The Indian Premier League 2024 has entered its business end with league stage concluding on Sunday. (Full IPL Coverage)
Ultimately after 70 games full of action, we had Kolkata Knight Riders finishing at the top of the table followed by Sunrisers Hyderabad. Rajasthan Royals who led the table for a long time, slipped to the third spot by the end of the league stage while Royal Challengers Bengaluru who spent most of their time right at the bottom, made a huge leap to finish fourth.
With the league stage now done, it is time to look back at some of the standout moments from it. In this piece we look at the five most expensive bowling figures from IPL 2024 league stage.
Anrich Nortje 65/2 vs MI
Anrich Nortje had a season to forget and the worst of it came during DC's high-scoring clash with MI.
In the last over of MI's innings Romario Shepherd smashed four sixes and two fours off Nortje to plunder 32 runs and ruin the South African's figures.
Nortje finished with 65 runs in his four overs courtesy Shepherd's assault.
Kwena Mphaka 66/0 vs SRH
As SRH broke the record of IPL's highest total for the first time this season, it was Kwena Mphaka who received the worst bashing.
On his IPL debut, the Player Of The Tournament of the last U-19 World Cup got the taste of high-level cricket as he was taken to the cleaners by the dangerous SRH trio of Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen.
His 66-run spell became the worst bowling figure for any debutant in IPL history.
Luke Wood 68/1 vs DC
Another relatively inexperienced bowler, thrown in the deep end by MI was Luke Wood.
Opening the bowling against DC in a high-scoring encounter, Wood bore the brunt of Jake-Fraser McGurk's stunning assault where the Australian youngster smashed 84 from just 27 balls.
The real damage to Wood's figures came in his last over when Tristan Stubbs hit him for five fours and a six to take 26 runs in the over.
Reece Topley 68/1 vs SRH
Reece Topley came to the IPL with a lot of expectations. However, the tall left-arm pacer could not live up to it.
His worst outing came when SRH put up the highest ever IPL total of 287.
Topley was taken to the cleaners early on by Travis Head and then in his last over, Abdul Samad hit the Englishman for 24 runs off his last five balls.
Ultimately, despite Abhishek Sharma's wicket, Topley's figures read an ugley 68/1 in 4 overs.
Mohit Sharma 73/0 vs DC
It is fitting that the most expensive figures in IPL history came in a season filled with stratospheric scores.
Mohit Sharma's 73-run wicketless spell against DC mid season, earned him the unwanted accolade of returning with the worst IPL figures.
He was on Rishabh Pant's radar that day and the left-hander scored four sixes and a four on Sharma's last five balls to absolutely wreak havoc on the veteran's figures.
IPL 2024 Playoffs Schedule
Qualifier 1
Tuesday May 21: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Ahmedabad
Eliminator
Wednesday May 22: Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Ahmedabad
Qualifier 2
Friday May 24: Winner of Eliminator vs Loser of Qualifier 1, Chennai
Final
Sunday May 26: Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2, Chennai
