IPL 2025: Noor Ahmad Claims Purple Cap, Pooran Leads Orange Cap Race
Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmad's impactful performance against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has propelled him to the top of the IPL 2025 Purple Cap leaderboard. Simultaneously, Nicholas Pooran of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) continues to dominate the Orange Cap charts, showcasing remarkable batting prowess. Let’s delve into the key developments in both categories.
Purple Cap Standings: Noor Ahmad's Rise
Noor Ahmad's exceptional bowling display, securing 3 wickets for 36 runs against RCB at Chepauk, has earned him the coveted Purple Cap with a total of seven wickets. His crucial wickets included RCB's Phil Salt (32), Virat Kohli (31), and Liam Livingstone (10). This performance surpasses Shardul Thakur's previous tally of six wickets.
Here's a breakdown of the top performers in the bowling charts:
- Noor Ahmad (CSK): 7 wickets
- Shardul Thakur (LSG): 6 wickets
- Josh Hazlewood (RCB): 3 wickets
Shardul Thakur, currently second in the Purple Cap race, delivered a Player-of-the-Match performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), claiming 4 wickets for 34 runs. His crucial wickets included Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan off consecutive balls. He also picked up 2 for 19 in LSG's first game against Delhi Capitals (DC).
Josh Hazlewood of RCB entered the top three of the bowling charts after a strong performance against CSK. He removed Rahul Tripathi and Ruturaj Gaikwad early on and later dismissed Ravindra Jadeja.
Orange Cap Standings: Pooran's Power Hitting
Nicholas Pooran is currently leading the Orange Cap race with his consistent and explosive batting. His scores of 75 from 30 balls against DC and 70 from 26 balls against SRH demonstrate his incredible hitting ability. He's also the leading six-hitter with 13 sixes in just two innings and boasts an impressive strike rate of 258.91.
Here’s a look at the top run-scorers in IPL 2025:
- Nicholas Pooran (LSG): 145 runs
- Mitchell Marsh (LSG): 124 runs
- Travis Head (SRH): 115 runs
Mitchell Marsh, opening the innings for LSG, is second with 124 runs, including scores of 72 against DC and 52 against SRH. Travis Head, known for his exhilarating batting style, is currently third in the standings, showing no signs of slowing down after a stellar IPL 2024.
Key Highlights & Observations
- Noor Ahmad's economical bowling and wicket-taking ability have made him a vital asset for CSK.
- Nicholas Pooran’s consistent six-hitting has significantly contributed to LSG’s scoring power.
- The return of Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head is proving crucial for LSG’s stability at the top of the batting order.