IPL 2022: Best Playing XI from Week 2 of the competition
The second week of IPL 2022 is done and dusted now. The week began with a double-header last Saturday before culminating with a thrilling encounter between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) yesterday. GT recorded two wins in the second week of their debut IPL season.
The other debutants of the tournament, the Lucknow Super Giants, also added four points to their tally in Week No. 2 of IPL 2022. Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians failed to open their accounts, while Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore recorded impressive wins.
On that note, we will form a strong playing XI comprising the top performers from the second week of IPL 2022.
Openers - Jos Buttler (WK) and Shubman Gill
Rajasthan Royals wicket-keeper Jos Buttler recorded the first century of IPL 2022 against the Mumbai Indians last week. Buttler scored 100 runs off 68 balls and followed it up with an unbeaten half-century against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Gujarat Titans opener Shubman Gill will open the innings with Buttler. Gill played two match-winning knocks for GT last week. He smashed a 46-ball 84 against the Delhi Capitals before playing a 96-run innings against the Punjab Kings.
Middle Order - Tilak Verma, Shimron Hetmyer and Dinesh Karthik
Mumbai Indians' youngster Tilak Verma continued his impressive showing in IPL 2022 with a half-century against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and a 38-run knock against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Unfortunately, both innings ended in a losing cause.
Hard-hitter Shimron Hetmyer and wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik will shoulder the middle-order responsibilities with Verma. Hetmyer scored a 14-ball 35 for RR against the Mumbai Indians. In the next game against RCB, he remained not out on 42 runs.
Karthik helped RCB register their second win of the tournament with an unbeaten 23-ball 44* at No. 7 against RR.
All Rounders - Liam Livingstone and Pat Cummins
Liam Livingstone whacked two 50s in two matches for Punjab Kings last week. He won the Man of the Match award for his 32-ball 60 and two wickets against Chennai Super Kings, while his 27-ball 64 against Gujarat Titans ended in a losing cause.
Pat Cummins made his grand return to the IPL in style with a 15-ball 56* against the Mumbai Indians. He also bagged two wickets for the Kolkata Knight Riders in that fixture.
Bowlers - Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi and Yuzvendra Chahal
Mumbai Indians' ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah bowled a fantastic spell of 3/17 against the Rajasthan Royals. His teammates could not support him much, but Bumrah kept a check on the run-flow in that innings. Meanwhile, RR's Yuzvendra Chahal accounted for five wickets in two matches last week.
Lucknow Super Giants' Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi complete the playing XI. Khan won the Man of the Match award for his four-wicket haul against Sunrisers Hyderabad, while Bishnoi was the pick of the bowlers against Delhi Capitals, with figures of 2/22.