Top 5 value for money players from IPL 8
The recently concluded season of the IPL is being touted as one of the best so far in terms of the quality of cricket that we witnessed. Players across teams, with their stellar performances with the bat and ball, lit up the tournament.
While team owners spared no expenses to ensure the best possible line-up for their sides, they didn't have to dole out a huge sum to sign in certain players and yet they proved to be a valuable addition to the squad. Here’s a list of top 5 value for money players in this year’s IPL.
1. Andre Russell
Price- Rs 60 Lakh
Team - Kolkata Knight Riders
Having represented the Kolkata Knight Riders in the previous season, he was one of the few players retained by KKR for this year’s IPL. A regular member in the team throughout the course of the tournament, he played a total of 13 matches in which he scored 326 runs at an average of 36.22 with a strike rate of 192.89 and three half-centuries to go along with it. He came in handy with the ball during the middle overs snapping 14 wickets at an economy rate of 7.96 and best bowling figures of 3/32.
However, Russell’s moment of reckoning came during a league game against Kings XI Punjab. Chasing a modest total of 156, KKR were in a spot of bother when he walked out to bat and together with Yusuf Pathan, stitched a 95 run partnership that saw his team through. His blitzkrieg innings of 66 came off 48 deliveries and included nine hits to the fence and two towering sixes.
Although KKR didn’t make it to the knockouts, Andre Russell with a superb blend of power and skills provided some good entertainment to the fans. He even won the Most Valuable Player award for this year’s IPL. Indeed, he is proving to be a smart pick by the Knight Riders camp.
2. Pawan Negi
Price- RS 10 Lakh (bought in 2014)
Team Owner- Chennai Super Kings
This slow left-arm spinner emerged as a dark horse in a team filled with star cricketers. Not only did he open with the new ball at times this year, but also took everyone by surprise with his ability to use the long handle in the death overs. The fact that he was often preferred over the other experienced campaigner Ravindra Jadeja speaks volumes of his talent.
He played 10 games in which he took six wickets at an economy rate of 8.40 with best bowling figures of 2/25. He also scored 116 runs at an average of 14.50 with a strike-rate of 158.9 and hit a total of 10 boundaries and five sixes proving that he isn’t a muck with the bat either.
Given his all-round performance, Negi has turned out to be an effective addition to the Chennai squad.