IPL 10: Imran Tahir bags the Purple Cap

Rising Pune Supergiant spinner Imran Tahir got hold of the Purple Cap after returning with a wicket against the Delhi Daredevils. The Rising Pune Supergiant played their second home game of the season against the Daredevils. RPS were blown out by the Delhi batsmen in the first innings of the match. Middle order batsman Sanju Samson was the star of the show as he hit a brilliant 102 off mere 63 deliveries with 8 fours and 5 sixes.

A late flourish from Chris Morris of 9-ball 38 saw Delhi post a total of 205 on the board. While most of the bowlers took a heavy toll on the day, it was Imran Tahir who bowled his full quota of 4 overs and gave just 24 runs. He provided the second breakthrough for the team when he dismissed Sam Billings on 24 in the 9th over.

A wicket in the match meant Imran Tahir finish with 6 wickets to his name in 3 matches.  He overtook Afghanistan leggie Rashid Khan at the top of the leading wicket takers of the season. That saw him bag the Purple Cap after the first innings.

Talking to IPL commentator Isa Guha on receiving the cap, he quoted, “I am very happy. This is for my boy Jibran. It was his birthday yesterday and I had told him I will try my best to get the Purple Cap on my head today and I am glad I did it. I had to work hard coming to the best league in the world and just try to bowl as well as I can. It is a great challenge. You are playing against really good players.”

The match will truely be remembered for the heroics of Sanju Samson. Imran Tahir had his words of praise for the young batsman too. He noted that it was the calmness of Samson that worked well for him. Talking about Sanju, he quoted, “Well done to Sanju, he played really well today. I just think he played really well. He kept calm and just played for the bad balls. He went with his plans, the balls were in his areas and he just hit them. Well done to him.”