The world's most premier T20 tournament is all set to get underway in less than a month's time. With all the precautionary measures set in place, all the IPL teams have arrived in the UAE for IPL 2020 to commence from September 19. In the glorious IPL history, many T20 records have been made and broken in the last 12 years.
One such significant record was made in 2013 when Chris Gayle smashed the highest IPL score of 175* against Pune Warriors India. This still happens to be a record in T20 cricket for the highest individual score by a player. With an approaching IPL season, we can expect a few records which might be achieved by players across all the eight IPL franchises.
Here's a look at five IPL records which might be broken in IPL 2020:
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1. Most IPL appearances
As many as three players who will feature in 13th IPL edition will have the opportunity to mark their 200th IPL appearance in the history of the league. Suresh Raina (193), MS Dhoni (190) and Rohit Sharma (188) are the ones most likely to breach this milestone ahead of anyone else.
Being a formidable part of their respective IPL teams, each of the three players will have a realistic chance to play their 200th match this IPL season. Rohit Sharma will be leading the Mumbai Indians franchise in 2020 while MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina will feature as the strong pillars for Chennai Super Kings.
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2. First Overseas Player to score 5000 runs in IPL
David Warner is just 294 runs away from crossing the 5000 career runs milestone in IPL. With 4706 runs in his IPL career, Warner currently sits on the fourth position in the list of most runs in IPL history. In IPL 2020, Warner will have a clear chance to claim the illustrious landmark while playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad. In doing so, Warner will be entitled with a record of becoming the first overseas player to score 5000 career runs in the IPL.
Warner, who will be leading the SRH outfit as captain in 2020, will also eye a record of scoring his 50th IPL half-century. With 44 IPL fifties, the Australian opener holds the record for scoring most IPL fifties in the league. The southpaw has so far amassed 4706 IPL runs at a strike rate of 142.39 from 126 games at an average of 43.17.
3. Most Purple Cap awards in IPL
David Warner holds the record of winning the Orange Cap on most occasions in the IPL. The SRH skipper has won the Orange Cap three times in his IPL career. Likewise, the record for winning the Purple Cap award most times can be broken in IPL this season. Dwayne Bravo and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are the only two bowlers who have won the Purple Cap twice since the start of IPL in 2008.
While Bravo won the Purple Cap in 2013 and 2015, representing the CSK, Bhuvneshwar retained the honour for consecutive years in 2016 and 2017 playing for SRH. If either of them manages to grab the most wickets in the 2020 IPL edition, they shall win the coveted award for a record third time. Dwayne Bravo and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have taken 147 and 133 wickets in their respective IPL careers.
4. Most MVP awards in IPL
Each season in the IPL, the best performer of the season is awarded the ‘Most Valuable Player' award. Since the inception of the IPL in 2008, eight different players have won the award. However, only three players have become the MVP for a joint-record two times.
Shane Watson won the MVP award in the inaugural IPL edition and repeated the feat in 2013 while playing for Rajasthan Royals. Similarly, Sunil Narine was named the Most Valuable Player in 2012 and 2018 while Andre Russell won it in 2015 and 2019. It will be an opportunity for each of the three players to claim the MVP award in 2020.
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5. Most centuries in IPL
Chris Gayle holds the record for scoring most IPL centuries. The Kings XI Punjab opener has scored six centuries in the IPL. He scored five centuries playing for RCB while registered his last IPL century in KXIP colours. In IPL 2020, Gayle's tally of most IPL centuries might be in danger to be broken this season.
Virat Kohli, who is just behind him with five centuries in the IPL, might go-past Gayle's long-standing tally this IPL season. Kohli's appetite for runs is second to none. Virat even registered a century in IPL 2019 and is one among the only three players to score more than a single century in a season.
