We take a look at the statistics of South African players during the history of the IPL.
AB de Villiers boasts the highest IPL score by a South African, after striking 105 not out off just 54 deliveries for Delhi against Chennai in April 2009. David Miller’s unbeaten 101 off a mere 38 balls, for Punjab against Bangalore in Mohali in May 2013 is next in line.
Jacques Kallis has gathered the most IPL ducks by a South African. Nine in 96 innings, though, is substantially better than the 10 in 39 endured by Deccan Chargers, Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad tail-ender Amit Mishra.
De Villiers has struck the most IPL sixes by a South African. Level with Australia’s David Warner on 82, the Proteas ODI captain has more than West Indian Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Smith but less than Indians Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virender Sehwag.
Dale Steyn has taken the most IPL wickets by a South African. From 2008 to 2014, 83 matches have brought him 89 wickets. He has, however, never taken a four-wicket haul. His best tournament figures are three for eight.
Mark Boucher sports the most IPL dismissals by a South African wicketkeeper. Australian Adam Gilchrist leads the pack by a proverbial long shot, while Boucher occupies 14th position on the back of 14 catches and three stumpings in 31 fixtures.
Kallis, too, has clinched the most IPL catches by a South African – 31 in 98 matches, and as many as four in one match. De Villiers has 39, but several were taken as a wicketkeeper.
Kallis’ 98 IPL appearances, the bulk for Kolkata and the rest for Bangalore, are the most by a South African. De Villiers, Albie Morkel and Steyn have 88, 85 and 83 respectively.
Unsurprisingly, then, Kallis also has the most IPL runs by a South African. De Villiers is less than 400 away from surpassing his 2 427, though. Only Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir have faced more tournament deliveries than Kallis (2 222).
David Miller has the highest IPL strike-rate by a South African. His 153.18, sustained over 34 matches, is fifth only to Australian duo Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner, Sehwag and West Indian Chris Gayle – among players who have faced a minimum of 125 balls.
Rudi Koertzen has umpired the most IPL matches by a South African – 42. He has since retired, leaving countryman Marais Erasmus’ 28 to increase – and eventually take over the mantle.
Shaun Pollock brags the best economy rate among the IPL’s South Africans to have bowled a minimum of 250 deliveries. A relatively miserly 6.54 is rivaled only by Steyn’s 6.58 and Roelof van der Merwe’s 6.74.
Pollock has also accumulated the most matches as captain by a South African in the IPL – just four, which brought three wins for Mumbai in 2008. Newly-appointed Delhi skipper JP Duminy should better this in 2015.
