IPL 2026: A look at 5 unsung heroes
What's the story
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) title after beating Gujarat Titans at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. RCB, who were powered by plenty of match-winners, became the third side to defend their IPL title. The entire 2026 IPL campaign was studded with some impactful contributions that made the headlines. Here are this year's five unsung heroes.
#1
Krunal Pandya (RCB)
All-rounder Krunal Pandya, the Player of the Match of the IPL 2025 final, shone with his all-round exploits this season as well. Stunning batters with his uncanny bouncers, the left-arm spinner took 14 wickets from 16 games with an economy rate of 8.41. The all-rounder also smashed 226 runs at an average of 37.66 and a strike rate of 145.80.
#2
Cooper Connolly (PBKS)
Punjab Kings (PBKS) had the most dramatic season. They failed to reach the playoffs even after being unbeaten in their first seven games. While openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya did the heavy lifting, Cooper Connolly stamped his authority at No. 3. The Australian batter played several match-winning knocks, scoring 491 runs with a strike rate of 163.12. It was his maiden IPL season.
#3
Jason Holder (GT)
Gujarat Titans (GT) bought West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder for ₹6 crore in the IPL 2026 mini-auction. After initially sitting out, Holder made a huge impact by taking 17 wickets from 11 matches. He was part of GT's incredible pace attack, which includes Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj. Holder, whose economy rate read 7.56, also played some fine cameos.
#4
Prince Yadav (LSG)
While Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) finished at the bottom, their seamer Prince Yadav stole the show with his impeccable lengths. The right-arm speedster, who consistently bowled at over 140kph, took 16 wickets from 14 games at an average of 28.68. His economy rate was 8.82. Such was his brilliance that he earned a call-up to India's ODI side.
#5
Eshan Malinga (SRH)
Eshan Malinga quietly emerged as one of the best death-over bowlers in IPL 2026. The Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) seamer, who drew praise for his reverse swing, concluded the season with 20 wickets from 15 games at an average of 25.35. He also took a four-wicket haul. The Sri Lankan pacer was signed by SRH for ₹1.2 crore before IPL 2025.