IPL 2018: Average age 20, strike rate above 150!

‘Runs are crucial, and it doesn’t matter how they come’ is a common thought expressed by commentators in T20 cricket. Similarly, in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League, runs have come from all quarters and significantly, all age-groups.

If Shane Watson and Mahendra Singh Dhoni — both nearing 37 — fired the shots for Chennai Super Kings; youngsters like Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Prithvi Shaw have been doing it for Delhi Daredevils. 

READ: Dhoni's 'second innings' takes shape in style

On Wednesday against Rajasthan Royals, all three of them contributed with the bat.

The 23-year-old Iyer — also the newly-appointed skipper of the Daredevils — scored his fourth half-century of the season — 50 off 35 balls (three fours, three sixes).

Pant, who is only 20, scored his third half-century of the season. The wicketkeeper-batsman’s 69 off 29 (seven fours and five sixes) helped Daredevils inch closer to the 200-run mark before rain interrupted play.

ALSO READ: Now, Prithvi Shaw delivers a hit show in IPL

But the spotlight has been on the 18-year-old Shaw, the youngest among the trio. He had a late IPL debut but the right-handed batsman impressed from the first game, where he scored 22 off 10 balls against Kings XI Punjab. He bettered it with a 44-ball 62 against Kolkata Knight Riders and tonight, the 25-ball 47 (four fours and as many sixes) set the tone in the Powerplay.

Delhi Daredevils' Rishabh Pant pulls Ben Stokes of Rajasthan Royals during the fixture on Wednesday.   -  SANDEEP SAXENA

IPL has been the platform for young guns, and their performances have improved ten-fold over the years.

Iyer, Pant and Shaw are turning out to be Daredevils' marquee players and their average age is 20.