The 18th season of the Indian Premier League concluded with Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeating Punjab Kings in a thrilling final. As the dust settles, it's time to recognize the outstanding individual performances that defined IPL 2025. Here's a complete list of award winners:

Orange Cap: Sai Sudharsan (Gujarat Titans)

Gujarat Titans' young opener, Sai Sudharsan, emerged as the highest run-scorer of the season, claiming the coveted Orange Cap. He amassed a remarkable 759 runs in 15 matches, averaging 54.2 with a striking strike rate of 156.2. His consistent performances at the top of the order were instrumental in Gujarat Titans' success this season. Sudharsan hit 6 half-centuries and 1 century. At 23 years and 237 days old, Sudharsan is the youngest player to ever win the Orange Cap, surpassing his captain, Shubman Gill. He is also the first Indian left-handed batter to win the Orange Cap in IPL history. Suryakumar Yadav from Mumbai Indians finished second with 717 runs. Virat Kohli from Royal Challengers Bengaluru finished third in the Orange Cap race with 657 runs after scoring 43 runs in the final against Punjab Kings.

Purple Cap: Prasidh Krishna (Gujarat Titans)

The Purple Cap, awarded to the highest wicket-taker, went to Gujarat Titans' right-arm medium-fast bowler, Prasidh Krishna. Krishna scalped 25 wickets in 15 matches, showcasing his ability to consistently strike with the ball. His best figures for the season were 4/41, and he maintained an average of 19.52. Noor Ahmad of Chennai Super Kings finished second with 24 wickets. Josh Hazlewood of Royal Challengers Bengaluru finished third with 22 wickets.

Other Key Awards:

While the Orange and Purple Caps highlight batting and bowling excellence, several other awards recognize outstanding contributions across different aspects of the game. These awards, each carrying a prize of ₹10 lakh, celebrate the all-round talent and impactful performances that make the IPL a thrilling spectacle:

• Emerging Player of the Season: To recognize and celebrate young talent, this award acknowledges the most promising newcomer who has made a significant impact in IPL 2025. Vaibhav Suryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals and Sai Sudharsan of Gujarat Titans were strong contenders for this award.
• Most Valuable Player (MVP): This award goes to the player who has contributed the most significantly to their team's success, considering batting, bowling, and fielding performances.
• Fair Play Award: This award recognizes the team that has demonstrated the best sportsmanship and maintained the spirit of the game throughout the season.
• Super Striker Award: Awarded to the player with the highest strike rate in the tournament.
• Maximum Sixes Award: Awarded to the player who has hit the most sixes in the tournament.

IPL 2025: A Season of Records and High Bids

The IPL 2025 season was preceded by a mega-auction held in Jeddah's Abadi Al Johar Arena, where franchises splurged a total of Rs 641.5 crore to acquire top talents. Rishabh Pant emerged as the most expensive player in IPL history, fetching a staggering Rs 27 crore from Lucknow Super Giants. Shreyas Iyer wasn't far behind, joining Punjab Kings for Rs 26.75 crore. The auction also saw Vaibhav Suryavanshi, a 13-year-old from Bihar, become the youngest player ever to be picked in an IPL auction, with Rajasthan Royals securing him for ₹1.1 crore.

The IPL 2025 prize money structure remained consistent with previous years, with the winning team taking home ₹20 crore and the runners-up receiving ₹12.5 crore. Teams that reached the playoffs were also rewarded substantially, with the team eliminated in the Eliminator stage receiving ₹6.5 crore and the team knocked out in Qualifier 2 taking home ₹7 crore.