The 16th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will return in March or April to thrill ardent fans. The Gujarat Titans (GT), led by Hardik Pandya, are the defending champions, and nine teams will compete to steal the trophy from them. The franchises made some record-breaking purchases at the mini-auction in December, spending a staggering amount to fortify their teams. To win the championship in the forthcoming competition, the teams will look to their players to perform magnificently. To accomplish this, these teams will need to strengthen each area.
Cricket fans have seen how crucial a role the finishers have had in their team's victories during the tournament's last 15 iterations. The most prosperous IPL teams, including Mumbai Indians (MI), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), have reaped the rewards of possessing elite finishers. The current IPL champion Gujarat Titans (GT) benefited from having some excellent finishers in the 2022 season as well. The franchises will rely on their players in the future edition, who could win them the game with their incredible match-ending skills.
The Top 10 finishers before to the IPL 2023 are listed below.
Rahul Tewatia
Rahul Tewatia made waves in 2020 when the left-handed hitter helped Rajasthan Royals win their game against Punjab Kings (PBKS). The Haryana-born player led his team to a 224-run victory with three balls remaining thanks to a superb effort of 53 runs off 31 deliveries. Tewatia's fame increased after the spectacular innings, making him a household name.
Gujarat Titans (GT) recruited Tewatia for a sizable sum of INR 9 crore in the 2022 mini-auction. The team trusted in his power-hitting ability and gave him the assignment to strengthen the batting order with his match-winning powers. Tewatia, who batted in the lower order for GT, appeared strong, scoring 217 runs in 12 innings at an amazing strike rate of 147.61.
With his two back-to-back sixes against Punjab Kings (PBKS), Tewatia once again shown his genius and saved his team from a loss. Against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), the gifted left-hander led his team to victory with a 43-run innings off 25 deliveries. The club management will anticipate him to be effective in the upcoming competition based on his batting performances from last season.
Shimron Hetmyer
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) selected Shimron Hetmyer for INR 8.5 crore in the IPL 2022 mega auction. The West Indies batsman looked amazing, justifying his pay with 314 runs in 15 IPL games in 2022 at an astonishing strike rate of 153.92. He depended significantly on bowlers in the bulk of his games and relied on his long-range hitting prowess during the championship.
Hetmyer excelled as a finisher as well, going up against the bowlers with a bloody strategy in the final overs. His finest performance in the previous season came against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), when he scored an undefeated 59 runs off 36 deliveries. He provided the finishing touches with his 31 runs off 16 balls in the match against Punjab Kings (PBKS), which helped his team reach the impossible total of 190.
In 46 IPL games thus far, the Guyanese cricketer has amassed 831 runs at an exceptional strike rate of 152.20. He is eager to put up his greatest bat display this year and break the trophy drought for the Rajasthan Royals.
Nicholas Pooran
Despite having put up incredible batting numbers in the IPL 2022, Nicholas Pooran was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) prior to the mini-auction 2023. Pooran showed strength and self-assurance with 306 runs in 14 games. He performed admirably, but SRH decided not to keep him on for the 2023 campaign.
At the most recent auction, Pooran was purchased by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for INR 16 crore. The team will be looking for the tough wicket-keeper hitter to live up to his steep price tag after shelling out such a sizable fee for him. The Windies cricketer has the capacity to score runs in the final overs of the game, which might put an end to LSG's search for a match-finisher with his selection to the squad.
With several magnificent knocks in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), he has demonstrated his skill as a match-winner. He will want to accomplish the same feat and establish his value this year for his new IPL squad. Regarding his total performance in the lucrative competition, the 27-year-old has scored 912 runs in 47 IPL matches with a respectable strike rate of 151.24.
Tim David
Tim David was trusted by the Mumbai Indians (MI) to give their batting order more strength. At the mega auction, the franchise secured the Australian cricketer for INR 8.25 crore. In exchange, he scored 186 runs in eight games with a perfect strike rate of 216.27.
He did not perform well in the first two games, scoring only 12 and 1 runs, respectively, against Delhi Capitals (DC) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). The management of the team benched him for the following six matches after seeing his disastrous performances. He made a comeback to the playing XI in the second half of the season and produced some great batsmanship.
MI is counting on him to be the perfect match-finisher for them in the next tournament. David will need to bat in the lower middle order to replace Kieron Pollard after he retires in order to carry on MI's tradition of excellence.
Glenn Maxwell
For Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to be successful in the upcoming championship, the explosive Australian batter Glenn Maxwell would be essential. The dynamic Australian batsman has 814 runs in 28 games with a strike rate of 152.43 since joining the team in 2021.
He scored 301 runs in 13 games in the previous edition, with a mind-blowing strike rate of 169.10. The 34-year-old has the power to hit hard with a variety of strokes, thus RCB will look to him to seal the victory for them.
Given his outstanding track record, he is regarded as one of the game's top finishers internationally. Maxwell's aggressive playing style has served his national team Australia well in the role of match-finisher.
MS Dhoni
In order to end off his IPL career on a high note, MS Dhoni hopes to win another championship for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The veteran shocked everyone by appointing Ravindra Jadeja as the franchise's captain for the 2022 game. The 34-year-old, however, was unable to demonstrate his leadership abilities and returned control of the team to Dhoni.
Along with serving as captain, the 41-year-old will also bat in an effort to bring home the team's fifth championship. Dhoni maintained his reputation as a finisher throughout the 2022 season with his performances against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians, scoring 232 runs in 14 IPL games with a strike rate of 123.40. (MI).
The CSK captain has so far scored 4,853 runs in 228 league matches for the team, with 23 half-centuries and a strike rate of 137.09. He is also CSK's second-leading run-scorer with these batting numbers.
Liam Livingstone
At the IPL auction in 2022, Punjab Kings (PBKS) acquired Liam Livingstone for INR 11.5 crore. The English batter, who was signed for a significant price, excelled for the team in the competition, scoring 437 runs in 14 games with a strike rate of 182.08.
Livingstone behaved bizarrely with bowlers in the key match against Gujarat Titans (GT). The right-hander assisted his team in thrashing the opposition easily with his unbroken innings of 30 runs off just 10 balls. Livingstone once more demonstrated his exceptional ability to end matches with a 49-run inning on just 29 pitches in the league's final group game.
For PBKS's campaign to succeed in the upcoming season, Livingstone's performance will be crucial this year. The 29-year-old has played in 23 IPL matches so far, during which time he has amassed 549 runs with four half-centuries at a strike rate of 166.87.
Andre Russell
One of the most outstanding Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) players in the Indian Premier League is Andre Russell. Since 2014, the courageous all-rounder for West Indies has been linked to the organization. Russell recorded 510 runs in 14 games during the 2019 edition of the competition, scoring four half-centuries and posting a fantastic strike rate of 204.81. This was his finest season for the team.
During the same season, he also put up an impressive batting display against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The game's outcome was altered when KKR scored 48 runs off just 13 balls, giving them a five-ball margin of victory.
He also contributed 335 runs with a strike rate of 174.48 in 14 IPL games in 2022, demonstrating his value to the team. For the team to succeed in its goal of capturing the championship after nine years in the sixteenth season of the league, his match-ending role will be crucial.
Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik excelled for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 2022 competition, winning games for the team with great fervor. With 330 runs in 16 games and an outstanding strike rate of 183.33, the wicket-keeper batter finished the season.
The 37-year-old batsman was more dangerous in the final few overs while facing fast bowlers, stifling them with his powerful swing. Previously, the franchise purchased Karthik for INR 5.5 crore during the 2022 mega auction. The Tamil Nadu-born player received a chance to rejoin the national team as a result of his IPL success.
The talented right-hander additionally represented India at the T20 World Cup in 2022, but his performance fell short of expectations. Although he performed poorly in the major international competition, RCB decided to keep him for their 2023 season. Karthik will attempt to maintain his form from the previous year in 2023 with his exceptional ability to win matches.
David Miller
David Miller played a crucial role in the Gujarat Titans' (GT) 2022 championship victory. The left-hander had a strike rate of 142.72 and 481 runs in 16 games. Miller's stellar performance elevated him to third place among franchise runners-up in the major contest.
Miller struck a match-winning knock of 94* from just 51 deliveries against the reigning champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The Protea won it for the GT once more in the playoffs' enormous qualifying game with his mesmerizing 68 runs (38 balls).
GT was able to secure a place in the competition's final thanks in large part to the southpaw. The veteran has recently been playing at his very best, winning several matches for South Africa with his incredible ability to seal the deal. After that, his IPL team will count on his backing to successfully defend the crown in the forthcoming competition.
As the the most exciting IPL Tournament is about to start,
Players and Teams are ready to battle.
For more Cricket News Update , Check and visit 11ic for more details.
Comentários