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Sport360°'s five T20 stars ready to set IPL 7 alight

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is without doubt the most exciting and high-profile Twenty20 club tournament in the world, comprising a who's who of the finest cricketers on the planet.

The 2014 tournament will be no different. The only slight change to this year's edition is that it gets underway right here in the UAE.

So ahead of the start of IPL 7, Sport360° decided to pick the top five players (no easy task!) that we expect to light up the tournament. But which of these stars can lead their sides to glory?

VIRAT KOHLI

Royal Challengers Bangalore
($2 million)
Retained
2013 record: Matches 16, Runs 634, SR 138.73, Avg 45.28
Overall IPL record: Matches 93, Runs 2273, SR 124.13, Best 99
Fear factor: Arguably the best batsman in the world
Key stats:
99 - top score in 93 matches, in which Virat has scored 2,273 runs
14 - half centuries and one century he has hit in IPL

The Indian batsman can’t seem to put a foot wrong. He is in excellent form across all formats, scoring runs against every team in all conditions. But there will be pressure on him as captain of the Royal Challengers, as his star-studded team has dazzled but failed to deliver the final blow on more than one occasion.

MITCHELL JOHNSON

Kings XI Punjab
($1.1 million)
Bought from Mumbai Indians
2013 record: Matches 17, Wkts 24, Econ 7.17, Best 3-27
Overall IPL record: 2013 was his first IPL season
Fear factor: Batsmen WILL fear for their lives
Key stats:
24
- wickets from 17 IPL matches, at an economy of 7.17, for Johnson
3-27 - his best figures. Johnson’s strike rate is 16.

The Australian left-arm quick is in red-hot form, destroying batting line-ups and breaking a few bones over the past season. After losing his mojo, Johnson’s revival began with the Mumbai Indians last year, and he has been unstoppable. He will be leading a young Kings XI bowling side and will be seen as a mentor.

KIERON POLLARD

Mumbai Indians
($1.2 million)
Retained
2013 record: Matches 18, Runs 420, SR 149.46, Wickets 10
Overall IPL record: Matches 62, Runs 1059, SR 147.22, Best 66, Wkts 51
Fear factor: A bitcher with the bat, reliable bowler and great fielder
Key stats:
66
- not out, his top score in 62 matches.
1059 - runs in all. 51 - wickets he has taken at an economy of 8.27

Pollard is a crucial member of the Mumbai line-up, scoring quick runs, bowling a few quiet overs and fielding like a demon. However, this year the team will be keeping their fingers crossed as the Trinidadian enters the tournament with little match practice and concerns over his knee injury. But even so, a less than 100 per cent fit Pollard is a valuable asset.

RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN

Chennai Super Kings
($900,000)
Retained
2013 record: Matches 18, Wkts 15, Econ 6.72, Best 2-18
Overall IPL record: Matches 66, Wkts 64, Econ 6.34, Best 3-16
Fear factor: Will be on a high after a good World T20
Key stats:
64
- wickets from 67 matches for Ashwin
6.34 - Ashwin’s economy, second best among leading spinners

The India spinner has led the Chennai bowling attack brilliantly and should shine again on what will be spinner-friendly wickets. After realising that he was using too many variations, Ashwin has started to stick to the basics, which helped him become the second-highest wicket taker at the World T20.

KEVIN PIETERSEN

Delhi Daredevils
($1.5 million)
Bought back in auction
2012 record: Matches 8, Runs 305, SR 147.34, Best 103*
Overall IPL record: Matches 21, Runs 634, SR 141.20, Best 103*
Fear factor: Has a point to prove to England management
Key stats:
305
- runs in 8 matches he scored for Delhi in 2012. Missed the 2013 edition.
42.2 - his average from 21 innings, with one century and three fifties

The discarded England batsman is back where he is most comfortable – the IPL dressing room. The league celebrates his exuberance and he always delivers. Though KP said he doesn’t want to prove anything after he was dropped by England following the Ashes defeat, one gets a feeling he is a man on a mission.


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