Kiwi Conway In the Hunt for IPL’s Orange Cap

He’s ranked the sixth best T20 batsman on the planet, so it’s perhaps no surprise that New Zealand’s own Devon Conway is red hot in the IPL right now.

After seven rounds of games, Conway sits second in the race for the Orange Cap – the prize awarded to the highest run-scorer in the competition. He’s made four half-centuries in seven innings and only one player, David Warner, has struck more boundaries than the 31-year-old.

Super Scoring

So good has Conway been that his side, Chennai Super Kings, sit at the summit of the IPL table, which is an extraordinary turnaround given that they were considered no more than also-rans to win the title before a ball had been bowled.

They are now amongst the betting favorites for a deep run into the business end of the competition, with operators like bet365 and Betfair installing Chennai as their 3/1 market principle. Punters in New Zealand can use bonuses from companies that offer both sports betting and casino gaming with a single wallet, such as the bet365 casino offer for NZ, and try to build their bankroll to wager on cricket and other sports in that way.

Explosive partnerships ✅
Clean Hitting ✅
Electrifying Atmosphere ✅

Left-handed batters Devon Conway and @IamShivamDube recap @chennaiipl’s enthralling win in Bengaluru run-fest 💥 – By @RajalArora

Full Interview 🔽🎥 #TATAIPL | #RCBvCSK https://t.co/RjSZiQFExS pic.twitter.com/Q8bLZHAhaC

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 18, 2023

Conway averages 43 in the shortest format of cricket per Cricinfo, and in a version that prides itself on going big or going home, that is monumentally good.

So it’s no wonder that Conway is in demand within T20 franchise cricket around the globe, and in his latest assignment with CSK things are going rather swimmingly for the Kiwi.

Given their current form, the men in yellow certainly look good value to end their long wait for an IPL title.

Boult of Lightning

When Trent Boult asked to be released from his central contract with New Zealand Cricket, Kiwi fans were disappointed to say the least.

The left-hander is one of the best bowlers that the country has ever produced, and his ability to move the ball through the air or off the pitch established him as a key international player in all formats of the game – his stats published at Cricbuzz are outstanding.

But Boult, partly citing tiredness of the international schedule and partly wanting to seek new opportunities, has not slowed down – filling his diary with T20 franchise cricket around the globe.

Like Conway, the 33-year-old has made his way to the IPL with an unfancied team – Rajasthan Royals – and as with CSK it’s the exploits of the New Zealander that are helping his new colleagues to over-achieve.

Boult has taken nine wickets in six games at an average of 21, and his guile – matched by the skill of spin twins Ravi Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal – has guided the Royals to four wins from their seven games so far.

KOHLI OUT FIRST BALL! 😳

Trent Boult hadn't got him out in the IPL before today – he removes the RCB stand-in skipper for his 100th IPL wicket!#RCBvRR | #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/y9D0ROhYXR

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) April 23, 2023

Like CSK, that has seen the betting odds on Rajasthan tumble, as Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal are also doing a fine job with bat in hand.

A CSK vs Royals final would be a dream for New Zealanders following along with the IPL from home, and the early formbook suggests there’s a chance of that happening too.