With eight teams, 60 matches, 36 fan parks and 94 players, VIVO IPL 2016 was a grand affair in terms of fun and fans.
While runs rolling out of the bats of AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli kept the momentum of the tournament high, the wicket-centric bowling sessions by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yuzvendra Chahal changed the face of many matches in the last overs.
A treat for the fans, IPL 2016 successfully surpassed controversies to witness the surge in excitement with the passing of the tournament. Venues were changed after notice was issued by the Supreme Court over the misuse of water in drought-hit Maharashtra, but the interest in the Indian Premiere League remained unwavered.
- Check out Rediff's Most Valuable Players of IPL 9
IPL 2016 gave the cricket lovers many memorable moments to cherish.
With Sarfaraz Khan’s 35 runs off 10 balls, Mustafizur Rahman’s yorker to Andre Russell that drove him off his feet, and the jaw-dropping catch taken by Naman Ojha behind the wickets off the last ball against Rising Pune Supergiants, this season was a rollercoaster experience not just for spectators but also the players.
With Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiants, the new entrants this year (replacing Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, which are banned till IPL 2017), the season got the flavour of freshness. Though the auction price of many players was not out this season, no one can deny the fact that IPL 2016 rewarded the talent of players, overall.
So who were the best players IPL 9?
The infographic above, created by the analytics team of Yral, talks about the most valuable players of the tournament.
It is derived according to the IPL score of the star performers and their social media score.
With every victory celebrated by cricketers on social platforms, and every loss criticised by fans online, the infographic judges players’ performance on both fronts, on ground and off ground.
