IPL 7 schedule, points table, results, ticket availability

Did you think that after nine matches, Kings XI Punjab would emerge table toppers? Yes? Well then you were right (and in minority)! The battle for the IPL 7 trophy is wide open at this stage, with some likely - and some very unlikely - contenders still in the reckoning. 

Last year's winners Mumbai Indians are languishing near the bottom of the table, along with 'newcomers' Sunrisers Hyderabad. Both of them are yet to open their account despite playing two matches each. 

Unsurprisingly, Royal Challengers Bangalore are near the top of the table, at No. 2, with the maximum 4 points from their two outings so far. Remember that the one-man demolition squad Chris Gayle is yet to make an appearance, and when he does, he may well trouble the statisticians to update the longest sixes and the fastest fifties columns. 

The surprise package of the tournament so far, however, are Kings XI Punjab, who have won all three of their matches. Of those, two were won chasing scores in excess of 190 against formidable opponents Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. The third was against Sunrisers Hyderabad and was done in style too, setting a target of 194 to win and then cleaning up the opposition for a mere 121.

Such has been the dominance of Kings XI Punjab so far that the team owns both the Orange Cap (for most runs scored in the tournament by an individual) as well as the Purple Cap (the most wickets taken by an individual). Glenn Maxwell has not scored a century so far, but came very close on all three outings, scoring 95, 89 and 95 in his three innings.

Lakshmipathy Balaji, sporting KXIP colours, is the leading wicket-taker this season with six wickets in three matches, but his credentials are no macth for teammate Glenn Maxwell, who is by far the leading run-scorer of the season so far (279 runs). That has earned him the Pepsi Most Valuable Player title for now (138.5 points, miles ahead of second-placed JP Duminy who has but 56 points to boast), as well as bragging rights for hitting the maximum sixes (a total of 17 in three innings).

But as we mentoned earlier, the tournament is still young and therefore wide open, and none of the teams are out of the reckoning for now. It won't be wise either to write off last year's winners so early on in the tournament.

But can Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians retain their crown this year? Or will MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings find their form and win for a third time?

Is it (almost) time to write off Kevin Pietersen’s Delhi Daredevils, who finished at the bottom of the table last year and have shown only a little improvement this year? What about Shane Watson-led Rajasthan Royals, who won the first edition of Indian Premier League and never really came close to winning in any of the other five editions?

George Bailey’s Kings XI Punjab is definitely back with a bang, but can it sustain the winning momentum and not choke this season when it will matter the most? Can Shikhar Dhawan inspire Sunrisers Hyderabad to finally break free of the ‘newcomers’ tag this year?

How much of Shah Rukh Khan’s magic will rub off on Gautam Gambhir’s Kolkata Knight Riders? Will Virat Kohli prove his rightful claim to Indian captaincy by winning the trophy for Royal Challengers Bangalore? 

UAE Matches

*Ticket Availability updated as of 10pm UAE time, April 22; please check Ticketmaster.ae and IPLT20.com for further updates

India Matches