In numbers | What happened when IPL last travelled to the UAE

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It was 2014 when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) were urged to shift a part of the seventh season of the IPL outside India. Owing to clash in dates with the 2014 Indian general election, the then Indian home minister had informed the BCCI that the government won't be able to provide security during the polls which were held in April and May. Hence, BCCI hosted the first 20 matches of IPL 2014 in the United Arab Emirates, from April 16 to 30 before the beloved league returned home, to India, on May 2. 

IPL 2020 will be the second time that the annual cricket carnival will be held in the UAE, this time owing to the coronavirus pandemic. With just four days left on the calendar before the tournament kicks off with all the glitz and glory in Abu Dhabi, we look at the winners and losers from those previous 20 matches of IPL 2014. 

KXIP an invincible force

Each team played five games in the UAE with Abu Dhabi and Dubai hosting seven matches while Sharjah hosted the remaining six. And Kings XI Punjab had won all the five league matches they played in the UAE. They defeated the mighty Chennai Super Kings in their opener before registering comprehensive victories against Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. MS Dhoni's men were next on the list with four wins, their only loss coming against KXIP. Sunrisers, Rajasthan, Delhi (then Daredevils), Kolkata Knight Riders and RCB produced similar results, winning two off their alloted five games. But the most disheartening results were produced by Mumbai Indians, who failed to win any of the matches in UAE. 

Glenn Maxwell ruled the batting charts...

The key reason behind Kings XI's success in the UAE was primarily because of the astonishing batting numbers of Maxwell. The Aussie scored 300 runs in five matches at 60 and a strike rate of a colossal 201.34. His run tally included three half-centuries - 95 off 43 against CSK and SRH and 89 against Rajasthan - all of which were the highest individual scores recorded in the UAE leg of IPL 2014. The only other player who amassed 200 or more runs in UAE was Dwayne Smith - 240 runs at 48. Among Indians, Ajinkya Rahane was the highest run-getter with 182 runs at 36.40 with two half-centuries. His 59-ball 72 against Kolkata Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi was also the highest individual score by an Indian in UAE. 

Most runs in UAE leg of IPL 2014...

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Sunil Narine, Varun Aaron, Yuzvendra Chahal most effective among bowlers

The tournament had kicked off with Lasith Malinga and Sunil Narine taking a four-fer each - 4/23 and 4/20 respectively - during the match between Kolkata and Mumbai. Narine finished with nine wickets from five matches in the UAE - the most by any bowler. Five other bowlers - Varun Aaron, Mohit Sharma, Malinga, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and L Balaji picked eight a piece. Aaron, however, was more effective than any other bowler. He played four matches, averaged 10.50 with an economy rate of 5.66 and a strike rate of 11.1. His best figures of 3 for 16 was against RCB in Sharjah. Chahal, however, was the most economical bowler in the UAE leg with a figure of 5.31. Only Narine, with 5.33, came the closest. 

Highest wicket-takers in UAE leg of IPL 2014...

Six years hence, IPL is back in the UAE, this time for a full edition. Will these stalwarts once again rule the roster or will there emerge a new hero?