IPL 2017 Auction: Will these overseas players hit pay-dirt?
Monday’s IPL player auction will once again pit the moneybags, scouts and decision-makers of the various franchises against each other in a frenzied bid to purchase serious T20 talent. Of the 125 overseas cricketers go under the hammer in Bangalore, here are ten who could fetch hefty paydays.
Tamim Iqbal
Tamim needs no introduction, and it is somewhat surprising that he has not already been acquired by an IPL franchise. An experienced opener with T20 stints in Bangladesh, India (with the defunct Pune Warriors), New Zealand, England, the West Indies and the Pakistan Super League, Tamim`s ability to hit the ball hard mark him out as an opener capable of driving breezy starts. Tamim was the top run-getter at the 2016 World T20 with 295 at an average of 73.75 and strike-rate of 142.51.
Evin Lewis
Scouts within the IPL would have sat up last August when Lewis, who names Chris Gayle as his idol, smacked 100 off 49 balls against India in Florida, in what was his second T20I. In that blitzkrieg, Lewis hit nine sixes and five fours to set up a total of 245/6. Outside his brief West Indies career, the 25-year-old has another century and 11 fifties while plying his trade in leagues at home and Bangladesh.
Lakshan Sandakan
Viewed as Sri Lanka`s next big spin hope, this left-arm spinner has a T20 strike-rate of 15.6 which, despite an economy rate of 8.30, could interest some franchise. On Twenty20 international debut for Sri Lanka last month, Sandakan had figures of 4/23 in four overs, which underscores his value in the shortest format.
Chris Woakes
A fine allrounder, Woakes brings to the T20 format a batting strike-rate of 138.39 and bowling strike-rate of 19.3, and the experience of 87 matches in England, Australia and New Zealand. His pace is a definite asset, as his ability to control the ball at the death (look at the recent third ODI against India for reference, when Woakes defended 16 after going for 10 in two balls). Franchises like Royal Challengers Bangalore, who lack quality pacers to support Mitchell Starc, may be at the forefront of interest in Woakes.
Ben Dunk
Dunk, 29, has been part of the IPL before with Mumbai Indians with little to show for, but on the basis of his performance in the recent BBL he appears likely to attract a buzz. Just sample his stats this season: 364 runs at 52 and strike-rate of 164. This surprisingly wasn`t good enough to break into Australia`s T20I squad, but IPL franchises may view Dunk`s batting otherwise. He can also keep wickets, which makes him a value addition.
Mohammad Nabi
Nabi, the veteran Afghanistan allrounder, is a more than useful player in T20 cricket. His batting, packing plenty of punch, has bailed out his country and various franchises on numerous occasions and his off-spin has proved devastating. During last year`s ICC World T20, Nabi was the leading wicket-taker with 12 scalps and in the recent Desert T20 Challenge which Afghanistan won, he was named Man of the Tournament for his all-round performances.
Mitchell Santner
Like team-mate Sodhi, the left-arm spinner - and England`s David Willey - took ten wickets at last year`s World T20 and has grown in stature as an international cricketer since. Santner`s match-winning 4/11, which included an astonishing 16 dot balls, to bowl out India for 79 in the tournament opener in Nagpur may well be in the minds of various franchises during Monday`s auction. Apart from his canny spin, Santner also hits the ball hard and is a very fine fielder.
Ish Sodhi
The value of a clever legspinner in T20 cricket has been underlined most recently by South Africa`s Imran Tahir and the Indian pair of Amit Mishra and Yuzvendra Chahal, and it is against this backdrop that New Zealander Sodhi could find himself a hot ticket. Sodhi made headlines last month when he claimed a remarkable 6/11 for Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League, which are the second best figures in the tournament`s history. In 2016, Sodhi was the joint-highest wicket-taker at the 2016 World T20 held in India, and his BBL stint should have attracted interest. The 24-year-old has played 12 T20Is for New Zealand, claiming 21 wickets at an average of 14.47 with an economy rate of 6.80 an over.
Ben Stokes
Stokes will forever be remembered in the realm of T20 cricket for Carlos Brathwaite`s stunning assault during the last over of the 2016 World T20 final at Eden Gardens, but that takes nothing away from his value as an allrounder. Stokes brings to the table a T20 batting strike-rate of 134.03 and bowling strike-rate of 25.3 from 77 matches, and most recently in India turned in a good ODI run. Yuvraj Singh, for one, believes Stokes is in line to "earn millions" at the auction.
Jason Roy
Perhaps unfamiliar to the Indian audience a year ago, this attacking England opener now needs no introduction. During last year`s ICC World Twenty20 held in India, Roy hit 183 runs at a strike-rate of 148.78 and played two destructive innings: the first, 43 off 16 balls to kick-start England`s record chase against South Africa, and the second 78 off 44 balls to hasten a chase of 154 over New Zealand in the semi-final. Most recently, Roy had scores of 73, 82, 65 in three successive ODIs against India followed by 19, 10 and 32 in the T20I series. With a career T20 strike-rate of 144.14, and four centuries, the 26-year-old ranks as a must-have for franchises looking for explosive starts.
Source: Times of India
