5 overseas players who had a good PSL but were not picked by any IPL franchises

When the Indian Premier League (IPL) started, it was in view to give younger Indians more opportunities to showcase their talent. However, it also provided the foreign players with a platform to express themselves and show how good they are.

Now, most (cricketing) countries around the world have their own league which is very similar to the IPL. It is a platform not only for the local players but also for the overseas (foreign) players.

Hence, in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL), we saw some wonderful performances. Thus, here we look at 5 overseas players who performed well in the PSL but went unsold in this year’s IPL auction.

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#5 Tymal Mills

Tymal Mills was one of the hottest properties in the IPL auction last year. He had the ability to bowl over 140 km/h and at the same time get his pace down to 110 km/h (with the slower deliveries). However, his career has been plagued with injuries which have resulted in him playing only the shortest format of the game (T20).

After some consistent performances in T20 cricket and a brilliant T20I series against India, Tymal Mills was bought for a whopping amount of Rs 12 crore by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 2017 IPL auctions. However, his IPL stint was a disappointing one as poor form coupled with injuries meant he could play only 5 games (where he picked up 5 wickets). Hence, it reflected in this year’s auction as no IPL team bid for the left-arm pacer.

But he’s been in decent form of late. In the Big Bash, he took 8 wickets playing for the Hobart Hurricanes. His performance improved in the PSL. He picked up 9 wickets in 7 innings playing for Karachi Kings. He also had a very good strike-rate of 16.3. His 2/27 in the second game of this season’s PSL helped Karachi begin with a win.

#4 Colin Ingram

Colin Ingram was quite consistent in this year's PSL.

Colin Ingram is one of those South African cricketers who took the Kolpak route in the recent years. After playing just 40 international games (31 ODIs and 9 T20Is) between 2010 and 2013, a frustrated Ingram shifted his base to Glamorgan.

In recent times, he’s been good with the bat. He’s not had a breakthrough tournament, but he’s made his presence felt. In the Big Bash, he scored 277 runs at a strike-rate of almost 140. He carried his form into the PSL (playing for Karachi Kings) as he scored 243 runs at an average of 34.71 and a strike-rate of 140.46. His stand-out innings this season was an unbeaten 68 (in 39 balls) which he scored coming in at 46/3.

Ingram has played only 3 IPL games. He represented Delhi Daredevils in 2011. Just like the earlier years, no team was interested the hard-hitting left-hander this year.

#3 Joe Denly

Joe Denly was the second highest run-getter for Karachi Kings.

Joe Denly might not be a common name in the cricketing fraternity. But, Denly has represented England in limited-overs cricket. He’s played 9 ODIs and 5 T20Is for England in 2009 and 2010. In the 14 international games he played, he could only score 288 runs and hence was dropped from the team.

Joe Denly was one of the best overseas batsmen in the recently-concluded PSL. Playing for Karachi Kings, he amassed 323 runs in 11 innings at an average of 32.30. He also struck 3 fifties, two of which came in the knockout games. However, those two knocks (51 in Qualifier and 79 not out in Eliminator 2) went in vain as the Karachi Kings failed to qualify for the Final.

Joe Denly was a part of the short-listed players in the IPL auction this year but failed to get a contract.

#2 Samit Patel

Samit Patel was brilliant throughout this season's PSL.

With wrist-spin in trend in limited-overs cricket, the fact that Samit Patel ended up in the top 5 wicket-takers of the tournament is an excellent achievement. He is also the only spinner in the top 5 wicket-takers list of this year’s PSL.

Playing for the Islamabad United, Samit Patel usually opened the bowling. He kept things very tight in the powerplay and didn’t allow the batsmen to get away easily. The Nottinghamshire all-rounder took 13 wickets in 9 games at an excellent economy of 6.96. He also had a superb average (14.46) and strike-rate (12.4). He also took 2/26 (in 4 overs) in the final which helped Islamabad to restrict Peshawar to a reasonable score.

Although he didn’t do much with the bat, he can be an aggressive player in the middle and lower middle-order. However, none of the IPL franchises opted to buy Samit Patel.

#1 Luke Ronchi

Luke Ronchi scored 5 fifties in the last 7 games of this PSL.

A lot of people don’t know that former New Zealand wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi has played the IPL. He represented Mumbai Indians in the first two seasons (2008 and 2009). He didn’t have a big impact as he scored just 34 runs in 5 innings. However, it was after the IPL that Luke Ronchi made his debut for Australia. But a few years later, he shifted his base back to New Zealand (where he was born).

Ronchi was a key member of the New Zealand squad in all three formats. But he retired after last year’s Champions Trophy. He has been a part of various leagues around the world in recent times.

In the PSL, he was the leading run-scorer as his exploits helped Islamabad United (IU) to clinch their second PSL title. In 11 games, he amassed 435 runs at an average of 43.50 and a stunning strike-rate of 182.00. In the Qualifier, the Kiwi stumper scored a blistering unbeaten 94 (in 39 balls) to help Islamabad chase down 155 and progress to the final. Then, in the all-important final, Ronchi scored a 26-ball 52 to help Islamabad get off to a flier while chasing 149.

He was deservedly the Man of the Tournament and was also the Man of the Match in the final. However, no IPL team went after to the New Zealand wicket-keeper.