In-form Rabada excited for ‘surreal’ experience in IPL final

Proteas spearhead Kagiso Rabada has expressed his delight at playing in his first Indian Premier League final for the Delhi Capitals on Tuesday, and he is in prime position to finish the prestigious T20 tournament with the Purple Cap for leading wicket-taker.

Rabada has been in wonderful form throughout the competition and the four for 29 he took against the Hyderabad Sunrisers in the second qualifying final in Abu Dhabi at the weekend took him to 29 wickets in 16 matches.

The Delhi Capitals will come up against the Mumbai Indians in the final, the defending champions being inspired by impressive fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who is the second highest wicket-taker behind Rabada, with 27 scalps.

It would be a massive feather in Rabada’s cap if he hangs on to the Purple Cap, especially since his World Cup performance last year in England when he was very much in the shadow of pacemen such as Bumrah, Trent Boult, Jofra Archer and Pat Cummins.

“It’s going to be surreal to be in the final but hopefully we can go all the way. It’s just one more big push,” Rabada told the Capitals website.

“We have a very young team with a good captain (Shreyas Iyer) and since I came here in 2016 it’s been the same faces and we have been building up a good team. We play for the fans because it’s thanks to their constant support that we are here.

“We’ve all played some good cricket and individuals have put up their hands when needed. We’ve had a never-say-die attitude, we’ve planned and played well and no-one can say a place in the final was given to us. We’ve earned it and we should give each other a pat on the back.

“Delhi have not been in the final before, so it feels great to help them there and I’m just glad to be part of it.”

Rabada’s fellow South African paceman, Anrich Nortje, has also been an integral part of Delhi’s success, taking 20 wickets, while Quinton de Kock has been the joint leading run-scorer for the Mumbai Indians with Ishan Kishan, scoring 483 at an average of 37.15 and a strike-rate of 139.59.

Rabada versus De Kock is going to be an important battle within the final since they are good mates but fiercely competitive towards each other.

Bangalore Royal Challengers and the Chennai Super Kings have been amongst the also-rans in the tournament, but one could certainly pardon their South African stars for their failings.

AB de Villiers scored 454 runs at an average of 45.40 and a strike-rate of 158.74 for Bangalore, for whom Chris Morris was the best seamer with 11 wickets in nine matches.

Faf du Plessis was the leading run-scorer for the Chennai Super Kings with 449 at 40.81 and a strike-rate of 140.75, while Lungi Ngidi took nine wickets in four matches for the three-time champions.

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