Cricket News
Top 5 overseas players in Indian T20 League 2023
The Indian T20 League’s (ITL) 2023 edition is set to start on 31 March 2023, with MS Dhoni’s Chennai and defending champions Gujarat clashing in the season opener. The Indian T20 League is among the world’s most famous and prestigious franchise leagues. It attracts participation from numerous overseas stars of the game whilst providing local talents with their best shot at development. In a similar light, here are the top five overseas players in the Indian T20 League.
5. Harry Brook, England
Harry Brook (Source: twitter)
Harry Brook, 23, was a key member of England’s 20-20 World Cup-winning team in Australia last month and is considered the next great thing in English cricket. Like with veteran teammate Stokes, Brook withstood the storm in the final match against Pakistan with a 23-ball 20, but the reckless batter also has what it takes to frustrate the opposition with his powerful strokeplay.
Brook gained notoriety in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) earlier last year when he scored the champion Lahore Qalandars team’s second-fastest PSL century (48 balls). As the youngest player to accomplish the milestone (at 22 years and 362 days), Brook scored 264 runs in eight innings, striking out at 171.42 per cent.
4. Sam Curran, England
Sam Curran, Indian T20 League (Source: Twitter)
Sam Curran, a left-arm medium pacer for England, was injured in his back and could not compete in the 2021 20-20 World Cup. His older brother Tom took his place in the team. But, the 24-year-old made an impressive comeback while leading an England assault decimated by yet another round of injuries during this year’s World Cup in Australia.
Curran, who finished the tournament as the second-highest wicket-taker with 13 wickets, emerged as the star of the final with figures of three for 12 as England edged out Pakistan to win its second championship. Curran, a handy batter, was frequently utilised by Chennai as a floater during his previous Indian T20 League season.
3. Andre Russell, West Indies
Andre Russell (Source: Twitter)
Andre Russell has been an entertaining player for Kolkata since the start of the Indian T20 League. He is one of the most formidable batters in the sport’s recent history. He almost single-handedly propelled the squad into the playoffs in 2019, despite losing in the first round.
ITL viewership has increased tremendously and is at an all-time high, largely thanks to players like Russell. Russell has the highest strike rate (182.33) of any player, with at least 500 runs scored in the ITL’s history. He excels in all facets of the game thanks to his skill as a bowler and fielder.
2. David Warner, Australia
David Warner, Indian T20 League (Source: Twitter)
On numerous times, David Warner has practically carried the Hyderabad team by himself while receiving minimal assistance from his teammates at the plate. The franchise’s success in the Indian Premier League’s maiden season was largely a result of Warner and Dhawan’s crucial performances during the 2016 campaign.
In the Indian T20 League, Warner, a dashing but occasionally reserved left-hander, embodies consistency. He currently owns the competition’s record for the most scores of 50 or more. He will be leading Delhi in the upcoming edition of the league.
1. Ben Stokes, England
Ben Stokes (Source: Twitter)
The greatest on-field miracle worker in modern cricket is undoubtedly Ben Stokes. Stokes has been at the vanguard of England’s white-ball revival in the six years between a painful final over to Carlos Brathwaite of the West Indies in the 2016 20-20 World Cup final defeat and a match-winning fifty (his first in T20Is) in the 2022 final.
A revitalised Stokes hopes to return to the ITL after the 2021 season after taking a hiatus for mental health reasons and retiring from ODI cricket within the past year. Stokes showed flashes of his aggressive best throughout his two appearances in the ITL with Rajasthan (2018–2021) and Pune (2017).