'You definitely deserve to go on top' - Dwayne Bravo after Harshal Patel equals his record for most wickets in an IPL season

Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer Harshal Patel equalled Dwayne Bravo’s 2013 32-wicket tally for the most wickets in an IPL season. Patel, who was transferred from the Delhi Capitals to RCB, had a magnificent season and currently leads the Purple Cap race by fair distance: his tally of 32 is nine clear of a distant second Avesh Khan.

He returned with 2/19 in the Eliminator clash against Kolkata Knight Riders on October 11 in Sharjah, claiming the wickets of both the opponent openers Shubman Gill and Venkatesh Iyer. The 30-year-old had a chance to surpass Bravo’s tally, although Devdutt Padikkal dropped Sunil Narine in the last over his spell, which meant he was left stranded on 32.

Meanwhile, Bravo took to his Instagram story to laud and acknowledge Patel’s brilliant season, which ended with RCB’s four-wicket defeat in the shootout clash. “Congratulations @harshalvp 23. You definitely deserve to go on top!! Great to watch!”, Bravo wrote.

Though Patel could not breach Bravo’s mark, he did name himself the record for picking most wickets in a season as an Indian bowler, bettering Jasprit Bumrah’s 27-wicket tally from 2020, whereas his 30 wickets are the most by any bowler in the league phase of a single IPL season.

Had RCB won, Patel would have been left with at least another chance, if not two, to take a shot at breaking the all-time tally, although his team stands knocked out.

KKR’s Sunil Narine shone with both bat and ball, smashing 26 off just 15 after claiming with 4/21 that restricted RCB to a below-par 138/7. Despite a few up and downs during the chase, the Knight Riders eventually crossed the line with two balls to spare, to ensure their sensational turnaround in the UAE leg continued. They will meet Delhi Capitals on October 13 in the second qualifier, the winner of which will play Chennai Super Kings on October 15 in the season finale.

We fought till the last over and made an amazing game out of it: Virat Kohli

After the loss, RCB skipper Virat Kohli said: “Those middle overs where their spinners dominated the game was the difference. They kept bowling in tight areas and kept picking wickets. We had a great start and it was about quality bowling and not bad batting.

“They thoroughly deserve to win this one and be in the next round. The fight till the end with the ball has been the hallmark of our team. That one big over [22 runs] in the middle deflated our chances. We fought till the last over and made an amazing game out of it. 15 runs less with the bat and a couple of big overs with the ball cost us.