Maxwell wins top gong

Glenn Maxwell has been named Player of the Tournament after the Australian blazed a stunning 552 runs for runners-up Kings XI Punjab in IPL7.

Often unorthodox, always entertaining, Maxwell finished with a series-high 36 sixes, while his runs were made at the devastating strike-rate of 187.75 – the highest-ever by a player with more than 450 runs in an IPL season.  

The Australian was just half a point ahead of West Indies allrounder Dwayne Smith in the official IPL MVP scoring system, sneaking home with 286 points. 

Maxwell finished third on the run scorers list behind Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Robin Uthappa, who topped the league with 660 runs and was instrumental in Kolkata's nine-match unbeaten run which led them to final glory. 

Uthappa’s form also led to the 28-year-old’s recall to the India one-day international side last week, while his runs tally is the fourth-most in the brief history of the Indian Premier League – bettered only by T20 superstar Chris Gayle (twice) and Australian Mike Hussey.

Maxwell’s outstanding tournament came on the back of a breakout ICC World T20, in which he was the star performer in a disappointing Australian side, with 147 runs at an unbelievable strike-rate of 210.

Despite a disappointing end to IPL7 – he managed just 35 runs in his final six innings – the 25-year-old lit up the initial stages of the tournament, stringing together scores of 95, 89 and 95 in his opening three innings, and adding another 90 announce himself as a genuine star on the subcontinent.

In an interview with IPLT20.com, Maxwell explained his philosophy for dealing with the pressures of high-level Twenty20 cricket.

“I don't get burdened by pressure,” he said simply. “Pressure is something that you put on yourself.

“I put pressure on myself before a game or before I go out to bat. But once I go out there to bat, I just enjoy it and have a little bit of fun.

“I look at the total and take it from there.”

Maxwell now heads to England to take part in the T20 Blast with Hampshire, the side with which he won the country's domestic Twenty20 competition in 2012.