The new edition of the Indian T20 League is starting from September 19 at UAE and the opening match will be played between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings. Indian T20 League is not just about Indian players who see this event as a breakthrough to the Indian side but it’s about the overseas players as well who provide the fun and excitement to the mega event. After the auction in 2019, few big names will be available for the complete tournament. The majority of the players have already reached excluding Australian and English players who will join their squads after completing the 6-days quarantine.
In today’s section, let’s talk about 5 overseas players in Indian T20 League who can raise an impact in the tournament:
Kieron Pollard
Kieron Pollard has been an integral part of the Mumbai and he is the man who can turn the game within a few balls. The all-rounder has been impressive with his hard-hitting abilities and the recent Caribbean Premier League was a prime example of his blistering form. Pollard bats at down-order and play the role of a finisher. In Caribbean Premier League 2020, Pollard scored 207 runs in 7 innings at a strike rate of 204.95 on a challenging spin track. Against Barbados, he pulled off a great chase and snatched the victory from the jaws of the defeat. Along with Pandya, Pollard is a player who cannot miss a single match for Mumbai.
Eoin Morgan
Morgan has appeared in the tournament before but 2020 is the year, you would see the best version of him. Kolkata bought him for a huge 5.25 Cr and the English skipper is in his prime form after winning the maiden World Cup at home. Morgan is the top-scorer in T20Is since the 2019 WC and played some gorgeous innings. He smashed 18 sixes against Afghanistan in one innings last year and his strike rate is around 200 in T20s from the last one and a half year. Kolkata requires the solid player in middle-over and Morgan can give them an option of a sheet anchor and a finisher as well.
David Warner
Warner is the leading run-scorer in the tournament history amongst all overseas players, scoring 4706 runs at an average of 43.17 and the strike rate of 142.39. We can put him along with Kohli, Rohit, and Dhoni as the finest player in the Indian T20 League. Warner scored 4 centuries and also led Hyderabad to a maiden title in 2016. In the opening slot, nobody can replicate him with the aggressive approach and the calmness. He guides the innings and makes good use of the pitch. In the skipper role, Warner will be more organized and more dangerous. In 2014, when the tournament was held in UAE, Warner scored 528 runs at an average of 48 with the strike rate of 140.80.
Sunil Narine
Sunil Narine is a vintage T20 pack and the credit goes to Gambhir who evolved him as an opener who can play a quick cameo and he did that job with Uthappa and Lynn for Kolkata in the last few years. Narine scored more than 700 runs for Kolkata as an opener with a strike rate of 168.34. Narine is a big threat as he can change the tone of the game within 15-20 balls. UAE is a paradise for spinners and Narine can give breakthroughs to his side with his quality bowling. He has 122 scalps at an economy of just 6.67 in the tournament and the recent Caribbean T20 League was excellent for him with bat and ball.
Andre Russell
The T20 Talisman is no doubt the biggest threat to the bowlers ahead of the upcoming T20 season in UAE. Kolkata more relies on him and Russell can do wonder with hard-hitting skills. His 13-balls 48 against Bangalore in last season is the big example of his match-winning caliber. In 2019, Russell scored 510 runs at an average of 56.66 with the strike rate of over 200. In the recent Caribbean T20 League, Dre Russ aggregated 222 runs at an average of 44.40 and the strike rate of 141.40, despite the fitness issues. The more pressure situation, the more hitting of Russell takes place in the ground.
Special Mention: Rashid Khan, Aaron Finch
