The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most popular and prestigious T20 cricket tournaments in the world. It has been captivating audiences since its inception in 2008, not only because of the thrill and excitement of the game but also because of the recognition and awards given to the players who perform exceptionally well. One such award is the Orange Cap, which is awarded to the leading run-scorer of the tournament.
In this blog, we will take a look at the Orange Cap holders from the first edition of IPL to the present day.
IPL 2008: Shaun Marsh
The first edition of the IPL saw Shaun Marsh, the Australian left-handed opener, winning the Orange Cap. Playing for the Kings XI Punjab, Marsh scored 616 runs in 11 matches, including a highest score of 115 not out against the Rajasthan Royals.
IPL 2009: Matthew Hayden
In the second edition of the IPL, Matthew Hayden, the Australian left-handed opener, won the Orange Cap. Playing for the Chennai Super Kings, Hayden scored 572 runs in 12 matches, including a highest score of 89 not out against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
IPL 2010: Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar, the Indian cricket legend, won the Orange Cap in the third edition of the IPL. Playing for the Mumbai Indians, Tendulkar scored 618 runs in 15 matches, including a highest score of 89 not out against the Chennai Super Kings.
IPL 2011: Chris Gayle
Chris Gayle, the West Indian power-hitter, won the Orange Cap in the fourth edition of the IPL. Playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gayle scored 608 runs in 12 matches, including a highest score of 107 not out against the Kings XI Punjab.
IPL 2012: Chris Gayle
Chris Gayle won the Orange Cap for the second time in the fifth edition of the IPL. Playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore once again, Gayle scored 733 runs in 15 matches, including a highest score of 128 not out against the Delhi Daredevils.
IPL 2013: Michael Hussey
Michael Hussey, the Australian left-handed opener, won the Orange Cap in the sixth edition of the IPL. Playing for the Chennai Super Kings, Hussey scored 733 runs in 17 matches, including a highest score of 95 not out against the Kings XI Punjab.
IPL 2014: Robin Uthappa
Robin Uthappa, the Indian wicket-keeper batsman, won the Orange Cap in the seventh edition of the IPL. Playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders, Uthappa scored 660 runs in 16 matches, including a highest score of 83 not out against the Mumbai Indians.
IPL 2015: David Warner
David Warner, the Australian left-handed opener, won the Orange Cap in the eighth edition of the IPL. Playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Warner scored 562 runs in 14 matches, including a highest score of 91 not out against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
IPL 2016: Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli, the Indian cricket captain, won the Orange Cap in the ninth edition of the IPL. Playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kohli scored a record-breaking 973 runs in 16 matches, including four centuries and a highest score of 113 against the Kings XI Punjab.
IPL 2017: David Warner
David Warner won the Orange Cap for the second time in the tenth edition of the IPL. Playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad once again, Warner scored 641 runs in 14 matches, including a highest score of 126 against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
IPL 2018: Kane Williamson
Kane Williamson, the New Zealand cricket captain, won the Orange Cap in the eleventh edition of the IPL. Playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Williamson scored 735 runs in 17 matches, including a highest score of 84 not out against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
IPL 2019: David Warner
David Warner won the Orange Cap for the third time in the twelfth edition of the IPL. Playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad once again, Warner scored 692 runs in 12 matches, including a highest score of 100 not out against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
IPL 2020: KL Rahul
KL Rahul, the Indian cricket star, won the Orange Cap in the thirteenth edition of the IPL. Playing for the Kings XI Punjab, Rahul scored 670 runs in 14 matches, including a highest score of 132 not out against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
IPL 2021: Prithvi Shaw
Prithvi Shaw, the young Indian opener, won the Orange Cap in the fourteenth edition of the IPL. Playing for the Delhi Capitals, Shaw scored 308 runs in 8 matches, including a highest score of 82 against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
In conclusion, the Orange Cap has been won by some of the best batsmen in the world over the years, and each edition of the IPL has produced some outstanding performances with the bat. It will be interesting to see who will win the Orange Cap in the upcoming IPL seasons and whether any player will be able to win it multiple times.