5 left-arm pacers who could be in demand at the IPL auction 2022
Quality left-arm pacers make an impact on the game irrespective of formats, and the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been no exception. Good left-armers can take the ball away from batters and bring it back at an awkward angle, making life difficult, especially while bowling from over the wicket to right-handers.
Over the years, there have been many big names find the going tough against left-arm pacers in international cricket. If we take the case of India itself, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, two of the team’s best batters, have had their woes against Mohammad Amir. During the T20 World Cup, Shaheen Afridi stunned India with a superb spell.
Will left-arm pacers get good bids at the IPL 2022 auction?
Quite a few left-arm pacers have been part of the IPL over the years. Many of them were released by their franchises ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. On that note, here’s a look at five such bowlers, who could be in demand at the auction if they are not picked by either of the two new franchises.
#5 Chetan Sakariya
Chetan Sakariya made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals in the 2021 season. He made a genuine impact, claiming 14 wickets in as many games. Sakariya ran in hard, and gave it his all even as his franchise struggled for consistency.
Sakariya’s finest moment in IPL 2021 came when he dismissed MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu during a game against eventual champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Bowling skills apart, he also impressed with his attitude, having a smile on the face even when things did not go his way.
What a journey. What a guy! 🙅🏽♂️ 𝙄𝙎 🔙
#RoyalsFamily https://t.co/YP14KtX4Tt
The youngster even made his debut for India in the limited-overs series held in Sri Lanka earlier this year. A promising talent, Sakariya could get more than decent bids at the IPL mega auction.
#4 Mustafizur Rahman
Bangladesh’s left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman also represented RR during IPL 2021. Given his experience and reputation, he had a below-par tournament, claiming 14 wickets in as many games at an economy rate of 8.41.
It did not help that he did not get much support from the other end, barring Sakariya.
The Cutter-Master came to Bangladesh’s rescue last night. 🌟👌
#OMAvBAN | #RoyalsFamily | #T20WorldCup https://t.co/u2pcM7cNWB
‘The Fizz’, as he is popularly called, did not have a great run in the T20 World Cup as well as Bangladesh put up an underwhelming performance. He is still searching for form in international cricket. However, there is no doubt about his quality. Mustafizur’s slower ones and cutters are extremely lethal when he gets them right.