Indian Premier League: Delhi Daredevils' Albie Morkel Becomes World's Most-Capped T20 Player

South African all-rounder Albie Morkel's sensational unbeaten 73 for the Delhi Daredevils went in vain against Chennai Super Kings but he did manage to break a world record on Thursday. Morkel (268) became the most capped T20 player in the world, ahead of West Indies' Kieron Pollard. Both players are Indian Premier League superstars.

Morkel, who played his first T20 match in 2004, has played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings before being roped in by the Daredevils this season. The 33-year-old, who was once an integral part of the South African side, made his record-breaking match almost memorable. (It Was Tough Defending 150 vs Delhi: Nehra)

Needing a six off the last ball to win, Morkel steered Delhi's chase single-handedly but managed only a boundary off the last ball from Dwayne Bravo at the Chidambaram Stadium. The 73 not out was Morkel's career-best score in Twenty20 cricket.

Appearing in his first match for the Daredevils, Morkel scored his third and slowest fifty in the IPL. The two previous half-centuries had come off 26 balls. It was also Morkel's ninth fifty in T20 cricket.

After Morkel and Pollard, next in the list of most-capped T20 players are David Hussey (243), Ryan ten Doeschate (240), Brad Hodge (233), Dwayne Bravo (229), Dirk Nannes (215), Alfonso Thomas (214), Luke Wright (214), Azhar Mahmood (213), and Owais Shah (213).

Indian cricketers are nowhere on that list primarily because they are not allowed to play for franchises in other countries. Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni leads the Indian pack with 192 games.

Other Stats From Chennai's Thrilling Win:

- Chennai's thrilling win by one run is their narrowest victory margin in terms of runs in the IPL. Of the five such instances, Punjab XI have recorded two and one each by Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

- Chennai have won eleven (the most by them against any side) and lost four out of 15 contested against Delhi Daredevils in the IPL - winning % 73.33.

- Chennai became the first team to register 70 wins in the IPL. (Lost 44, Tied (lost) 1 and NR 1 out of 116 contested) - winning % 61.30.

- Delhi Daredevils became the second team to have lost ten IPL games in succession (between May 3, 2014 and April 9, 2015.

- The dubious distinction of losing most IPL games in a row is held by Pune Warriors - eleven between April 24, 2012 and April 7, 2013.

- Delhi Daredevils became the first team to have lost 60 games in the IPL (won 44, Tied (lost) 1 and NR 1 out of 106 played - success % 42.38.

- Mahendra Singh Dhoni is leading Chennai in the eighth season in the IPL. No other captain has achieved the feat in eight successive seasons.

- Ashish Nehra (3/25) has produced his seventh instance of three wickets in an IPL game.

- Nehra has got his third Man of the Match award in the IPL.

- For Delhi, Nathan Coulter-Nile (3/30) was the most successful bowler.

- MS Dhoni, with 67 dismissals in 113 matches, has emulated Adam Gilchrist's tally of 67 in 80 games. Both share a wicketkeeping record for most dismissals in the IPL.

(With inputs from Rajesh Kumar)