IPL 2020: 3 overseas players who would like to perform better than last year
The 13th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is less than two weeks away and the long-awaited schedule has been announced as well. The defending champions Mumbai Indians will take on the runners up Chennai Super Kings in the IPL opener.
Overseas players have always been important for the IPL. You can’t have an IPL season without top players from around the world, but some overseas players don’t get a chance to be a part of this special tournament.
Certain overseas players couldn’t perform to their potential last season. Fortunately, they have got a chance once again this year and they will look to perform way better than they did last year.
Let’s look at three such overseas players.
3. Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Mujeeb Ur Rahman first played in the IPL in 2018. He was brilliant in that season as he bamboozled the likes of Virat Kohli with his variations. All the experts were expecting a similar kind of performance from the Afghan mystery spinner in the 2019 season but he failed to deliver.
In the 2019 IPL, Rahman was in and out of the team due to injuries and a lack of form. In the five matches which he played, Rahman picked up only three wickets with an economy rate of 10.05. He is still a young player, and at times, players have bad seasons.
In the ongoing CPL, Rahman is having a great time as he is the pick of the bowlers for the Jamaica Tallawahs. He will be hoping that he carries that form into the IPL and performs way better than he did in 2019.
2. Shimron Hetmyer
Shimron Hetmyer was picked by the Royal Challengers Bangalore as a new young sensation who would change things for their team, but this has failed to happen. Hetmyer got to play five matches for the franchise and he scored 90 runs in those five matches, out of which 75 came in one game.
To be honest, the RCB management should also be blamed as Hetmyer was made to bat at various positions with no clear role. As a youngster, this never helps because you want clarity from your seniors.
The Delhi Capitals picked him up in this year’s auction and he will be a part of the young team. Hetmyer has been in decent touch in the CPL and he will look to perform better this year.
1. Chris Morris
Chris Morris is one of the premier seam bowling all-rounders in the T20 circuit at the moment. He proved himself in the IPL when he single-handedly won matches for the Delhi Capitals. But 2019 wasn’t his best year.
Morris played nine games in which his economy rate was 9.27. He was completely out of form with the bat as he scored only 32 runs in six innings at an average of 5.33. These numbers are way below par for a player like Chris Morris.
RCB have paid a lot of money for the player, and a lot will be expected from him this season. All RCB fans will be hoping that Morris have forgotten the 2019 season and starts afresh in 2020.