 180 wickets in 177 games at an average of 25.39. The lead spinner for team Kolkata is also one of the few bowlers in the league with seven four-wicket hauls to his name.

4. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Playing for the Hyderabad franchise in the 2024 season of the Indian T20 League, India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been a vital cog for this team. In the course of 176 matches across seasons, Bhuvneshwar has scalped 181 wickets at an average of 27.23 and an economy rate of 7.56.

3. Dwayne Bravo

Dwayne Bravo, who is one of the two players to have won the Purple Cap twice in the league, started his career with Mumbai before moving to MS Dhoni-led Chennai in 2011. Having played 14 seasons, the West Indies cricketer picked 183 wickets in 161 matches while holding an economy of 8.38.

2. Piyush Chawla

Having played for Punjab from 2008 till 2013, leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was roped in by Kolkata in 2014, and he performed well for them before joining Team Mumbai. In 192 matches so far, Chawla surpasses Bravo's record to have scalped 192 wickets. He holds an average of 26.6 and an economy rate of 7.96.

1. Yuzvendra Chahal

The fourth Indian spinner in this top five, no bowler has taken more wickets in the Indian T20 League than Yuzvendra Chahal. The tricky right-arm spinner boasts plenty of variations and can turn the ball a long way. In 160 games so far, he's taken 205 wickets at an impressive average of 22.45 and an economy of 7.84.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Manjunath Kiran

West Indies cricketer Kieron Pollard holds the record for most catches in T20 cricket. Since making his T20 debut in 2006, Pollard has grabbed a whopping 362 catches in 660 matches so far.

Having represented the likes of West Indies, Team Mumbai, Adelaide Strikers, Barbados Tridents, Cape Cobras, Melbourne Renegades and Multan Sultans to name a few, Pollard averages 0.55  catches per innings.

South Africa’s David Miller features second on the list for the most catches in T20 cricket.

Miller is, in fact, only the second player close to 300 catches, with his overall tally standing at 292 grabs. Interestingly, his average of 0.62 catches per innings is only bettered by AB de Villiers among those who have more than 100 catches in the shortest format.

The hard-hitting middle-order batter, Miller, has played for various franchises across the globe including the likes of South Africa, Team Punjab, Team Rajasthan, Team Gujarat, Paarl Royals, Multan Sultans and Jamaica Tallawahs.

Following the Proteas cricketer is another Trinidad and Tobago national in Dwayne Bravo. The veteran cricketer has played 573 T20 matches during his 18-year career, taking 271 catches in the process. Have made 573 appearances, Bravo averages just under one catch per match with his highest tally in a single match being four catches. 

England’s Jos Buttler and South African wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock acquire the fourth and the fifth spot respectively in the list of most catches in T20. 

The likes of AB de Villiers, Dinesh Karthik, Shoaib Malik, Alex Hales and MS Dhoni complete the top 10 list of players with most catches in T20 cricket.

Most catches in T20 cricket

Player	Span	Matches	Innings	Catches
Kieron Pollard	2006-2024	660	648	362
David Miller	2008-2024	472	466	292
Dwayne Bravo	2006-2024	573	564	271
Jos Buttler	2009-2024	406	401	244
Quinton de Kock	2011-2024	329	326	236
AB de Villiers	2004-2021	340	335	230
Dinesh Karthik	2006-2024	389	385	227
Shoaib Malik	2005-2024	542	541	225
Alex Hales	2009-2024	449	444	221
MS Dhoni	2006-2024	380	378	218

Photo credit: Alamy

Dwayne Bravo and Harshal Patel are the joint-holders of the record for most wickets in a single Indian T20 League season. The pacers scalped 32 wickets in 2013 and 2021, respectively.

Bravo held the record solo for eight years when he took 32 wickets at an economy rate of 7.95 in the 2013 edition. These exploits earned him the first of his two Purple Caps.

Eight years later, Harshal Patel would match Bravo’s record achievement as he bagged 32 wickets for Team Bangalore in the Indian T20 League 2021. Although Patel achieved the tally in fewer matches (15), his economy rate was a tad bit expensive in comparison to the former (8.14).

South African pacer Kagiso Rabada is third on the list of most wickets in a single Indian T20 League with 30 scalps. The former Delhi pacer, who joined Team Punjab for the 2022 campaign, took wickets on a whim that year but at a heavy cost of 548 runs. Rabada, unfortunately, is the only bowler to take the most wickets and concede the most runs in the same season.

Lasith Malinga and James Faulkner complete the top five list for most wickets in a single season. The seasoned pacers, both retired, registered 28 wickets in a single campaign in the 2011 and 2013 editions, respectively.

Malinga’s economy rate of 5.95 from 16 matches in the 2011 season is one of the best for any bowler in a single Indian T20 League season, and his performance is what keeps him apart from Faulkner.

Australian James Faulkner grabbed 28 wickets at an economy of 6.75 in the 2013 Indian T20 League and eventually lost the Purple Cap honour to Dwayne Bravo at the end of the campaign.

Most wickets in a single Indian T20 League season

Player	Runs	Wickets	Economy	Season
Dwayne Bravo	497	32	7.95	2013
Harshal Patel	459	32	8.14	2021
Kagiso Rabada	548	30	8.34	2020
Lasith Malinga	375	28	5.95	2011
James Faulkner	427	28	6.75	2013

Author: William Paul

Featured photo: AFP / ARUN SANKAR

The Indian T20 League, since its inception in 2008, has been a bystander to some of the most breathtaking bowling performances over the years. Right from Lasith Malinga’s inch-perfect yorkers to the devastating pace lengths of Harshal Patel, the spectators have been duly entertained by something extremely miraculous.

The nature of the league or the format per se is such that you are bound to stay connected right till the end. But what makes the league even more interesting is the fight to win the individual awards. In context, the Indian T20 League honours the bowler with the most number of wickets with a Purple Cap at the end of every season.

2008: Sohail Tanvir (Rajasthan)

Pakistani players played only the inaugural season of the league, and that was enough for Sohail Tanvir to assert his claim. Representing Rajasthan in 2008, the left-arm pacer played a key role in his side’s route to the final. During the course, he picked 22 wickets in 11 games at an impressive average of 12.09.

2009: RP Singh (Deccan)

RP Singh was an absolute revelation in the second edition of the tournament. Applauded for his mesmerizing in-swingers and an ability to find a gap between the pad and the bat, he notched up 23 wickets in 16 games to earn the Purple Cap that year.

2010: Pragyan Ojha (Deccan)

After two mediocre seasons, left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha finally burst onto the scene in 2010 with a blistering performance for Deccan. Picking up 21 wickets in 16 games that year, he not only won the Purple Cap but also won the hearts of many.

2011: Lasith Malinga (Mumbai)

Four-time Indian T20 League winner with Mumbai, Lasith Malinga won the Purple Cap in only his third season of the tournament. In 2011, the Sri Lankan pacer returned with a total of 28 wickets in 16 games at a mere economy of 5.95.  

2012: Morne Morkel (Delhi)

Delhi have always been known for their strong overseas bowling core. In 2012, Morne Morkel delivered what was promised as he went on to pick 25 wickets in 16 games, but that, unfortunately, wasn’t enough as his side crashed out of the play-offs stage.

2013: Dwayne Bravo (Chennai)

In 2013, Chennai made it to their second consecutive Indian T20 League finals. While their batting was top-notch that year, their bowling contingent oozed similar confidence and a certain Dwayne Bravo was at the pinnacle of it. The West Indies all-rounder picked a whopping 32 wickets to win his first Purple Cap of the Indian T20 League. His figures in 2013 remain the best for any bowler in a single season.

2014: Mohit Sharma (Chennai)

Mohit Sharma arguably remains one of the finest finds of the Indian T20 League. In 2014, the medium-pacer topped the bowling charts after picking 23 wickets in 16 games for Chennai

2015: Dwayne Bravo (Chennai)

For the third time running, a Chennai bowler emerged as the highest wicket-taker of the Indian T20 League. In 2015, Dwayne Bravo became the first player to win the Purple Cap twice after he scalped 26 wickets in 17 games to take his team all the way to the final. He even took the joint-most catches - 13 - in that edition.

2016: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Hyderabad)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was a headache for the opposition batsmen in 2016. Playing for Hyderabad, his perfect line and length culminated in him picking 23 wickets in 17 games at an economy of 7.42 to win the Purple Cap that year.

2017: Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Hyderabad)

Hyderabad failed to defend their title in 2017, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar once again topped the wicket-taking chart, becoming only the second player to win two Purple Caps. That year, he picked 26 wickets in just 14 games.

2018: Andrew Tye (Punjab)

Australian pacer Andrew Tye impressed one and all with his breathtaking performance in the 2018 edition of the tournament. That year, his three four-wicket hauls took his total tally to 24 wickets in just 14 games, which was enough to have a Purple Cap on his head. 

2019: Imran Tahir (Chennai)

Known for his extravagant celebrations, South African spinner Imran Tahir defeated his fellow countryman Kagiso Rabada to win the Purple Cap in 2019 after picking 26 wickets in 17 games at an economy rate of 6.69.

2020: Kagiso Rabada (Delhi) 

After missing out on the Purple Cap in 2020, Kagiso Rabada won the Purple Cap as he scalped 30 wickets in 17 matches at an economy rate of 8.34. The South African fought off competition from Mumbai's Jasprit Bumrah to finish as the leading wicket-taker in the 13th edition of the T20 extravaganza.

2021: Harshal Patel (Bangalore)

Harshal Patel had a season to remember in Indian T20 League 2021, as he matched Dwayne Bravo's record for most wickets in a single campaign (32). Patel also scripted history as the bowler with most wickets during the league phase of an Indian T20 League season, surpassing Lasith Malinga's 27 scalps in 2011.

Purple Cap winners in Indian T20 League

Player	Year	Wickets
Sohail Tanvir	2008	22
RP Singh	2009	23
Pragyan Ojha	2010	21
Lasith Malinga	2011	28
Morne Morkel	2012	25
Dwayne Bravo	2013	32
Mohi Sharma	2014	23
Dwayne Bravo	2015	26
Bhuvneshwar Kumar	2016	23
Bhuvneshwar Kumar	2017	26
Andrew Tye	2018	24
Imran Tahir	2019	26
Kagiso Rabada	2020	30
Harshal Patel	2021	32

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Sajjad Hussain

Indian T20 League 2022 begins with a blockbuster clash that pits Chennai against Kolkata at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday, March 26. The two sides last met in the Indian T20 League 2021 final, with Chennai emerging victorious and clinching the title.

Both sides are no strangers to success in the Indian T20 League, with Chennai having four titles to their name while Kolkata have clinched the coveted prize twice.

However, the head-to-head between the teams is dominated by Chennai, who have 17 wins in 25 meetings with Kolkata. The latter have won this fixture on eight occasions.

Ahead of the Indian T20 League 2022 season opener between the two teams, we look at a few key battles between the players from the opposing camps, which could decide the outcome of the contest.

Chennai vs Kolkata key player battles

MS Dhoni vs Varun Chakravarthy

While a player of MS Dhoni’s calibre can roll back the years in the blink of an eye, the former Chennai skipper has found it challenging to get going against Kolkata spinner Varun Chakravarthy in recent times. In fact, Chakravarthy has dismissed Dhoni in all three innings that he has bowled to the Chennai legend in the Indian T20 League.

Since Dhoni is known for being a good player of spin, his struggles against Chakravarthy come as somewhat of a surprise. Besides being dismissed three times in as many innings against the Kolkata spinner, Dhoni managed just 10 runs off the 12 balls he faced against Chakravarthy. If Dhoni does come in to provide Chennai with a flourishing touch to finish their innings, there is no doubt that Chakravarthy should be Kolkata’s go-to bowler.

MS Dhoni record vs Varun Chakravarthy
Innings	Runs scored	Balls faced	Dismissed	Strike rate
3	10	12	3	83.33

Ambati Rayudu vs Sunil Narine

Another veteran from Team Chennai who has uncharacteristically struggled against a spinner from Kolkata is middle-order batter Ambati Rayudu. For the most part, the right-hander has looked comfortable against spin but has generally struggled whenever facing the charismatic finger spin of Sunil Narine.

The man from the Caribbean has the edge over Rayudu in the head-to-head battle between the two players. While Narine has dismissed Rayudu thrice in 12 innings against Chennai in the Indian T20 League, what stands out even more is the Indian batter’s numbers against Narine. Rayudu has managed just 49 runs from 55 balls against Narine and is likely to have similar problems against the spinner come Saturday.  

Ambati Rayudu record vs Sunil Narine
Innings	Runs scored	Balls faced	Dismissed	Strike rate
12	49	55	3	89.09

Dwayne Bravo vs Andre Russell

One more intriguing battle that we are likely to see in this contest is one between two teammates from the international stage. Andre Russell facing Dwayne Bravo has given cricket fans plenty of memories over the years, and there’s no reason why Indian T20 League 2022 should be any different when the two all-rounders from the Caribbean square off in the middle.

Numbers indicate that Russell enjoys batting against Bravo in their player battle. In four innings where Bravo has bowled to Russell, the Kolkata all-rounder has smashed 78 runs from 30 balls at a strike rate of 260 without ever being dismissed. Conversely, Russell has bowled 11 balls to Bravo over two innings, with the latter managing just 11 runs in that time and being dismissed once.

Dwayne Bravo vs Andre Russell
Batsmen	Bowler	Innings	Runs scored	Balls faced	Dismissed	Strike rate
Dwayne Bravo	Andre Russell	2	11	11	1	100.00
Andre Russell	Dwayne Bravo	4	78	30	0	260.0

Author: Andre Pitts

Featured photo: AFP / MANJUNATH KIRAN / ARUN SARKAR

West Indies cricket team all-rounder Kieron Pollard holds the record for most matches in T20 cricket.

Since making his T20 debut for Trinidad and Tobago in 2006 against Cayman Islands, Pollard has played in a total of 581 T20 matches.

In 2020, Kieron Pollard became the first cricketer to play 500 T20 matches when he stepped out for the first of two T20Is against Sri Lanka.

Huge congrats to Captain @KieronPollard55 on his 5�?�?⃣th T20 today! What an achievement! #MenInMaroon #ItsOurGame pic.twitter.com/8PFzbTxaQq

�?Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) March 4, 2020

On the historic occasion, Pollard added another feather to his cap as he became the second player after Chris Gayle to amass 10,000 runs in T20 cricket.

Dwayne Bravo comes in second on the list for most matches in T20 cricket. The ‘Champion�?all-rounder, who is the all-time leader for most wickets in T20 cricket, has featured in 522 T20 matches. 

Most wickets in an IPL season:

32 : Dwayne Bravo, 2013
32 : Harshal Patel, 2021*
30 : Kagiso Rabada, 2020/21
28 : Lasith Malinga, 2011
28 : James Faulkner, 2013#KKRvRCB

�?Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) October 11, 2021

Bravo’s legacy in T20 cricket is immense, as he also holds the record for most wickets for West Indies in T20Is (78 wickets in 91 matches) and most wickets in a single Indian T20 League campaign.

In the upcoming Indian T20 League 2022, Dwayne Bravo looks set to overtake Lasith Malinga for most wickets in Indian T20 League history.

Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik is third on the list for most matches in T20 cricket. The allrounder, who was most recently involved in the 2021-22 Pakistan Super League, has played 472 matches in his celebrated cricket career and is the third batter to cross the 10,000-run mark in the format.

Chris Gayle is the fourth player on the list for most matches in T20 cricket with 463 outings in 20-overs cricket. The ‘Universe Boss�?is arguably the greatest batter in the shortest format of cricket as he holds records for most runs in T20, most runs in powerplays in T20s, most sixes in T20 cricket, fastest century in T20 cricket and highest individual score in T20 cricket (175 not out).

Ravi Bopara completes the top five list for most matches in T20 cricket. The England all-rounder played in 411 matches and is the only active player who featured in the Twenty20 Cup in 2003, the first-ever cricket series in T20s. Bopara was last seen in action for Sylhet Sunrisers against Chattogram Challengers in the 2022 Bangladesh Premier League.

Most matches in T20 cricket

Player	Career Span	Matches	Runs	Wickets
Kieron Pollard	2006-2022	581	11,427	304
Dwayne Bravo	2006-2022	522	6,747	571
Shoaib Malik	2005-2022	472	11,698	158
Chris Gayle	2005-2022	463	14,562	83
Ravi Bopara	2003-2022	411	7,987	245

Rohit Sharma, captain of the Indian cricket team and Team Mumbai in the Indian T20 League, leads the list of Indians who have played the most matches in T20 cricket. Rohit, who made his T20 debut in 2007, has 370 T20 games under his belt and isi ahead of MS Dhoni (347), Suresh Raina (336), Dinesh Karthik (327) and Virat Kohli (326).

Most matches in T20 cricket (India)

Player	Career Span	Matches	Runs	Wickets
Rohit Sharma	2007-2022	370	9,895	29
MS Dhoni	2006-2021	347	6,935	-
Suresh Raina	2006-2021	336	8,654	54
Dinesh Karthik	2006-2021	327	6,283	1
Virat Kohli	2007-2022	326	10,273	8

Author: William Paul

Featured photo: AFP / INDRANIL MUKHERJEE

West Indian Dwayne Bravo is considered as one of the greatest entertainers in the world of T20 cricket. He represents a number of franchises across the world in cricket’s shortest format and plies his trade for the MS Dhoni-led Team Chennai in the Indian T20 League as an all-rounder.

While his batting is also a spectacle in itself, it is his bowling that he has carved a special niche out of. Bravo is a legend as far as the shortest format of the game is concerned. 

He has amassed 546 T20 wickets at a bowling average of 24.24 and has outfoxed the best of the batsmen through his bowling variations with the most destructive and effective being his slower one. 

“He [Bravo] has turned up fit, that is a very good thing. And he is executing very well. I call him my brother. We always have the fight every year as to whether he needs to bowl so many slower balls or not." Dhoni said in the post-match presentation after Chennai’s win against Bangalore where Bravo took three wickets. 

Bravo’s Indian T20 League record is quite spectacular with a tally of 162 wickets in 146 matches, which makes him the third-highest wicket-taker in the Indian T20 League. He was also the first-ever player to win two Purple Caps (2013, 2015).

The all-rounder had earlier retired from international cricket in 2018 but came out of retirement to play T20Is in 2019. He has dismissed plenty of top players over the course of his career but there are some cricketers he’s got the better of on multiple occasions.

Batsmen dismissed most number of times by Dwayne Bravo in T20 cricket

Kieron Pollard - one of the most lethal hitters of the cricket ball - has been dismissed by Bravo nine times in T20s. Fellow West Indian and former captain Darren Sammy has also been his bunny having fallen to him on eight occasions. 

Batsmen	Number of dismissals
Kieron Pollard	9
Darren Sammy	8
David Wiese	8
Chris Gayle	7
Andre Russell	6
Shane Watson	5
Rohit Sharma	5

Another fearsome player with the bat, Andre Russell has lost his wicket to Bravo six times while India’s opener Rohit Sharma has got out to him five times.

Featured photo : Arun Sankar / AFP

After succumbing to a defeat in their season-opener, three-time champions Chennai take on Punjab in their second match of the Indian T20 League 2021 at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday, April 16.

Despite posting 188 on the board, MS Dhoni’s side failed to defend the total against Delhi, losing by seven wickets. Chennai would look for a much-improved bowling effort against a formidable Punjab batting line-up.

Meanwhile, Punjab secured their first win of the season as they defeated Rajasthan by 4 runs in a thriller on Monday. KL Rahul and his men had a narrow escape despite posting a steep target of 222 for Rajasthan.

Just like Chennai, Punjab will hope their bowlers can put in a better performance than their last game.

Punjab vs Chennai full squads

Punjab: KL Rahul (captain/wicket-keeper), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Mandeep Singh, Prabsimran Singh (wicket-keeper), Nicholas Pooran (wicket-keeper), Sarfaraz Khan, Deepak Hooda, Murugan Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi, Harpreet Brar, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Porel, Darshan Nalkande, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Jhye Richardson, Shahrukh Khan, Riley Meredith, Moises Henriques, Jalaj Saxena, Utkarsh Singh, Fabian Allen, Saurabh Kumar

Chennai: MS Dhoni (captain/wicket-keeper), Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, KM Asif, Deepak Chahar, Dwayne Bravo, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, N Jagadeesan (wicket-keeper), Karn Sharma, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shardul Thakur, Sam Curran, Josh Hazlewood, R Sai Kishore, Moeen Ali, K Gowtham, Cheteshwar Pujara, Harishankar Reddy, Bhagath Varma, Hari Nishanth

Punjab vs Chennai probable XI

The Punjab franchise will be worried about the bowling department as Rajasthan captain Sanju Samson almost single-handedly took the game away from the KL Rahul-led side. Punjab’s new recruits Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith gave away 104 runs in their eight overs, picking up just two wickets. Leg-spinner Murugan Ashwin also failed to provide any breakthrough in the middle-overs as he conceded 43 runs in his four overs. Punjab are expected to bring in 20-year-old leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi in place of Murugan. There are no changes expected for Punjab in the batting department.

On the other hand, Chennai will hope for a better start from their openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis. However, they will be ecstatic that their all-time leading run-scorer Suresh Raina is back in good form after he smashed a scintillating fifty in their opening encounter against Delhi. Furthermore, South Africa pacer Lungi Ngidi is available for selection after he completed his mandatory seven-day quarantine. Chennai are expected to go in with the same side as their last game.

Punjab predicted XI: KL Rahul (captain/wicket-keeper), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson,  Riley Meredith, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi

Chennai predicted XI: Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (captain/wicket-keeper), Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur

Punjab vs Chennai head-to-head in Indian T20 League

Three-time Indian T20 League champions Chennai have a clear edge over Punjab in the head-to-head record. The two teams have faced each other 23 times in the high-profile league, with Chennai winning 14 while losing nine.

However, Chennai have won 46.67 per cent of their games at the Wankhede Stadium, winning seven of the 15 games. On the other hand, Punjab have won 50 per cent of the matches at this venue, registering six wins in 12 encounters.

Punjab vs Chennai match prediction: Who will win?

Chennai hold a superior head-to-head record against Punjab, winning four of their last five matches against Punjab in the Indian T20 League.

Furthermore, captain MS Dhoni has a tremendous Indian T20 League record against Punjab.

Chennai are favourites to win the match against Punjab at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday.

Best performers in Punjab vs Chennai: Predictions

Top tip: Best batsmen

Punjab captain KL Rahul will look to continue his good form against Chennai at the Wankhede. Rahul scored 91 runs off just 50 balls in their last game against Rajasthan to help his side post a mammoth total of 221 on the board. The 28-year-old also holds a decent record against Chennai, amassing 292 runs in eight innings at an average of 36.5, with three fifties. Considering his recent form, it’s a no-brainer that one should bet on KL Rahul as the top batsman in this fixture.

In the case of Chennai, captain MS Dhoni is the ideal candidate to be the leading run-scorer in the latest Punjab vs Chennai showdown. The 39-year-old has amassed 595 runs in 21 innings against Punjab, at a staggering average of 59.5 with five fifties to his name.

Top tip: Best bowlers

Mohammed Shami is tipped to be the wrecker-in-chief for Punjab against Chennai. Shami was one of the stand-out performers for Punjab in the last edition of the Indian T20 League, bagging 20 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 23. He has also picked up three wickets against Chennai in seven innings.

West Indies medium-pacer Dwayne Bravo has been Chennai's best bet with the ball against Punjab so far, scalping 22 wickets in 16 innings at an economy of 7.74. Bravo is once again expected to use all his experience at the Wankhede when he bowls to the vaunted Punjab batting line-up.

Top tip: All-rounders and wicket-keepers

Chennai possesses several top all-rounders in their line-up including the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Dwayne Bravo and Moeen Ali. However, India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja would be the preferred choice for the all-rounder spot due to his match-winning capabilities. Jadeja has a staggering record in the Indian T20 League, scoring 2,159 runs and claiming 114 wickets in 184 matches. 

On the other hand, Punjab lacks top-quality all-rounders in their ranks. The team will hope Jhye Richardson can score a few runs at the lower order as he has hit three fifties in first-class cricket.

For the wicket-keeper position, MS Dhoni will be the preferred choice over KL Rahul. Dhoni has taken 113 catches and completed 39 stumpings in the Indian T20 League history. He is the first wicket-keeper in the history of the T20 tournament to reach 150 dismissals.

Featured photo: IPL/BCCI