After week six of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) remained on the top of the points table with 18 points from 13 matches. Four-time winners, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were second with 15 points from 12 games. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) had also entered the top three, with 14 points from 12 matches. Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) completed the top five, with 12 and 11 points respectively. Three teams – Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) – were on top points each. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and eliminated Delhi Capitals (DC) remained at the bottom with eight points apiece. Now let’s look at the IPL 2023 team of week six.
Openers: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Philip Salt
RR’s Yashasvi Jaiswal and DC’s Philip Salt will combine to form the dynamic opening duo of the week. Jaiswal followed up his 35 against SRH with a terrific 98* off 47 against KKR. The knock saw him smash the record for the fastest IPL fifty (13 balls).
Salt makes the cut for the dream XI. He clobbered 87 off 45 balls against RCB, slamming eight fours and six sixes as DC chased down 182 with ease, winning the match by seven wickets.
Middle order: Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Sanju Samson (wk), Nehal Wadhera
Suryakumar Yadav gets the honor of leading the team for his brilliant performances. He played two dazzling knocks in the week. If his 83 off 35 against RCB was outstanding, he followed it up with an extraordinary 103* off 49 against GT, his maiden IPL ton.
RR skipper Sanju Samson will be the wicketkeeper-batter in the dream team. He played two impressive knocks in the week. Samson followed up his unbeaten 66 off 38 balls against SRH, with 48 not out off 29 balls versus KKR, giving Jaiswal a company in match-winning stand.
Young MI batter Nehal Wadhera also finds a place on the basis of his impressive knocks. The 22-year-old left-hander made significant contributions of 64 off 51 versus CSK and 52 not out off 34 against RCB.
All-rounders: Andre Russell, Axar Patel, Rashid Khan
KKR all-rounder Andre Russell makes the team of week six for one stunning knock. He clubbed a game-changing 42 off only 23 balls, which included three sixes in the 19th over off Sam Curran, to win the game for Kolkata against Punjab.
DC’s Axar Patel maintained his consistency. He impressed with figures of 2/27 against CSK and also contributed 21 off 12 with the bat, again making his presence felt.
GT all-rounder Rashid Khan was fabulous in the team’s loss to MI. He picked up 4/30 with the ball, including the wickets of Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Tim David. With the bat he smashed an unbeaten 79 off 32 balls, clubbing three fours and 10 sixes.
Bowlers: Yuzvendra Chahal, Matheesha Pathirana, Akash Madhwal
RR leggie Yuzvendra Chahal picked up consecutive four-fers in week six of IPL 2023. He claimed 4/29 against SRH and followed it up with 4/25, bamboozling the KKR batters. When he dismissed Kolkata captain Nitish Rana, Chahal became the all-time leading wicket-taker in the IPL. At the end of the game, he had 187 scalps to his name.
CSK pacer Matheesha Pathirana also makes the team of week six. The slinger made a big impact, claiming match-winning figures of 3/15 against Mumbai. He followed it up with another three-fer in the match against Delhi Capitals in a winning cause. Pathirana has proved to be an X-factor for CSK.
Mumbai pacer Akash Madhwal is the surprise entry in the list. He registered brilliant figures of 3/31 against GT, dismissing Wriddhiman Saha, Shubman Gill and David Miller. With his performance, Madhwal played a big role in Mumbai’s upset win over GT at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.