3 players who impressed in PSL 2023 but may not play a game in IPL 2023
The Indian Premier League (IPL) over the years has seen a number of overseas players leave their mark with some incredible performances. Some players get picked in the auction due to their performances in other franchise leagues and are expected to replicate that form.
Sometimes though, due to factors like the overseas quota or the team combination, certain players end up warming the bench for an entire season. No matter how good they have been in other leagues, they still need to patiently wait for their chance to make an impact in the IPL.
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is a tournament where a number of overseas stars have done really well. In the ongoing season, there have been quite a few consistent performers who are also part of some of the IPL teams.
While these stars can be expected to hit the ground running in IPL 2023, there are some among them who may not even get to play a single game in the upcoming edition. Let's take a look at three such players who might end up in this situation.
#1 Sikandar Raza
Supreme striking! 💪
One incredible innings by @SRazaB24 👏
#HBLPSL8 | #SabSitarayHumaray | #LQvQG https://t.co/9ndMllJtAP
Zimbabwe star Sikandar Raza is rated highly as one of the best all-rounders in the world presently. His incredible performances in the year 2022 grabbed the attention of fans and they started to follow Raza's output a lot more.
Not just with the bat, but Raza is sensational with the ball as well and that always keeps him in the game, even if he has an off-day as a batter. His fine 71* under pressure for the Lahore Qalandars against the Quetta Gladiators proved just how good he is when the going gets tough.
His performances in the T20 World Cup 2022 earned him plaudits and naturally, he was picked in the IPL 2023 auction by the Punjab Kings (PBKS) for ₹50 lakh. While this seems to be a proper steal, Punjab already have their four overseas players more or less sorted.
Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada, and new signing Sam Curran are likely to be regulars in the line-up. As a result, it's quite possible that Sikandar Raza goes the entire season without playing a single game.
#2 Fazalhaq Farooqi
🏽Skipper's ecstatic! 😻
Fazal gets his second ☝️🏽
#HBLPSL8 | #SabSitarayHumaray | #IUvQG https://t.co/OHvSZa97Cl
Afghanistan over the past few years have been known for their effective spin bowlers, with the likes of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb-ur-Rehman coming to the fore. However, along with these options, pacers like Fazalhaq Farooqi have also risen in profile.
Farooqi has been on fire in the PSL 2023 season so far, picking up nine scalps from four games. But he is picked in the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) team, where there are already a plethora of overseas options.
Captain Aiden Markram and Harry Brook are sure starters and Heinrich Klaasen is the wicketkeeper. For the remaining overseas player spot, SRH could lean towards playing all-rounder Marco Jansen as that gives added depth to their batting.
Although Farooqi is a fantastic bowler and has a number of tricks up his sleeve, it's highly possible that he may not get even a single game in IPL 2023.
#3 Rilee Rossouw
🧘♂️ after the 🌪️
An exhilarating 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ from Rilee Rossouw powered the Multan Sultans to a stunning victory in #PZvMS 🔥 https://t.co/ajRxQLyxsU
Arguably, the only overseas batter who has set the stage ablaze in PSL 2023 so far has been South Africa's Rilee Rossouw. After making a sensational comeback to international cricket with a couple of T20I hundreds, Rossouw was picked up by the Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2023 auction.
In just nine matches of PSL this season, Rossouw has scored 388 runs at a fantastic average of 48.50 and a mind-boggling strike rate of 176.36. His hundred against Peshawar Zalmi while chasing a target in excess of 240 helped the Multan Sultans win the game comfortably despite the tall ask.
DC will probably miss the services of Rishabh Pant, who is out with a long-term knee injury. However, with skipper David Warner and a number of other sure starters like Anrich Nortje and Rovman Powell, Rossouw may not get a single game in the IPL 2023 season.