Man of the Match awardees in IPL finals

2009 – Anil Kumble (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

The IPL was forced to go on a safari in 2009, and in its second year, two new teams made it to the all-important final. The Royal Challengers Bangalore tasted defeat at the hands of the Deccan Chargers, but an inspired spell from RCB veteran Anil Kumble earned Jumbo the Man of the Match award. Kumble perhaps became the trend-setter of leg-spinners operating inside the powerplay after that match.

Bowling to the colossus that is Adam Gilchrist, who had blown the Delhi Daredevils away in the semi-final, Kumble made sure the Aussie didn’t trouble the scorers whatsoever. He knocked him over with the wrong un. The leggie then cleaned up another big-hitting Australian, Andrew Symonds, as the Chargers continued to struggle for runs. Rohit Sharma and Venugopal Rao both succumbed to Kumble’s consistency of line and length.

The Chargers finished with 143, and Kumble had engineered a brilliant spell of 4/16 to set up a seemingly easy victory. In spite of RCB blotching the run chase, it was only fair that Jumbo be awarded the Man of the Match for an exceptional display of leg-spin in the final.