Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan plays a shot during the first One Day International (ODI) cricket match between Sri Lanka and India at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium in Dambulla on August 20, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI (Photo credit should read LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images)

The Indian Premier League will get back underway in just under a week's time in the United Arab Emirates.

The season was suspended back in early May as a COVID outbreak in India infiltrated the tournament and stopped it from proceeding. Players were then flown home, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India determined the tournament would be played out in the UAE ahead of the T20 World Cup, which has also shifted from India.

While a handful of players have decided they won't participate in the second half of the tournament, the majority still will, and in the same conditions as those which will be used in the World Cup, the opportunity for players to experience the conditions is enormous.

Even though the World Cup will be at the forefront of everyone's minds, it's not the be-all and end-all. There is the small matter of the world's biggest domestic cricket tournament to be won.

Before things went pear-shaped, the Delhi Capitals led the ladder with six wins from eight games, while the Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challenger Bangalore could yet equal that record given they have both won five, but played one less.

The Mumbai Indians round out the current top four, while the Sunrisers Hyderabad sit at the bottom on just two points with one win from seven games.

Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner (C) celebrates the victory over Kolkata Knight Riders with teammates during the 2016 Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 eliminator cricket match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Feroz Shah Kotla Cricket Stadium in New Delhi on May 25, 2016. / AFP / PRAKASH SINGH (Photo credit should read PRAKASH SINGH/AFP/Getty Images)

So now, with the tournament preparing to resume, it's time to look back on the first half of the tournament and remember the best performers with Zero Wicket's best XI of the tournament so far.

1. Shikhar Dhawan (Delhi Capitals)

When you're looking for a top of the order option, few have done it better than Dhawan this season.

His strike rate of 134 is only brought down by a few rebuilding efforts, but he has gone past 50 in three of his eight innings, averages 54 and has shown remarkable consistency for a top order batsmen in the shortest format of the game.

He will have a huge role to play in the second half of the tournament for the Capitals.

2. KL Rahul (Punjab Kings)

Rahul has the second-most runs in the tournament to date. The Indian opener also has the best batting average at 66.2, and has gone past 50 four times out of seven.

His strike rate is more or less comparable to Dhawan's at 136, while he has been incredibly hard to dismiss in building a platform for teammates Mayank Agarwal and Chris Gayle to put together damaging tournaments thus far.

3. Prithvi Shaw (Delhi Capitals)

One of the brightest young talents in the cricketing world, Shaw may not have the consistency of those ahead of him, only averaging 38.5, but his unbelievable strike rate puts him in this team.

Sitting fourth for runs, he has gone past 50 three times and yet is striking at 166.48. Shaw hs also hit more boundaries than most, clearing the rope 12 times and hitting 37 4s to go with it.

He opens for the Capitals, but has to settle for number three in this team.

4. Faf Du Plessis (Chennai Super Kings)

The former South African captain has scored the third-most runs in the tournament and been a rock solid option in the top order for the Chennai Super Kings.

Ahead of what is a blisteringly good middle and lower order, his role to build a platform has been done with aplomb, going past 50 on four occasions and averaging 64 with the stick for his 320 runs.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 25: Faf du Plessis of South Africa looks on before the start of play on day two of the Third Test match between Australia and South Africa at Adelaide Oval on November 25, 2016 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Morne de Klerk/Getty Images)

5. AB De Villiers (wk) (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

AB De Villiers has been in unreal form. There is no replacement for the extreme strike rate and incredible consistency of the South African legend, who will also wear the gloves.

When it comes to finishing an innings, De Villiers has been not out twice in six, scoring 207 runs at an unreal average of 51.75 and a strike rate of 164.28, which is the second-highest (only behind Shaw) of all those players who have scored more than 170 runs in the first half of the season.

6. Glenn Maxwell (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

When it comes to freakish ability to finish an innings, there are few better than the Australian all-rounder.

He holds a strike rate of 144.8 this season, with 223 runs at 37.16 to his name. He has gone past a half-century twice already and monstered double figures when it comes to sixes.

His ability with the ball also adds something to any team he plays in.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MAY 27: Glenn Maxwell of Australia during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Warm Up match between Australia and Sri Lanka at The Hampshire Bowl on May 27, 2019 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

7. Ravindra Jadeja (Chennai Super Kings)

There is room for a second all-rounder in this side in Jadeja.

One of the best in the world, Jadeja has had an excellent tournament, piling on 131 runs at a strike rate of 161.72, while also not being dismissed yet.

He has been the ultimate finisher with the bat, but is also going at only 6.7 runs per over despite not picking up all that many wickets.

His extremely good economy and strike rates lock him in at number seven though.

8. Rashid Khan (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

There is no question Khan is one of the best T20 bowlers in the world. The leg spinner with all the variations you could possibly imagine has shot to prominence despite the challenge of being from a "minnow" country in Afghanistan. His age, just 22, suggests he will be at the top of the sport for many years to come.

His ten wickets in seven games has him near the top of the pecking order, but of all the recognised bowlers, he has the best economy run by a long way. He concedes just 6.14 runs per over and is by far the most important bowler in the competition. Potentially, in the world T20 circuit.

9. Pat Cummins (Kolkata Knight Riders)

One of the best bowlers in the world, this spot came down to a battle between Cummins, Trent Boult, Mustafizur Rahman and Kyle Jamieson.

Cummins and Jamieson have both taken nine wickets in their seven games, while Boult and Rahman are both eight from seven games. Very little to split them, but Cummins brings him with ability to hold the bat, and a lower economy rate than Jamieson on nine wickets.

He also provides the team with raw genuine pace which is severely lacking in the rest of the bowling attack.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 15: Pat Cummins of Australia celebrates taking a wicket but the decision was over turned by DRS during game two of the One Day International series between Australia and Pakistan at Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 15, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

10. Harshal Patel (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

The competition's leading wicket-taker may go for more than a handful of runs, but taking a wicket once every 9.8 balls at an average of 15, it's hard to ignore the case.

The bottom line is this - the medium pacer often takes wickets which helps those other bowlers around him, putting pressure on a batting side to go into rebuild mode.

17 wickets in 28 overs is an unreal return, and he is very deserving of his spot.

11. Avesh Khan (Delhi Capitals)

The 24-year-old Khan has had a breakout year in the IPL. The quick bowler is equal for second on wickets with Chris Morris, but behind Harshal Patel.

14 wickets in eight games is an excellent return however, and with an economy of 7.7, he has shown an ability to bowl well under big pressure, while still attacking for wickets.

His economy being far less than Morris and Patel is the reason he gets the nod to spearhead the attack alongside Cummins and Patel.

What do you make of our best XI?