Who are the only two associate nation players picked for IPL 2024 auction?
The final list for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction was confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday, December 11. A total of 333 players have been shortlisted for the auction, which will be held in Dubai on December 19.
Of the total number of players chosen for the auction, 214 are Indian cricketers and 119 are from overseas. The number of capped players stands at 116, while 215 uncapped players are eligible to go under the gavel on auction day.
A maximum of 77 slots can be filled up at the IPL 2024 auction by the 10 franchises, 30 of the slots being for overseas players. In all, the franchises have a purse of ₹262.95 crore to spend.
Kolkata Knight Riders (12) have the maximum slots to be filled, while Gujarat Titans (GT) have the highest purse of ₹38.15 crore going into the auction.
Profile of associate nation players picked for IPL 2024 auction
Of the 333 players, only two are from associate nations. Namibia's experienced all-rounder David Wiese has placed his name in the ₹1 crore price bracket, while Netherlands pacer Paul van Meekeren features in the ₹20 lakh price bracket.
South Africa-born Wiese was part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) squad in IPL 2015 and 2016. He played 14 matches for the RCB franchise in 2015, scoring 122 runs at a strike rate of 141.86 with a best of 47*. With his medium pace, he claimed 16 wickets at an average of 22.06 and an economy rate of 8.33.
In the 2016 edition, the all-rounder only featured in one match. Wiese made a comeback to the Indian T20 league during the 2023 season, representing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He played three matches, scoring 21 runs while coming in to bat at the death. He bowled only 18 deliveries during the competition, going wicketless. Wiese was released by KKR when the retention list was announced.
The veteran all-rounder has the experience of a whopping 356 T20 matches in which he has scored 4048 runs at a strike rate of 144.36 and has claimed 279 wickets at an average of 26.81.
Speaking of Dutch pacer Van Meekeren, he went unsold at the IPL 2023 auction at a base price of ₹20 lakh. The 30-year-old will be hoping for some takers this time having had an impressive ODI World Cup in India. The right-arm pacer claimed 12 wickets in nine matches with a best of 4/23.
In T20s, Van Meekeren has played 98 games in which he has claimed 90 scalps at an average of 27.38 and an economy rate of 7.80.