IPL 2018: 5 best performing million-dollar buys
Over the years, the Indian Premier League has heralded the dawn of new era in cricket. It has put Indian cricket amongst the top sports leagues in the world and has generated a lot of economic opportunities in a sport where only a few players could represent the nation previously. The opportunities have helped many budding cricketers from India and across the world to showcase their talent to a wider audience and helped them to pursue the sport that they love.
Each team was given a purse of Rs. 80 Crore ahead of the auction and as many as 18 players were paid more than Rs. 6.4 Crore (1 million USD at the time of auction).
After the auction, every team looked formidable but only a few could live up to the expectations. Many top buys could not justify their price tags and have faltered at various stages of the tournament. But the following players have proved that they have the mettle to handle tough situations and came out on top by putting up good performances.
Here are the 5 best performing million dollar buys:
#5 Jofra Archer - Rs. 7.2 Crore
After missing the first five matches, Jofra Archer entered the tournament with a bang as he picked up 6 wickets in his first two matches. Archer was the X-factor that Rajasthan Royals needed in their bowling line-up and is being used as a wicket-taking bowler by his captain.
Archer, with his pace and accuracy, has been exceptional for the Jaipur-based franchise. In the 30.5 overs that he has bowled, he has picked up 13 wickets and is the leading wicket-taker for Rajasthan Royals, with four wickets more than the second highest wicket-taker, Unadkat, who played 13 matches.
Archer's best performance came against the defending champions in his first ever IPL match. He gave only 22 runs in four overs and claimed three wickets, including the ones of the Pandya brothers, in the penultimate over of the innings. Thanks to Archer's tight bowling, Rajasthan could edge past Mumbai Indians with just two balls to spare.
Matches: 8, Wickets: 13, Economy: 8.27, Strike rate: 14.23