5 England players who you may not know were once part of the IPL
Almost every T20 franchise around the world, as well as the IPL, has signed an England player in recent years. The England team have revolutionized white-ball cricket recently and are currently the T20 world champions.
However, this was not the same when the IPL kicked off. Conflicting schedules and international commitments impeded the participation of many of England's star players in the IPL back when it was a new kid on the block.
Despite the limited participation of English cricketers in 2008 and 2009, a handful of them ventured into India for the league and had mixed success rates.
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Here, we take a look at five England cricketers who had featured in the IPL but could well have been forgotten.
#5 Owais Shah
Former England cricketer Owais Shah never really got an extended run for England, but he was quite a success in the Indian Premier League. He started his IPL career with Kolkata Knight Riders, playing for them during the 2009 and 2010 seasons, and registered an impressive average of 57.5 in five matches during the latter campaign.
In the following two seasons, Shah was first purchased by Kochi Tuskers Kerala for $200,000 but could start in only three matches. He was then picked up by Rajasthan Royals, where he played 15 matches and scored 365 runs at an average of 33.18.
#4 Paul Collingwood
Paul Collingwood, the captain of England's victorious 2010 T20 World Cup squad, never really made an impact in the IPL. He had impressive numbers in international cricket, but his IPL career never really took off.
At the 2009 IPL auction, the all-rounder was picked up by Delhi Daredevils for $275,000. However, his first season with the team was underwhelming, as he spent most of it on the bench. The following year, he scored 203 runs at a strike rate of 130.12 and took five wickets at an economy of 6.80.
He was then released by Delhi and made his way to Rajasthan Royals for $250,000, but could never get a game.
#3 Dimitri Mascarenhas
Dimitri Mascarenhas, a bowling all-rounder who played for England in ODIs and 14 T20Is, is best known for smashing 30 runs off a Yuvraj Singh over back in 2007 in an ODI.
In 2008, Mascarenhas was picked up by the Rajasthan Royals. He was the only English representative in the tournament's inaugural year following the ECB's decision not to allow centrally-contracted England players to participate in the IPL.
Mascarenhas made a few appearances for the Royals in three seasons, but could never really take off owing to an ankle injury. In 2011, he was snapped up by the Kings XI Punjab franchise for $100,000, but once again was never a regular starter.
#2 Ravi Bopara
Ravi Bopara, considered by many as one of the most versatile cricketers to come from England, has had a decent career for his country. He has centuries in both Test and ODI cricket and has gone on to become one of the most sought-after players in T20 leagues across the globe.
Bopara made his debut in the Indian Premier League for Kings XI Punjab in 2009. He played 15 matches across two seasons and had a highest score of 84. He made a comeback in the league in 2015 when he was picked up by SunRisers Hyderabad, where he scored 145 runs and took six wickets in nine matches.
#1 Graham Napier
Graham Napier, the former Essex all-rounder, may not have received an England cap, but he was a proven domestic performer. He made headlines in 2008 when he smashed a T20 record score of 152 not out in just 58 balls.
This stunning performance earned him a call-up with Mumbai Indians in 2009, where he played one game. He picked up a wicket and scored 15 runs.
He was never really given enough game time to leave an impression in the league, but he did share the dressing room with Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya!