IPL 2018: IPL XI at halfway stage

Three teams are at the top of the table with 10 points halfway through the tournament. Many individuals have performed exceptionally for their respective teams and were crucial in their team's success. In the 27 matches played so far, a total 8956 runs have been scored and 336 wickets were claimed. But the question is who are the top performers at various positions.

Here are the top performers in the tournament so far:

*All the stats are for the first 27 matches*

Openers:

K Lokesh Rahul

KL Rahul has been the most fluent batsman in the tournament so far. He scored 268 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 170.07. He provided great starts to his team and the Rahul-Gayle duo is one of the most dangerous opening pairs in the tournament. He scored two fifties in the tournament so far, the first one being the fastest 50 in IPL history coming off just 14 balls. What makes Rahul's strike rate more commendable is that most of his shots are risk-free in nature.

Matches Played: 7, Runs: 268, Average: 38.28, Strike rate: 170.07

Shane Watson

Shane Watson has been the most valuable player in the tournament after each side played their first six matches. He not only performed with the bat but has also performed well with the ball. He has taken 6 wickets in 7 matches with an economy rate just above 8.5. With the bat, he scored a total of 203 runs, including a century over Rajasthan Royals. The experienced campaigner has been a vital cog in the success of CSK's journey to the top of the table.

Matches Played: 7, Runs: 203, Average: 29.00, Strike rate: 157.36

Wickets: 6, Economy Rate: 8.61, Strike Rate: 21.00

Notable Mention:

Chris Gayle has scored 252 in the four innings that he played including a century and two half-centuries but lost the opening spot to Shane Watson's all-around abilities.