IPL History: 3 international stars who have failed in the tournament
The 12th edition of the Indian Premier League - IPL 2019 - is currently going on, carrying on the tradition of providing full-tilt entertainment to the fans. A lot of domestic as well as international players have shone for their respective teams this season, justifying the tagline of this tournament which is 'Where talent meets opportunity'.
Over the years, the likes of Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Sunil Narine, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kieron Pollard, etc. have burst into the limelight because of the IPL. But there have also been a few big stars who have failed to meet the expectations in the cash-rich league.
Here, we look at three international superstars who could not impress while playing in the IPL.
1. Yuvraj Singh (India)
The man who won India two World Cups, first the T20 one in 2007 and then the 50-over one in 2011 (where he was also the 'Man of the Tournament'), has never been too successful in the IPL.
Yuvraj has played some phenomenal innings when it comes to T20I cricket, including his 6 sixes in an over against England and the 30-ball 70 against Australia. His international exploits ensured that Yuvraj always got high bids in the IPL auctions.
When it comes to IPL, the stylish left-hander from Punjab has played for six different franchises, but averages less than 25 with the bat. He has two hat-tricks to his name when it comes to bowling, but his overall numbers don't do justice to such a big name.
2. Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka)
Former Sri Lankan skipper and one of the world's best all-rounders when it comes to limited overs cricket, Angelo Mathews has not been able to live up to his name in the IPL.
Mathews has won several matches for his national side with his multi-faceted skills. He was also their biggest match winner at the 2014 T20I World Cup where Sri Lanka lifted the trophy.
He started his IPL career in a similar fashion as he won the 'Man of the Match' award in just his second game. But his performances with both bat and ball kept receding after that, and now he is not seen in any of the franchise colours.
Mathews featured in six IPL seasons, averaging a mediocre 23 with the bat and picking up just 27 wickets in 49 matches.
3. Eoin Morgan (England)
The current England ODI captain and one of their biggest match winners when it comes to white ball cricket, Eoin Morgan has failed to impress in the IPL.
Morgan has won many matches single-handedly while batting in the middle order for England. He is also expected to play a major role in the upcoming ICC World Cup 2019. But the story has been very different in the IPL.
In fact, many IPL fans don't even remember that Morgan has played in this tournament. He has featured in six seasons, playing in four different teams, but averages just 21 with the bat.