Stats: 2014 IPL in numbers from the UAE leg

The Indian Premier League (IPL) returns to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after a gap of six years due to the never-ending COVID-19 pandemic in India. The talks and focus at the moment have been over the playing conditions and pitches in the UAE. With a lot of changes happening in these six years, the performances of teams from the 2014 season is unlikely to be replicated. A total of 20 matches took place in UAE during the 2014 edition of the IPL as it conflicted with the general elections in India.

Here are some of the stats and facts from the IPL matches hosted by the UAE in 2014 season:

0 – Mumbai Indians failed to win even one of the five matches they played during the UAE leg in 2014 IPL. All the remaining seven teams managed to win at least two of the five matches they played. MI didn’t get to play KXIP and RR in UAE during that season whom they defeated twice later in India.

3 – Glenn Maxwell recorded the top three highest individual scores during the UAE leg matches in 2014. He scored 95 runs off 43 balls during the matches against CSK and SRH teams between which he also made 45-ball 89 against Rajasthan Royals.

Aaron Finch’s unbeaten 88 for the Sunrisers against Delhi franchise was the highest individual score of the UAE leg which was not recorded by Maxwell.

4 – During the tournament opener between MI and KKR, Lasith Malinga and Sunil Narine picked up 4-wicket hauls for their respective teams. Till date, only four IPL matches witnessed rival players picking up 4-wicket hauls. Post this game, four players picked 4-fers during the matches played in UAE during the 2014 season and all of them being Indian bowlers only.

5/5 – Kings XI Punjab were the only side to remain undefeated in UAE leg matches during the 2014 IPL. KXIP won all the five matches they played in the UAE a streak that began with a victory over Chennai Super Kings. The CSK team started the UAE leg with a defeat against KXIP which was followed by a 4-match winning streak.

5.31 – Yuzvendra Chahal’s economy of 5.31 was the best among the players who bowled at least five overs in the UAE leg. Sunil Narine came a close second with an economy of 5.33 but the leading wicket-taker with nine wickets from five games.

72 – Ajinkya Rahane’s 72-run knock for the Royals against KKR was the highest individual score by an Indian in an IPL match hosted by UAE. Rahane’s 72 is the only score recorded by an Indian among the top 13 individual scores during the 2014 UAE leg of IPL. Rahane’s 182 runs across the five matches in UAE during the 2014 IPL season were also the most by an Indian.

206/4 – Kings XI Punjab recorded the highest team total of the 2014 UAE leg with 206/4 while chasing Chennai Super Kings’ total of 205/4. These two were the only totals of 200+ across the 20 matches held by UAE. In the following matches, KXIP posted 193/3 and 193/5 against RR and SRH respectively which are the 3rd and 4th highest team totals of the UAE leg.

300 – Maxwell was the top-scorer with 300 runs by end of the UAE leg in the 2014 IPL. Only one other guy managed to cross 200-run mark during the UAE leg was Dwayne Smith (240).