MVP Stokes edges out Cap winners

After six weeks and 60 matches, the costliest player of IPL10 was also named its most valuable, with Rising Pune Supergiant Ben Stokes taking out the award following Sunday night's final.

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Stokes, who fetched an eye-popping AUD$2.8m at the pre-tournament auction, was absent on England duties for Pune's qualifying final win and last night's defeat in the decider, but that didn't stop him from taking home the Most Valuable Player award at the conclusion of IPL 2017.

With an all-round contribution of 316 runs and 12 wickets, the 25-year-old beat out – among others – Sunrisers Hyderabad pair David Warner and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took home the Orange and Purple Caps for the most runs and wickets in the tournament respectively.

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In 12 matches, Stokes was named player of the match on three occasions, and while the price tag that accompanied his arrival at the second-year franchise surprised plenty, captain Steve Smith was more than comfortable from the outset it was going to be money well spent.

"We were very excited to get him," Smith said of the Stokes acquisition earlier this month, just after the Englishman had hammered an unbeaten hundred to take his team to victory.

"I had said before the auction to the (Pune owners), 'just do what you have to to get him'.

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"Allrounders are so valuable in T20 cricket and he bats, bowls and fields well.

"He's a perfect fit for our team, particularly after Mitchell Marsh was ruled out as well.

"He's done a terrific job for us."

As well as hammering vital runs, Stokes took key wickets at clutch periods, regularly bowling the 19th over for Steve Smith and going some way to restoring his reputation as a quality death bowler after West Indian Carlos Brathwaite blew that perception out of the water in four sobering deliveries during the final of the 2016 ICC World T20.

Meanwhile, Warner's 641 runs saw him become just the second player after Chris Gayle to post consecutive 600+ run seasons.

The Australian was a runaway winner of the Orange Cap, with no other player reaching even 500 runs; Kolkata's Gautam Gambhir was second with 498.

Indian seamer Kumar was similarly impressive with the ball, taking 26 wickets in 14 matches (SR 12, RPO 7.05) to claim the Purple Cap ahead of Pune's Jaydev Unadkat (24 wickets).

Other IPL award winners

Catch of the season: Suresh Raina (Gujarat Lions)

Most sixes: Glenn Maxwell, 26 (Kings XI Punjab)*

Fastest fifty: Sunil Narine, 15 balls (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Emerging player: Basil Thampi (Gujarat Lions)

*Warner equalled Maxwell's tally but played one more innings