5 World Cup 2011 stars who never played in the IPL
On this day 11 years ago, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 concluded at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. MS Dhoni smashed the last ball of the tournament out of the park to win the mega event for India, ending a 28-year long wait for a World Cup triumph.
Some of the biggest names of world cricket participated in that edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup. Many of them stayed back in India for the 2011 IPL season, which started a few days after the World Cup ended.
Hundreds of players have been a part of the IPL at least once in their careers. However, the following five World Cup 2011 star players have never donned the jersey of an IPL franchise.
#1 Jonathan Trott, England
Cape Town-born batter Jonathan Trott represented England in the 2011 World Cup. The right-handed batter was the fourth-highest run-scorer in the competition with 422 runs to his name from just seven innings.
Had England progressed beyond the quarter-finals, Trott could have even ended the tournament with the highest number of runs. Despite his consistent performances in the subcontinental conditions, Trott never played in the IPL.
#2 Upul Tharanga, Sri Lanka
Former Sri Lankan wicket-keeper Upul Tharanga dominated the bowlers in the 2011 World Cup. The southpaw scored 395 runs in nine innings, recording two centuries and one half-century.
Many star players from Sri Lanka have participated in the IPL. However, Tharanga never earned the attention of any IPL team.
#3 Andrew Strauss, England
Another England batter to feature in this list is their former skipper Andrew Strauss. The left-handed opener captained England in the 2011 Cricket World Cup and led the team to the quarter-finals.
Strauss amassed 334 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of more than 90. He played a fantastic knock of 158 runs in a group stage match against India at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Like Jonathan Trott and Upul Tharanga, Strauss never played an IPL match.
#4 Kevin O'Brien, Ireland
Ireland surprised the fans by defeating England in the league stage of the Cricket World Cup 2011. All-rounder Kevin O'Brien was the architect of Ireland's victory as he smacked a century off just 50 deliveries to stun the England fans.
Apart from that magical innings, O'Brien also took four wickets for Ireland. All-rounders are always in demand at IPL auctions but O'Brien never received an opportunity to play.
#5 Wahab Riaz, Pakistan
Wahab Riaz took a five-wicket haul for Pakistan in their semi-final clash against India. He was one of the top wicket-takers among Pakistani bowlers in the World Cup 2011, with eight wickets from five matches.
Most of Riaz's teammates in the World Cup 2011 played in the IPL once in their careers. However, the left-arm speedster never got an IPL contract.