List of MVPs from the inaugural season of every T20 league
Franchise T20 leagues around the globe have proven to be a gateway for the sport. These lucrative prospects have drawn the attention of the players and have made a huge impact on the international schedule as well.
The presence of several franchise leagues separate from the confines of the international domain has its perks and boons. The biggest benefit of such T20 leagues has been the emergence of talent with the help of such platforms.
Several local talents have availed opportunities and the cream of the crop, who were able to make the most of the chance, have gone on to stake their claim at a higher level as well.
Performances in T20 franchise leagues are often kept an eye on by national selectors, sometimes even trumping domestic cricket as well. Even an eye-catching display across a few sets of matches has proven to change the lives of so many players.
Even if the players are not part of the playing XI, they avail the opportunity to train alongside some of the biggest names in the sport and pick their brains, which benefits them in the long run.
The Player of the Tournament award is the most coveted prize that a player can attain at an individual level. From the T20 league's perspective, especially in the inaugural edition, it is important that the displays be as good as possible so that it imprints on the minds of the viewers for years to come.
On that note, here are the Most Valuable Players from the inaugural season of every T20 league.
#1 Indian Premier League (IPL) - Shane Watson (2008)
The former Australian all-rounder played a key role in the Rajasthan Royals' (RR) title-winning campaign under Shane Warne. Playing in the middle order, he put in a complete display for the franchise by scoring 472 runs and claiming 17 wickets.
Happy birthday, Shane Watson
-Only player to win 4 consecutive Player of the Match Awards in ICC events (WT20 2012)
-MVP in IPL 2008 & 2013
-1st Australian to hit tons in all three formats
- Scored 117* (57) in IPL 2018 final v SRH
@ShaneRWatson33 @ChennaiIPL https://t.co/FLKVJU7cX4
Shane Watson was the fourth-highest run-scorer and was also the fourth-leading wicket-taker in the tournament. Watson's exploits in IPL 2008 helped him a great deal in establishing his name on the T20 circuit.
He has actively partook in franchise leagues across the world since then and continued to make an impact in the IPL as well.
#2 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) - Shakib Al Hasan (2012)
Shakib Al Hasan was one of the few local players to have made an impact in the inaugural edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The all-rounder was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for scoring 280 runs and claiming 15 wickets.
He was roped in by the Dhaka Gladiators for $365,000 and ended up as the most expensive acquisition at the auction. With his 15-wicket tally, he was the third-highest wicket-taker overall, behind Elias Sunny and Mohammad Sami.
#3 Pakistan Super League (PSL) - Ravi Bopara (2016)
The veteran English all-rounder had a season for the ages with the Karachi Kings in the inaugural edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He scored 329 runs and claimed 11 wickets over the course of the season, but the franchise was knocked out in the eliminator contest itself as Islamabad United claimed the title.
Bopara was only six runs short of being the top scorer, a tag which Umar Akmal claimed with 335 runs to his name. The Englishman scored two fifties and also claimed a famous five-wicket haul, which ranks among the best bowling figures in T20 history.
His figures of 6-16, mark one of the few occasions where a bowler has claimed six wickets in a T20 match.
#4 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) - Krishmar Santokie (2013)
Krishmar Santokie is often a forgotten figure in world cricket. He made an instant impression with his ability to swing the ball into right-handed batters and was potent with his yorkers too.
One of his highest points came in the form of the first-ever Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season, where he finished as the leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets.
His exploits helped the Guyana Amazon Warriors top the table in the group stage, but they lost in the finals to the Jamaica Tallawahs, where he ended up wicketless.
#5 The Hundred - Liam Livingstone (2021)
The Hundred emerged as a new concept that received mixed reviews but was largely a success and is heading into its third edition. Birmingham Phoenix batter Liam Livingstone's performance was one of the major takeaways from the first season in 2021.
The England all-rounder finished as the highest run-scorer of the tournament with 348 runs at a strike rate of 178.46. He also amassed the highest individual score of the season with an unbeaten 92.
Additionally, he also finished the competition with the highest number of sixes. His tally of 27 sixes was far ahead of second-placed Moeen Ali (15), who was also his teammate.
#6 Big Bash League (BBL) - David Hussey (2011-12)
It did not take long for Cricket Australia (CA) to pull a leaf out of India's books to launch a franchise-based T20 competition of their own. The inaugural edition of the Big Bash League (BBL) took place in 2011-12, where the Sydney Sixers emerged as winners.
David Hussey played a key role in the Melbourne Stars attaining the fourth spot by a close margin and qualifying for the semi-finals. His all-round ability was on show as he scored 243 runs and took eight wickets in eight matches. He scored two fifties in the campaign and boasted a solid economy rate of 7.42.
#7 SA20 - Aiden Markram (2023)
The South African player led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to the title in the inaugural edition of the SA20. Apart from his captaincy, he was influential with his all-round abilities over the course of the tournament.
This is a first-of-its-kind award with #Betway #SA20 devising a unique scoring system. The winner will be the leader of the overall MVP scoring system, which will take into account all of its inputs. The winner of Player of the Season is Aiden Markram.
@betway_india https://t.co/5Ra7kRauo6
The franchise had a rather rocky start to SA20 after losing their first two matches. However, Aiden Markram stepped up and finished as the tournament's third-highest runscorer with 366 runs and also claimed 11 wickets with his part-time off-spin as well.
#8 ILT20 - Chris Jordan
The recently concluded International League T20 (ILT20)'s Most Valuable Player or the 'Red Belt' winner was England's Chris Jordan. The all-rounder was the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 20 wickets, therefore being the recipient of the 'White Belt' as well.
Jordan played a key role in the Gulf Giants (GG) winning the inaugural edition. His 20 wickets came at an average of 13.80 and an economy of 7.39.
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