Indian Premier League

In eight matches to date, Russell has struggled to an average of 11.85, with a high score of 24.  As those stats will tell you, the typically big-hitting West Indian has managed to clear the boundary rope just 6 times, reaching to it on four occasions, well short of his explosive best.

The performance is light years away from last season’s bulldozer campaign, which saw the player accumulate 510 runs from the stipulated 14 games at an average of 56.66, with a whopping 204.81 strike rate. 

Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha believes a big part of the issue is that Russell has not developed his game and is the same player he was four years ago.  Worse yet, he believes it could increasingly become a liability for KKR.

“Andre Russell is not an improved cricketer, he has not changed his game. You see all the top players, they have changed their approach. Andre Russell is playing just the way he was playing 4 years ago, that is a liability,” Ojha told India Today’s Sports Tak.

“Look at Jasprit Bumrah, when he came into the Mumbai Indians side and what he is today, you have to improve. You have to improve as a cricketer, cricket is evolving and you have to evolve, you cannot be stagnant.”

Russell has done a bit better with the ball, claiming six wickets at an economy rate of 9.12.

Shimron Hetmyer's electric 45 off 24 balls and 39 from Marcus Stoinis was crucial in the Capitals' innings of 184-8, having been 79-4.

Andrew Tye's penultimate over went for 23, with a slip resulting in five runs when his no-ball raced to the ropes and the following free hit dispatched for six by Harshal Patel.

The Royals' chase fell apart when Yashasvi Jaiswal (34), Jos Buttler (13) and Steve Smith (24) could not build on starts, with Rahul Tewatia's 38 only prolonging the inevitable before they were all out for 138.

Each of the Capitals' bowlers claimed at least one wicket, with Kagiso Rabada (3-35), Ravichandran Ashwin (2-22) and Stoinis (2-17) all doing damage.

The Capitals are now top having won five of their six matches, while the Royals are languishing in seventh after the defeat in Sharjah. 

HETMYER BRINGS THE HEAT

Hetmyer has not always had the opportunity in this season's IPL due to the Capitals' strength before him in the batting line-up.

But with five sixes and a four in his blistering knock, the West Indies batsman played a big hand for Delhi in the middle order.

MORE ASHWIN WOE FOR BUTTLER

Last season Buttler was controversially subjected to a Mankad by Ashwin and the same bowler accounted for the England star's wicket again.

There was no controversy on this occasion, as Buttler went for the big hit over long-on but could only pick out Shikhar Dhawan at square leg.

Holder gave another demonstration of why he is one of the best all-rounders in the world, starring with bat and ball in the Eliminator at Zayed Cricket Stadium.

The ice-cool West Indies captain took 3-25 as RCB were restricted to 131-7, AB de Villiers top-scoring with 56 and Aaron Finch making 32 after skipper Virat Kohli failed.

RCB, who have never won the tournament, had hope when Sunrisers were reduced to 67-4 in the 12th over of a do-or-die showdown in Abu Dhabi on Friday, Mohammed Siraj (2-28) striking twice.

The vastly experienced Williamson (50 not out from 44 balls) and Holder (24no off 20) got David Warner's side home, though, combining for a fifth-wicket stand of 65.

Sunrisers needed nine to win off the final over from Navdeep Saini and after Williamson, who was dropped on 37, took a single, Holder struck back-to-back boundaries to seal victory with two deliveries to spare.

Sunrisers, the 2016 champions, had to win three games in a row to reach the play-offs.

If they beat Delhi Capitals on Sunday, they will face Mumbai Indians in the final.

KOHLI PROMOTION BACKFIRES

Kohli promoted himself to open, a day after his 32nd birthday, but the India skipper was unable to come to the party, edging Holder behind for only six.

RCB were 15-2 when the excellent Holder got rid of Devdutt Padikkal, and although the experienced pair of Finch and De Villiers steadied the ship, boundaries were proving hard to come by.

De Villiers brought up his 38th IPL half-century from 39 balls, while Finch struck Rashid Khan - who was wicketless but ran out Moeen Ali with a brilliant direct hit - for the only six of the innings as the Sunrisers bowlers kept the squeeze on.

WINDIES SKIPPER HOLDS HIS NERVE, WILLIAMSON MR DEPENDABLE

With Warner gone for a run-a-ball 17 and Manish Pandey dismissed for a brisk 24 by the superb Adam Zampa (1-12), the win-or-bust showdown was in the balance.

Priyam Garg followed cheaply, but Williamson and Holder were unflappable as they kept calm heads to pace the run chase just about perfectly in tough scoring conditions.

Williamson slog-swept Yuzvendra Chahal for six and although he could have been taken by Padikkal at deep square leg, that was only a minor blip for the New Zealand captain.

Both Williamson and Holder were out of the Sunrisers side early in the tournament, but both were still in the middle to send Kohli's RCB packing in a tense final over.

Captain Warner (85 not out off 58) and Saha (58no off 45) put on 151 for the first wicket as Sunrisers successfully chased down a victory target of 150 in the final game of the regular season at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, moving them above Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore into third.

They consequently eliminated KKR and will now face RCB in an eliminator on Friday, while the Indians already knew they would be going up against Delhi Capitals in Qualifier 1 on Thursday.

Rohit Sharma (4) was not called up by India for the upcoming tour of Australia but returned to the line-up for the Indians, though he and Quinton de Kock (25) were the victims as Sandeep Sharma (3-34) moved onto 53 wickets from the opening six overs in the IPL – the most by any bowler.

Suryakumar Yadav (36) and Ishan Kishan (33) put on 42 for the third wicket before the former fell to Shahbaz Nadeem (2-19), who dismissed Krunal Pandya in the same over.

Jason Holder (2-25) claimed his 100th Twenty20 wicket when he removed Nathan Coulter-Nile for one with Mumbai 116-7 in the 18th over.

He also accounted for Kieron Pollard after he smashed 41 off 25 balls to push the leaders to a more respectable total, though it was still their lowest when batting first this season.

It proved easy work for Warner and Saha, as their terrific stand got them over the line with 17 balls remaining and kept Sunrisers' campaign going.

POLLARD GOES PLUNDERING

Mumbai rested Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult but failed to make things easy for their bowlers after being put in.

Pollard did his best to make the workload a little less daunting with a late flurry, clearing the ropes four times – including three in succession off Thangarasu Natarajan in the penultimate over – as he moved past the 3,000 runs mark in the IPL.

SUNRISERS DON'T GO DOWN

Warner is the leading run-scorer in the IPL and it is easy to see why when he is in such dominating form.

He sent James Pattinson (0-29) to the ropes three times in succession in the fourth over and brought up his 48th half-century in the competition with his only six of a masterful knock.

A wonderful drive between cover and extra cover for his 10th four got the job done for Sunrisers.

Marsh, who was drafted by Sunrisers Hyderabad, was ruled out of the tournament after injuring his ankle in the team’s first match of the season.

As a result, Holder, who will perhaps be looking to make up for a disappointing outing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), has been tipped to make his fourth IPL appearance.  It will be the second for the Sunrisers, but he has previously featured for the Chennai Super Kings and the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Holder, who was replaced as West Indies T20 captain by Kieron Pollard last year, had a base price of INR 75 lakh ($US100,000), in the December IPL auction but went unsold more than once.

In the most recent CPL campaign, he led the Barbados Tridents to a fifth-place finish in the six-team table. Holder scored 192 runs at a strike rate of 140.14, and also picked up ten wickets at an economy rate of 6.63.  He will be required to undergo a six-day quarantine before joining up with the rest of the team.

Bangalore posted 120-7 after being asked to make first use of a slow wicket at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, captain Virat Kohli (7) failing to make an impression with the bat. 

The Sunrisers suffered a wobble as they closed in on the total, but a brutal cameo from Holder, off just 10 balls and including three sixes, secured the win with 35 deliveries to spare. 

The victory means the Sunrisers climb up to fourth place on 12 points with just one round of fixtures in the round-robin stage remaining. 

However, they are only ahead of Kings Punjab XI, Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders on run-rate with the race to make the play-offs set to go down to the wire.

Josh Philippe had held together RCB's innings with a composed knock, making 32 off 31 balls after Sandeep Sharma (2-20) had removed Devdutt Padikkal (5) and Kohli in quick succession. 

The Bangalore innings continued to splutter, though, and when Philippe was caught off leg-spinner Rashid Khan (1-24), any momentum was lost. 

Experienced duo Wriddhiman Saha (39) and Manish Pandey (26) had the Sunrisers coasting, both eventually falling to Yuzvendra Chahal (2-19). When Kane Williamson softly drove left-arm seamer Isuru Udana into the hands of Kohli with the score on 87-4, the Royal Challengers had a ray of hope. 

Yet Holder took any pressure off his team by clobbering sixes off Udana and Navdeep Saini, then hit the winning runs with another maximum off Chahal.

HOLDER HOLDS HIS NERVE 

Disciplined spells at the start and end of Bangalore's innings from the West Indies Test captain led to good bowling figures of 2-27, but it was the manner in which Holder finished off the game with the bat that was more impressive. 

"I was positive with the bat and just set out to win the game, so it was pleasing," Holder said in the post-match presentation ceremony. "Being a replacement here it is a while since I have played IPL cricket, so I'm just trying to make the most of it." 

KOHLI SINKS TO SANDEEP AGAIN 

With 424 runs at an average of 53.00 in this year's IPL heading into the match, there was an expectancy Kohli would again be the key for Bangalore. 

Instead, he was dismissed cheaply by a familiar face, Sandeep Sharma getting the India captain for the seventh time in the Twenty20 format.

CSK needed 17 off the last over from Jaydev Unadkat in the battle of the bottom two to win only their second match and Dhoni delivered, hitting the four he needed off the last ball to leave the Indians shellshocked.

Mukesh Choudhary (3-19) dismissed Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan for first-over ducks after Mumbai were put in by Ravindra Jadeja at a raucous DY Patil Stadium on Thursday, but they recovered to 155-7.

Teenager Tilak Varma top scored with 51 not out off 43 balls, while Suryakumar Yadav (32) and debutant Hrithik Shokeen (25) also chipped in.

CSK dropped four catches, including Varma being given a life by Dwayne Bravo when he had scored only two, in a sloppy display in the field following such a great start.

All-rounder Bravo took 2-36 before Unadkat added a brisk unbeaten 19 and Daniel Sams dismissed Ruturaj Gaikwad with the first ball of the run chase.

Sams (4-30) also saw the back of Mitchell Santner, Shivam Dube and Ambati Rayudu, with Mumbai favourites when Chennai were 106-6 in the 16th over following Jadeja's departure for only three.

Dwaine Pretorius made 22 and the ice-cool Dhoni stepped up when CSK needed him, making 28 not out off 13 balls to leave the Indians rooted to the bottom of the table after losing all seven games.

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Choudhary gives CSK dream start

Left-arm seamer Choudhary rocked Mumbai by removing both openers in the first over, with Rohit taken by Santner at mid-on off the second ball and Kishan losing his off stump.

Dewald Brevis became Choudhary's third victim off the final ball of the third over, reducing the Indians to 32-3.

CSK's fielding did not match the standard of their early bowling, captain Jadeja guilty of two of their dropped catches as they let Mumbai off the hook to an extent.

Dhoni still leading by example

He may have handed the captaincy over to Jadeja, but Dhoni showed he will always be a leader as he steered the holders home.

They needed 28 off two overs and 16 from deliveries after Unadkat trapped Pretorius leg before. 

Step forward the 40-year-old Dhoni, who clattered the left-armer for a straight six and struck the next ball for four, then scampered through for two before dispatching the last delivery into the leg side for a match-winning boundary.

Fifth-placed Delhi missed a chance to move two points behind Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals at DY Patil Stadium, where CSK registered only a fourth win of the tournament.

Conway blasted 87 off 49 balls with support from Ruturaj Gaikwad (41) and Shivam Dube (32) as the Super Kings racked up 208-6 after Rishabh Pant won the toss and put them in.

The Capitals were all out for 117 in reply, Moeen Ali claiming brilliant figures of 3-13 from four overs in a one-sided contest on Sunday.

New Zealand opener Conway and Gaikwad got CSK off to an excellent start, taking them to 57 without loss at the end of the powerplay.

Anrich Nortje (3-42) ended an opening stand of 110 when he dismissed Gaikwad with the last ball of the 11th over, but Dube was dropped by Axar Patel on 14 during a partnership of 59 with the prolific Conway.

Khaleel Ahmed, the pick of the bowlers with 2-28, denied Conway a century when he had the left-hander caught behind by Pant before MS Dhoni added a quickfire unbeaten 21.

Delhi – without Prithvi Shaw after he was hospitalised with a virus – lost openers Srikar Bharat and David Warner early in their reply before Mitchell Marsh, who top scored with 25, and Pant (21) got starts but failed to push on.

Moeen saw the back of that dangerous duo in quick succession and the wickets continued to tumble, with Delhi all out in the 18th over.

Conway making hay at the top of the order

Conway only needed 27 balls to reach his latest half-century, hitting five sixes and seven fours in a scintillating knock.

He has scored 231 runs from four innings, averaging a mammoth 77.

Masterful Moeen puts Delhi in a spin

England all-rounder Moeen not only took three wickets, but also bowled 16 dot balls in a fine display of spin bowling.

Moeen conceded just one boundary (a six) as CSK dominated with bat and ball.

The 29-year-old opener was admitted to hospital on Saturday after suffering from discomfort in his abdomen.

No timeframe has been placed on his recovery but he will be absent from Punjab Kings' Indian Premier League fixture against Delhi Capitals in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

A statement from Punjab Kings said: "KL Rahul complained of severe abdomen pain and, after not responding to medication, he was taken for further tests which revealed that he was diagnosed with acute appendicitis.

"It will be resolved surgically and for safety measures he has been transferred to the hospital."

Rahul is the top runscorer in the 2021 IPL with 331 runs in seven matches at an average of 66.20 and a strike rate of 136.21.

He has the best all-time batting average in IPL history with 2,978 runs in 88 matches at 46.53 and a strike rate of 135.85.

The right-hand batsman has played 36 Tests, 38 ODIs and 49 T20 internationals for India.

The Delhi Capitals, Pant's Indian Premier League franchise, confirmed he had been moved to a second hospital following the incident that occurred between the towns of Manglaur and Narsan.

Local police said Pant's car collided with a road divider and caught fire, with images of the wrecked vehicle widely shared on social media.

"Pant sustained injuries on his forehead, a hand and right knee," said Swapn Kishor Singh, superintendent of Haridwar rural police, according to the Times of India.

"However, he is conscious and able to talk. The car he was driving was completely burnt. He is lucky to survive the severe accident."

Dr Dishant Yagnik, medical superintendent of Max Hospital in Dehradun, addressed media outlets outside the facility as he allayed fears over Pant's condition.

"We are still examining him. He is stable at the moment, there doesn't appear to be cause for major worry. Once the evaluation is complete, we will put out a detailed bulletin," he said.

"He is conscious, and he is talking, and the doctors are examining wherever he is saying there is discomfort.

"Orthopaedics and plastic surgeons are looking at him right now. And we are examining for any internal injuries."

Jay Shah, general secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), provided an update on social media, adamant Pant will get the required assistance from the BCCI.

"My thoughts and prayers are with Rishabh Pant as he fights his way back to recovery," Shah wrote.

"I have spoken to his family and the doctors treating him. Rishabh is stable and undergoing scans. We are closely monitoring his progress and will provide him with all the necessary support."

Pant represented India as recently as Sunday, when his haul of 93 runs led them to a second-Test victory over Bangladesh, sealing a 2-0 series win.

The 25-year-old was hospitalised following a collision late last month, suffering injuries to his head, knee and foot.

Pant was initially treated in his hometown of Roorkee, near the accident, before being moved for further work to Dehradun.

But now the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed he is to be flown to Mumbai in order to be nearer to their own empanelled medical team.

"Rishabh will undergo surgery and subsequent procedures for ligament tears and will continue to be monitored by the BCCI Medical Team throughout his recovery and rehabilitation," it said in a statement.

"The Board will make every effort to aid and expedite the recovery process of Rishabh and will provide him with all the support he needs during this period."

There is no further prognosis on Pant's recovery period.

Four months after the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, the tournament restarts at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. 

Mumbai, eyeing a third successive title, had won back-to-back games to move up to fourth place when the decision was made to halt the IPL and will be out to pick up where they left off against second-placed CSK. 

With India unable to stage the competition, the remainder of the action over the next month will be staged in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. 

Delhi Capitals are the franchise to catch at the top of the table, although the Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore are only two points behind them with a game in hand. 

Stats Perform take a look at the state of play ahead of the resumption. 

What is the schedule and where will the games take place?

There will be 31 matches contested in the space of 27 days and fans will be allowed in to watch, starting with the showdown between two of the top four. 

Dubai will stage 13 games, including the final on October 15, with 10 contests taking place in Sharjah and eight in Abu Dhabi. 

The first qualifier of the post-season will be played in Dubai on October 10, with the eliminator and second qualifier taking place in Sharjah on October 11 and 13 respectively. 

Pant continues to captain leaders Delhi

Delhi lost to Mumbai in the final last year but responded impressively, winning six of eight matches to top the table this season. 

They return to action against bottom side Sunrisers Hyderabad in Dubai on Wednesday with Rishabh Pant retaining captaincy duties. 

The Capitals revealed Pant will continue to lead the side despite Shreyas Iyer's return from a shoulder injury. 

Pant had extra time to rest his legs after he was among the India Test players who flew to the UAE earlier than expected, with the final match at Old Trafford dramatically called off due to concerns over a COVID-19 outbreak in the tourists' camp. 

Star men absent

While there will be an array of star quality on show, there will also be a number of notable absentees. 

England World Cup winners Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow and Chris Woakes will not feature, and the same goes for Dawid Malan. 

Australia paceman Pat Cummins will also be absent, while India all-rounder Washington Sundar was ruled out due to injury. 

Ground to make up

Sunrisers will be desperate to salvage some pride, having won only one of seven matches. 

Second-bottom Kolkata Knight Riders, who have signed Tim Southee with Cummins unavailable, also have a lot of work to do. 

Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals are two points behind fourth-placed Mumbai. 

The Board of Control for Cricket in India and Indian Premier League Governing Council confirmed the news in a joint statement on Tuesday after reports of COVID cases in three teams.

Kolkata Knight Riders duo Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier tested positive, forcing Monday's game against Royal Challengers Bangalore to be rescheduled.

Reports also suggest Sunrisers Hyderabad wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha tested positive, leading to the whole team having to isolate, while there were two reported cases in the Chennai Super Kings team.

"The Indian Premier League Governing Council (IPL GC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in an emergency meeting has unanimously decided to postpone IPL 2021 season, with immediate effect," a statement read.

"The BCCI does not want to compromise on the safety of the players, support staff and the other participants involved in organising the IPL. This decision was taken keeping the safety, health and well-being of all the stakeholders in mind.

"These are difficult times, especially in India and while we have tried to bring in some positivity and cheer, however, it is imperative that the tournament is now suspended and everyone goes back to their families and loved ones in these trying times.

"The BCCI will do everything in its powers to arrange for the secure and safe passage of all the participants in IPL 2021.

"The BCCI would like to thank all the healthcare workers, state associations, players, support staff, franchises, sponsors, partners and all the service providers who have tried their best to organise IPL 2021 even in these extremely difficult times."

India has seen a sharp rise in COVID numbers in the country in recent weeks, with the total number in excess of 20 million since the start of the global pandemic.

Both sides started their penultimate match of the regular season on Tuesday knowing they needed a win to have any real chance of taking the fourth and final play-off place.

The defending champions moved level on points with the fourth-placed Kolkata Knight Riders, who have a superior run-rate, and left the sorry Royals facing an early exit by dishing out a thrashing at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Coulter-Nile finished with incredible figures of 4-14 as the Royals could only post a meagre 90-9 - the second-lowest total in the full 20 overs in IPL history.

Jimmy Neesham took 3-12 and Jasprit Bumrah 2-14, with Rajasthan capitulating from 41-1 under pressure.

Mumbai had no such trouble with the bat in their run chase, reaching their target for the fall of only two wickets with 70 balls to spare.

Such an emphatic win for the holders may still not be enough for them to qualify ahead of their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday, with KKR in pole position as they prepare to face the seventh-placed Royals on Thursday.

Coulter-Nile rips through Royals

Australian paceman Coulter-Nile was the Royals' chief tormentor after they had got off to a promising start.

He ended an opening stand of 27 by getting Yashasvi Jaiswal caught behind and Rajasthan fell to pieces after Lewis was snared leg before by Bumrah.

Coulter-Nile cleaned up Glenn Phillips and struck David Miller in front before bowling Chetan Sakariya, while Neesham claimed the wickets of Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube and Rahul Tewatia on the New Zealand all-rounder's IPL return.

Sealed with a Kish

Kishan came to the wicket on the back of three failures, but he returned to form in spectacular fashion to seal victory in a hurry.

Rohit Sharma (22 off 13) became the first Indian batsman to hit 400 T20 sixes before fellow opener Kishan came to the fore.

The 23-year-old reached the 1,000 runs landmark for the franchise, clearing the rope three times and hitting a further four boundaries, dispatching Mustafizur Rahman for four and then a six to reach his half-century and wrap up a crushing win.

The India quick experienced pain in his left rib cage while bowling in a training session last Wednesday.

Ishant has since been informed he has suffered an internal oblique muscle tear, ending his participation in the IPL.

A statement released by his franchise on Monday said: "Delhi Capitals fast bowler Ishant Sharma experienced an acute episode of left rib cage pain while bowling at a team training session on 7 October 2020 in Dubai.

"Subsequent investigations revealed that he sustained a left internal oblique muscle tear. This injury will unfortunately rule him out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League 2020.

"Everyone at Delhi Capitals wishes Ishant a speedy recovery."

The 32-year-old played just once in the tournament, bowling three overs for 26 runs without taking a wicket in a defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad last month.

Mumbai Indians, the defending champions, face Chennai Super Kings in Saturday's curtain-raiser, which is a repeat of the 2019 final.

Here, we take a look at the players who should light up the tournament.

VIRAT KOHLI (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

No man has more IPL runs than RCB captain Kohli, whose 5,412 have been accrued at an average of 37.84 across his 117 matches.

Key Stat: India superstar Kohli is the only batsman in the history of T20 internationals to average more than 50 (50.80) among those with a minimum of 20 innings.

MS DHONI (Chennai Super Kings)

He may have retired from international duty, but Chennai skipper Dhoni is not calling time on his IPL career just yet. You feel the 'finisher' will want to end with a flourish.

Key Stat: Dhoni has made the most runs as a captain (4,142) among the eight skippers. Rajasthan Royals captain Steve Smith is the only man to have a better win percentage (65.5 per cent) than Dhoni's 59.8 per cent too.

JASPRIT BUMRAH (Mumbai Indians)

Player of the match in the 2019 final, it was Bumrah's 2-14 that proved pivotal to Mumbai's success. The seamer has mastered the art of death bowling.

Key stat: No one bowled more balls at the death (overs 17-20) than Bumrah's 172 deliveries in 2019. He had an economy of just 7.7 during that period. 

ANDRE RUSSELL (Kolkata Knight Riders)

West Indian all-rounder Russell is a box office draw for Kolkata Knight Riders having averaged 56.7 with the bat last year.

Key stat: Russell made 510 runs in 2019, of which 85.5 per cent were made from boundaries. That was the biggest percentage for those to have made at least 20 runs.

ROHIT SHARMA (Mumbai Indians)

A record four-time winner of the IPL as Mumbai captain, Rohit made 52 fours last season - the most of his 12-year IPL career.

Key stat: Rohit is 102 runs away from becoming the third batsman to reach 5,000 IPL runs after Kohli and Suresh Raina.

DAVID WARNER (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Last season Warner won the Orange Cap - awarded to the IPL's leading run-scorer - for a record third time after amassing 692 runs, 99 more than anyone else in the tournament.

Key stat: Warner has now accumulated at least 600 runs in three separate campaigns. Chris Gayle (also three) is the only other batsman to have done so more than once.

DEEPAK CHAHAR (Chennai Super Kings)

Chahar had a breakthrough campaign with the Super Kings last year, claiming 22 wickets - a figure only South African duo Imran Tahir and Kagiso Rabada could better.

Key stat: The seamer bowled 64.3 overs in 2019 and 49 per cent of his deliveries were dot balls - the highest figure among those who bowled at least 10 overs.

KAGISO RABADA (Delhi Capitals)

The Proteas quick made his mark in the IPL last season when he took 25 wickets in the Capitals' run to the semi-finals.

Key stat: Of those who bowled at least 10 overs, Rabada had the best average (14.72) while he and international team-mate Tahir were the only two bowlers to have more than one four-wicket haul.

Where there is a will, and where hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake, there is usually a way.

And IPL chiefs have taken extreme measures to ensure the 2020 campaign goes ahead, taking the league and its teams to the United Arab Emirates for the next eight weeks.

The tournament that brought new levels of razzmatazz to Twenty20 cricket is set to begin behind closed doors, with Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah staging the games.

Can defending champions Mumbai Indians defy the pattern of their previous odd-year successes and retain the trophy, and if not then who will come through?

Here is a look, using Opta numbers, at what we should be looking forward to during the 13th edition of the game-changing league.

The oddest of years is an even year. Does that spell trouble for Mumbai?

Mumbai Indians have become the IPL's dominant franchise, and it is they and Chennai Super Kings who are most widely fancied to take the silverware this year.

Saturday's opener between those sides is a re-match of last year's astounding final, when Lasith Malinga pinned Shardul Thakur lbw from the final ball to nail a one-run win for Mumbai.

Two statistics leap out ahead of the reunion: Mumbai have beaten Chennai in eight of their last nine IPL clashes, including the last five; however, Mumbai have lost their last seven season openers.

Mumbai's last season-opening win came in 2012 – an eight-wicket success against... Chennai Super Kings.

In the last seven IPL seasons, Mumbai have been champions four times, but each time they have followed a title success with a relatively fallow year, finishing fourth, fifth and fifth again between their 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019 success. If the pattern of triumphing in odd years and missing out in even years holds, we are looking for another team to hoist the trophy in November.

Only one team have successfully defended the IPL title, with Chennai achieving back-to-back triumphs in 2010 and 2011.

Will we have new champions?

Of the five franchises to appear in every IPL edition, three of them are yet to win to the competition: Delhi Capitals, Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

It is worth bearing in mind the IPL has visited the UAE before, when 20 games were moved to avoid a clash in 2014 with India's general election.

And Kings XI Punjab will look on that time fondly, having won all five of their matches in the UAE. Mumbai, in stark contrast, lost each of their five contests during that sojourn.

Delhi, as they prepare to begin their 2020 campaign, are three defeats away from becoming the first team to lose 100 matches in the competition.

Are there records on the line?

Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner and Kings XI Punjab showman Chris Gayle are two of the most exhilarating players in the league. Warner last year matched Gayle's record feat of scoring 600-plus runs in three separate IPL seasons when he scored 692 in just 12 innings, so the race is on to see if either man can go above 600 for a fourth time.

Mumbai's Rohit Sharma is 102 short of becoming the third batsman to reach 5,000 runs in his IPL career, while Warner is 294 away from that landmark. The all-time leading run-scorers in the competition are Virat Kohli (5,412) and Suresh Raina (5,368).

Can you keep a tight line?

In a format known for its ferocious hitting, is it possible to stifle teams late in an innings?

Yorker specialist Jasprit Bumrah found a way for Mumbai in 2019, bowling a competition-high 172 balls at the death (overs 17-20) and recording a highly respectable economy rate of 7.7 in those games.

His figures of 2-14 from four overs in last year's final were testament to his talent for keeping run-hungry batsmen tied down. More of the same could keep Mumbai competitive in 2020.

But the roaring success of the Indian Premier League means its 16th season is anticipated on a similar level to those totemic events on the cricket calendar.

And why not? There is no greater franchise competition in cricket, featuring star names from across the globe playing to vast crowds and huge television audiences.

A measure of the boom in IPL popularity came when its broadcast rights were sold in the wake of last year's tournament, with five-year deals bringing in 48,390.5 crore (£4.8billion), testament to the tournament's enormous appeal.

Among leagues worldwide, only the NFL is said to have bigger per-game TV deals, with the spectacle of T20 cricket becoming a big winner with spectators, sponsors, broadcasters and advertisers.

Heading into the 2023 season, which begins on Friday with an eye-catching tussle between defending champions Gujarat Titans and 2021 winners Chennai Super Kings, Stats Perform has identified potential key storylines for the new campaign.

How can Buttler follow his MVP season?

Jos Buttler had a staggering campaign last time out for Rajasthan Royals, hitting 863 runs in 17 innings at an average of 57.53, with four centuries to his name. That was as many centuries as everyone else in the IPL combined managed to score.

He finished 247 runs ahead of KL Rahul, who was second on the batting list. Buttler cracked 83 fours and 45 sixes, and he has since been appointed England's white-ball captain.

This is a huge year for Buttler, with England defending their title at the World Cup, and all eyes will be on the 32-year-old to see how he contributes for the Royals.

Chris Gayle, in 2011 and 2012, is the only batter to have finished as top scorer in consecutive IPL seasons.

This is a league that brings explosive moments, and Australian bowler Pat Cummins surprisingly managed the fastest fifty with the bat last year, achieving the feat from 14 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders against Mumbai Indians.

With the ball, Buttler's Rajasthan team-mate Yuzvendra Chahal took a league-leading 27 wickets, at an average of 19.51 and with a 7.75 economy rate. He was the only bowler to take a hat-trick in the 2022 IPL, doing so against KKR.

The economy rate king was two-time former MVP Sunil Narine, who gave up an average of 5.57 runs in his 56 overs, albeit taking just a modest nine wickets.

CSK seek immediate statement win

Gujarat were champions in their debut season last time around, while defending champions Chennai finished a miserable ninth out of 10 teams.

This time CSK are determined to start strongly and banish memories of 2022, and one way or another it promises to be a memorable campaign.

It appears likely to be MS Dhoni's final IPL campaign, with the 41-year-old giant of the game and former India captain reportedly considering whether to call time on his illustrious playing career.

Dhoni would want to go out on a high, and in the hope of building a winning team CSK have taken an expensive plunge by bringing in England Test captain Ben Stokes.

There are suggestions Stokes could inherit Dhoni's talisman status at CSK, although there has been an early blow with the all-rounder not expected to bowl in the early stages of the tournament due to concern over his left knee.

CSK suffered another setback to their bowling department when they lost New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson to a back injury, replacing him with South Africa paceman Sisanda Magala.

Could pulling the Short straw work out well for Punjab Kings?

Jonny Bairstow would have been lining up for Punjab Kings, but a freak golf course injury continues to keep the England wicketkeeper-batter out of action.

In his place comes Australian Matthew Short, who has yet to play international cricket or feature in the IPL, but the 27-year-old is experiencing quite a moment in his career.

Short was player of the tournament in Australia's Big Bash League, the domestic T20 competition, when he scored 458 runs for Adelaide Strikers and became just the third player in 12 seasons to hit 400 runs and take 10 wickets in a single season.

He will fancy stepping up to IPL level and continuing his rich run of form, and joins a franchise that has seen significant change since finishing sixth last year. Punjab have a new captain and new coach, with Shikhar Dhawan and Trevor Bayliss replacing Mayank Agarwal and Anil Kumble.

PBKS will hope Short makes a long-lasting impact, while they are trusting a huge investment in Sam Curran pays off after making the England all-rounder the most expensive player in IPL history, landing him in the draft for 18.5 Cr (£1.85million).

Changes across the board

A year is a long time in the IPL, and there have been a host of new appointments.

Australian veteran and IPL master blaster David Warner has taken over as captain of Delhi Capitals due to Rishabh Pant being ruled out while he recovers from the major car accident he experienced in December.

Brendon McCullum's move to coach England means Kolkata needed a new man in charge, and they have brought in Chandrakant Pandit, while Brian Lara has taken over from Tom Moody with Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Mark Boucher will pull the strings with Mumbai Indians after Mahela Jayawardene became global head of performance.

This year's edition of the Twenty20 tournament was originally due to start in March, only to be postponed indefinitely amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

With COVID-19 cases continuing to rise in the country, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had already revealed plans to stage the entire competition in the United Arab Emirates later in the year. 

Following a video conference between members of the IPL's governing council on Sunday, a statement signed by BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced further details regarding the 53-day event, including venues, updated regulations and key dates. 

The final is due to be played on November 10 and there will be 10 double-headers during the round-robin stage, though a full fixture list is yet to be released.

The UAE has staged the IPL previously, co-hosting the 2014 season due to a clash with India's general election.

"The governing council also discussed the comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs), which will be finalised and published in due course, including the agencies to execute and deliver a bio-secure environment for safe and successful conduct of IPL 2020 Season," the statement read. 

"The governing council also reviewed the player regulations for replacement players for 2020 season."

The IPL governing council plans to hold a meeting with all franchises in the near future, while the proposals must be ratified by the Indian government. 

the Women's T20 Challenge will also take place in the UAE, with three teams playing four matches during the same week as the IPL play-offs. 

Surrey, who play at The Oval, are in initial talks with IPL and BCCI authorities in India to explore the possibility.

Khan would like to see IPL matches in London and later the rest of England after similar moves were made by the big US sports leagues – the NFL, NBA and MLB – in holding competitive matches abroad.

County cricket clubs are exploring all options to make up lost revenue caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

"Surrey are speaking to teams in India and colleagues in the BCCI and IPL," Khan said.

"The first step will be friendlies and exhibition matches. 

"We want to get them going, maybe even this year if we make progress as we are doing with the pandemic. It has to be Covid-safe, of course."

Khan is seeking re-election in London and sport is central to his vision of the city's future.

He added: "We have to bang the drum for our city, and sport is one way to do this.

"This is part of my plan to build a better London after the pandemic.

"I know Londoners are hungry to see more of the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant.

"With two of the world's greatest cricket grounds in Lord's and The Kia Oval, London is ideally placed to host IPL matches. 

"I know we can see our capital confirmed as the undisputed sporting capital of the world."

The 2021 edition of the IPL began on Thursday, as five-time champions the Mumbai Indians look to defend their title.

IPL matches being played outside India is not unprecedented. Last year, the whole tournament was played in the United Arab Emirates without spectators because of the pandemic.

The tournament was held in South Africa in 2009 and in the UAE for two weeks of the 2014 season, in both cases due to elections in India.