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51 Overseas Cricketers in Major League Cricket (MLC) in USA: Faf du Plessis, Andre Russell, Jason Roy, Aaron Finch, Quinton de Kock…Can You Guess the Rest?

Which overseas cricketers will play in Major League Cricket (MLC) to be held in the United States later this summer? Jason Roy, Faf du Plessis, Anrich Nortje, Aaron Finch, Quinton de Kock, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Sikandar Raza are some of the high-profile overseas players who will play in MLC.

The MLC draft held at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas started proceedings in March.

Creating a unique blend of talent and entertainment, Major League Cricket (MLC) in USA has signed up 11 overseas cricketers already. From Australia’s explosive captain Aaron Finch to South African wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock, MLC have added some major stars to their line-up.

With a total of 54 overseas spots open (6 teams, 9 overseas slots per squad), more such high-profile signings are just around the corner.

Key Takeaways

  • 13 cricketers from South Africa, 12 from Australia, 8 from New Zealand, 7 from West Indies, 3 from Afghanistan, 2 from Pakistan, 2 from West Indies, 1 from England, 1 from India, 1 from Namibia, and 1 from Zimbabwe have signed for Major League Cricket (MLC) so far.
  • 9 overseas players can be added to each Major League Cricket squad, but only 7 of them can feature in the XI.
  • Ross Taylor (batting coach – Seattle Orcas), Johan Botha (bowling coach – Seattle Orcas), & Stephen Fleming (Head coach – Texas Super Kings), Albie Morkel (Assistant coach – Texas Super Kings), Shane Watson (coach – San Francisco Unicorns), Dale Steyn (Bowling Coach – Washington Freedom) are other high-profile foreign cricketers who will be involved with Major League Cricket (MLC).
  • Steve Smith has signed up as an ‘ambassador’ with the Washington Freedom team, but will not feature in the 2023 inaugural MLC edition.
  • Wanindu Hasaranga, Sikandar Raza, and Ambati Rayudu have since withdrawn from the tournament.

List of Overseas Cricketers in Major League Cricket (MLC)

Here is the list of overseas cricketers who have been signed in MLC.

Note: Unmukt Chand, Dane Piedt, Corey Anderson, Liam Plunkett, Shehan Jayasuriya, Rusty Theron, Sami Aslam, etc. qualify as domestic players.

For More USA cricket content, also read

1. Anrich Nortje (Washington Freedom)

  • International Team: South Africa
  • Current IPL Team: Delhi Capitals
  • Other Francise Teams: Cape Town Blitz, Pretoria Capitals
  • Role: Right Arm Fast
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2. Wanindu Hasaranga (Washington Freedom)

  • International Team: Sri Lanka
  • Current IPL Team: Royal Challengers Bangalore
  • Other Franchise Teams: Desert Vipers, Jaffna Kings, Kandy Falcons, Quetta Gladiator, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots
  • Role: Right Arm Googly/Wrist Spin (All Rounder)
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3. Marco Jansen (Washington Freedom)

  • International Team: South Africa
  • Current IPL Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
  • Other Franchise Teams: Mumbai Indians, North West, Sunrisers Eastern Cape
  • Role: Left Arm Medium Pact/Right Hand Batter (All Rounder)
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4. Glenn Phillips (Washington Freedom)

  • International Team: New Zealand
  • Current IPL Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
  • Other Franchise Teams: Rajasthan Royals, Barbados Royals, Jamaica Tallawahs, Welsh Fire
  • Role: Right Arm Spin (All Rounder)/Wicketkeeper
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5. Adam Milne (Washington Freedom)

  • International Team: New Zealand
  • Other Franchise Teams: Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Sydney Thunder, Birmingham Phoenix
  • Role: Right Arm Fast
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6. Aaron Finch (San Francisco Unicorns)

  • International Team: Australia
  • Other Franchise Teams: Delhi Daredevils, Gujarat Lions, Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Pune Warriors, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Melbourne Renegades, World Giants
  • Role: Right Arm Bat
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7. Marcus Stoinis (San Francisco Unicorns)

  • International Team: Australia
  • Current IPL Team: Lucknow Super Giants
  • Other Franchise Teams: Delhi Capitals, Kings XI Punjab, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kent, Melbourne Stars, Perth Scorchers, Southern Brave, Sharjah Warriors
  • Role: Right Arm Bat/Right Arm Medium Pace (All Rounder)
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8. Quinton de Kock (Seattle Orcas)

  • International Team: South Africa
  • Current IPL Team: Lucknow Super Giants
  • Other Franchise Teams: Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Barbados Royals, Cape Town Blitz, Easterns, Gauteng, Titans
  • Role: Left Arm Bat/Wicketkeeper
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9. Wayne Parnell (Seattle Orcas)

  • International Team: South Africa
  • Current IPL Team: Royal Challengers Bangalore
  • Other Franchise Teams: Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors, Barbados Tridents, Islamabad United, Multan Sultans, Cape Cobras, Pretoria Capitals, Warriors, Sussex
  • Role: Left Arm Bowl
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10. Dasun Shanaka (Seattle Orcas)

  • International Team: Sri Lanka
  • Current IPL Team: Gujarat Titans
  • Other Franchise Teams: Comilla Warriors, Dambulla Aura, Dubai Capitals, Khulna Tigers, Montreal Tigers, Peshawar Zalmi, Rangpur Riders
  • Role: Right Arm Medium Pace (All Rounder)
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11. Sikandar Raza (Seattle Orcas)

  • International Team: Zimbabwe
  • Current IPL Team: Punjab Kings
  • Other Franchise Teams: Band-e-Amir Dragons, Chittagong Vikings, Dambulla Aura, Dubai Capitals, Gazi Group Cricketers, Karachi Kings, Khulna Tigers, Lahore Qalandars, Mashonaland Eagles, Matabeleland Tuskers, Mis Ainak Knights, Montreal Tigers, Northern Warriors, Paktia Panthers, Peshawar Zalmi, Rangpur Riders, Southern Rocks, Trinbago Knight Riders, Tshwane Spartans
  • Role: Right Arm Off Spin (All Rounder)
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12. Jason Roy (Los Angeles Knight Riders)

  • International Team: England
  • Current IPL Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
  • Other Franchise Teams: Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Lions, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Bengal Tigers, Chittagong Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Nelson Mandela Bay Giants, Oval Invincibles, Paarl Royals, Perth Scorchers, Quetta Gladiators, Surrey, Sydney Sixers, Sydney Thunders, Sylhet Sixers
  • Role: Right Arm Bat
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Also Read: Jason Roy signs two-year contract with LAKR for 300,000 pound deal, Jason Roy agrees termination of ECB contract to play Major League Cricket

13. Lungi Ngidi (San Francisco Unicorns)

  • International Team: South Africa
  • Current IPL Team: Delhi Capitals
  • Other Franchise Teams: Chennai Super Kings, Paarl Royals, Titans, Tshwane Spartans
  • Role: Right Arm Fast
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14. Moises Henriques (Washington Freedom)

  • International Team: Australia
  • Other Franchise Teams: Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sydney Sixers
  • Role: Right Arm Medium/Right Hand Bat (All Rounder)

*captain

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15. Ben Dwarshuis (Washington Freedom)

  • International Team: Australia
  • Other Franchise Teams: Delhi Capitals, Kings XI Punjab, Sydney Sixers, New South Wales, Birmingham Phoenix
  • Role: Left Arm Fast
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16. Lockie Ferguson (LA Knight Riders)

  • International Team: New Zealand
  • IPL Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
  • Other Franchise Teams: Gujarat Titans, Rising Pune Supergiant, Manchester Originals
  • Role: Right Arm Fast Bowler
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17. Andre Russell (LA Knight Riders)

  • International Team: West Indies
  • IPL Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
  • Other Franchise Teams: Delhi Daredivls, Abu Dhabi Knight Ridgers, Colombo Kings, Comilla Warriors, Islamabad United, Jamaica Tallawahs, Manchester Originals, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars, Multan Sultans, Nangarhar Leopards, Northern Warriors, Quetta Gladiators, Rajshahi Royals, Southern Brave, Vancouver Knights
  • Role: Right Arm Batter/Right Arm Bowler (All-Rounder)
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18. Sunil Narine (LA Knight Riders)

  • International Team: West Indies
  • IPL Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
  • Other Franchise Teams: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Barisal Burners, Cape Cobras, Comilla Victorians, Dhaka Dynamites, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Lahore Qalandars, Melbourne Renegades, Montreal Tigers, Oval Invincibles, Quetta Gladiators, Trinbago Knight Riders, Sydney Sixers
  • Role: Right Arm Mystery, Left-Hand Bat
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19. Martin Guptill (LA Knight Riders)

  • International Team: New Zealand
  • Other Franchise Teams: Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Barbados Tridents, Karachi Kings, Quetta Gladiators, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Melbourne Renegades
  • Role: Right-Hand Opening Batter
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20. Adam Zampa (LA Knight Riders)

  • International Team: Australia
  • IPL Team: Rajasthan Royals
  • Other Franchise Teams: Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rising Pune Supergiants, Sydney Thunder, Melbourne Stars, Adelaide Strikers, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, Dubai Capitals, Welsh Fire
  • Role: Right Arm Leg Spin
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21. Rilee Rossouw (LA Knight Riders)

  • International Team: South Africa
  • IPL Team: Delhi Capitals
  • Other Franchise Teams: Royal Challengers Bangalore, Pretoria Capitals, Quetta Gladiators, Multan Sultans, Oval Invincibles, Khulna Tigers, Melbourne Renegades, Dambulla Giants
  • Role: Left-Hand Batter
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22. Kieron Pollard (MI New York)

  • International Team: West Indies
  • IPL Team: Mumbai Indians (Batting Coach)
  • Other Franchise Teams: Adelaide Strikers, Barbados Tridents, Cape Cobras, Deccan Gladiators, Dhaka Dynamites, Dhaka Gladiators, Karachi Kings, Kerela Kings, London Spirit, Melbourne Renegades, MI Emirates, Multan Sults, Peshawar Zalmi, St. Lucia Stars, Toronot Nationals, Trinbago Knight Riders, Welsh Fire
  • Role: Right-Hand Batter/Right Arm Medium Pace (All-Rounder)
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23. Trent Boult (MI New York)

  • International Team: New Zealand
  • IPL Team: Rajasthan Royals
  • Other Franchise Teams: Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Melbourne Stars, MI Emirates
  • Role: Left Arm Fast Bowler
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24. Rashid Khan (MI New York)

  • International Team: Afghanistan
  • IPL Team: Gujarat Titans
  • Other Franchise Teams: Sunrisers Hyderabad, Adelaide STrikers, Band-e0Amir Dragos, Barbados Tridents, Boost Defenders, Comilla Victorians, Durbat Heat, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Kabul Eagles, Lahore Qalandars, Maratha Arabians, MI Cape Town, MI Emirates, Mis Ainak Region, Nangarhar Leopads, Quetta Gladiators, Speen Ghar Region, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Trent Rockets
  • Role: Right Arm Legspin/ Right-Hand Bat (All-Rounder)
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25. Tim David (MI New York)

  • International Team: Australia (formerly played for Singapore)
  • IPL Team: Mumbai Indians
  • Other Franchise Teams: Royal Challengers Bangalore, Hobart Hurricanes, Lahore Qalandars, MI Cape Town, Multan Sultans, Perth Scorchers, Southern Brave, St. Lucia Kings
  • Role: Right-Hand Bat
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26. Dewald Brevis (MI New York)

  • International Team: South Africa
  • IPL Team: Mumbai Indians
  • Other Franchise Teams: MI Cape Town, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots
  • Role: Right-Hand Bat
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27. David Wiese (MI New York)

  • International Team: Namibia (formerly played for South Africa)
  • IPL Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
  • Other Franchise Teams: Royal Challengers Bangalore, Barbados Tridents, Colombo Stars, Comilla Victorians, Easterns, Gulf Giants, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, London Spirit, Northern Superchargers, St. Lucia Kings, Titans
  • Role: Right-Hand Bat, Right Arm Medium Pace (All-Rounder)

Also Read: South African Born Cricketers Playing for Other Countries

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28. Kagiso Rabada (MI New York)

  • International Team: South Africa
  • IPL Team: Delhi Capitals
  • Other Franchise Teams: Punjab Kings, Gauteng, Jozi Stars, Lions
  • Role: Right Arm Fast Bowler
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29. Nicholas Pooran (MI New York)

  • International Team: West Indies
  • IPL Team: Lucknow Super Giants
  • Other Franchise Teams: Kings XI Punjab, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warrirors, Islamabd United, Kerela Kings, Khulna titans, Melbourne Stars, MI Emirates, Multan Sultans, Northern Warriors, Rangpur Riders, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Sydney Sixers, Trinbago Knight Riders
  • Role: Left-Hand Batter, Wicketkeeper
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30. Jason Behrendorff (MI New York)

  • International Team: Australia
  • IPL Team: Mumbai Indians
  • Other Franchise Teams: Chennai Super Kings, Perth Scorchers
  • Role: Left Arm Bowler
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31. Devon Conway (Texas Super Kings)

  • International Team: New Zealand
  • IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings
  • Other Franchise Teams: Southern Brave, Dophins, Gauteng, Lions, Wellington
  • Role: Left-Hand Batter, Wicketkeeper
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32. Mitchell Santner (Texas Super Kings)

  • International Team: New Zealand
  • IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings
  • Other Franchise Teams: Barbados Tridents
  • Role: Left-Hand Batter, Left-Arm Spinner (All-Rounder)
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33. Daniel Sams (Texas Super Kings)

  • International Team: Australia
  • IPL Team: Lucknow Super Giants
  • Other Franchise Teams: Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Vancouver Knights, Trent Rockets, Sydney Thunder
  • Role: Left Arm Medium Pacer, Right-Hand Batter (All-Rounder)
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34. David Miller (Texas Super Kings)

  • International Team: South Africa
  • IPL Team: Gujarat Titans
  • Other Franchise Teams: Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab, Barbados Royals, Bengal Tigers, Durban Heat, Hobart Hurricanes, Jamaica Tallawahs, Multan Sultans, Paarl Royals, Peshawar Zalmi, St. Lucia Zouks, Welsh Fire, Winnipeg Hawks
  • Role: Left-Hand Batter
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35. Gerald Coetzee (Texas Super Kings)

  • International Team: South Africa
  • Other Franchise Teams: Joburg Super Kings
  • Role: Right Arm Fast Bowler
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36. Dwayne Bravo (Texas Super Kings)

  • International Team: West Indies (now retired)
  • IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings (bowling coach)
  • Other Franchise Teams: Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions, Chittagong Kings, Comilla Victorians, Dhaka Dynamites, Dolphins, Essex, Fortune Barishal, Kent, Lahore Qalandars, Maratha Arabians, Melbourne Renegades, Northern Superchargers, Paarl Rocks, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Surrey, Sydney Sixers, Trinbago Knight Riders, Trinidad & Tobago, Victoria, Winnipeg Hawks
  • Role: Right Arm Medium Pace, Right-Hand Batter (All-Rounder)
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37. Ambati Rayudu* (Texas Super Kings)

  • International Team: India (Now retired)
  • IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings
  • Other Franchise Teams: Mumbai Indians
  • Role: Right-Hand Batter
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38. Faf du Plessis (Texas Super Kings)

  • International Team: South Africa
  • IPL Team: Royal Challengers Bangalore
  • Other Franchise Teams: Chennai Super Kings, Joburg Super Kings, Rising Pune Supergiants, Comilla Victorians, Jaffna Kings, Melbourne Renegades, Northern Superchargers, Paarl Rocks, Perth Scorchers, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, St. Lucia Kings, Titans
  • Role: Right-Hand Batter, Captain

*captain

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39. Akeal Hosein (Washington Freedom)

  • International Team: West Indies
  • IPL Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
  • Other Franchise Teams: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Barbados Tridents, Dhaka Dynamites, Melbourne Renegades, Multan Sultans, Trinbago Knight Riders
  • Role: Left Arm Spinner
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40. Heinrich Klaasen (Seattle Orcas)

  • International Team: South Africa
  • IPL Team: Sunrisers Hyderabad
  • Other Franchise Teams: Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, Durban’s Super Giants, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Toronto Nationals
  • Role: Right Hand Bat, Wicketkeeper
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41. Matthew Wade (San Francisco Unicorns)

  • International Team: Australia
  • IPL Team: Gujarat Titans
  • Other Franchise Teams: Delhi Daredevils, Birmingham Phoenix, Dambulla Aura, Hobart Hurricanes, Joburg Super Kings, Karachi Kings, Melbourne Renegades, Melbourne Stars
  • Role: Left-Hand Bat, Wicketkeeper
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42. Qais Ahmad (San Francisco Unicorns)

  • International Team: Afghanistan
  • Other Franchise Teams: Band-e-Amir Dragons, Colombo Kings, Gulf Giants, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Hobart Hurricanes, Jamaica Tallawahs, Melbourne Stars, Minister Group Dhaka, Mis Ainak Region, Multan Sultans, Quetta Gladiators, St. Lucia Stars, Welsh Fire
  • Role: Right Arm Legbreak
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43. Finn Allen (San Francisco Unicorns)

  • International Team: New Zealand
  • IPL Team: Royal Challengers Bangalore
  • Other Franchise Teams: Birmingham Phoenix, Southern Brave
  • Role: Right-Hand Bat, Wicketkeeper
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44. Mackenzie Harvey (San Francisco Unicorns)

  • International Team: Australia (has not debuted yet)
  • Other Franchise Teams: Melbourne Renegades
  • Role: Left-Hand Batter
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45. Andrew Tye (Seattle Orcas)

  • International Team: Australia
  • IPL Team: Lucknow Super Giants
  • Other Franchise Teams: Kings XI Punjab, Gujarat Lions, Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings, Karachi Kings, Perth Scorchers, Sydney Thunder
  • Role: Right-Hand Medium Pacer
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46. Izharulhaq Naveed (Seattle Orcas)

  • International Team: Afghanistan (has not debuted yet)
  • Other Franchise Teams: Multan Sultans, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Sydney Sixers
  • Role: Right-Hand Legbreak
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47. Haris Rauf (San Francisco Unicorns)

  • International Team: Pakistan
  • Other Franchise Teams: Lahore Qalandars, Melbourne Stars
  • Role: Right Arm Fast Bowler

48. Shadab Khan (San Francisco Unicorns)

  • International Team: Pakistan
  • Other Franchise Teams: Islamabad United, Brisbane Heat, Dhaka Platoon, Edmonton Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Hobart Hurricanes, Khulna Tigers, Sydney Sixers, Trinbago Knight Riders
  • Role: Right Arm Leg break/ Right-Hand Batter (All Rounder)

49. Tanveer Sangha (Washington Freedom)

  • International Team: Australia (has not debuted yet)
  • Other Franchise Teams: Sydney Thunder, Birmingham phoenix
  • Role: Right Arm Leg Break

50. Shimron Hetmyer (Seattle Orcas)

  • International Team: West Indies
  • IPL Team: Rajasthan Royals
  • Other Franchise Teams: Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Quetta Gladiators, Multan Sultans, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Gulf Giants
  • Role: Left-Hand Batter

51. Dwaine Pretorius (Seattle Orcas)

  • International Team: South Africa (now retired)
  • Other Franchise Teams: Chennai Super Kings, Durban Super Giants, Quetta Gladiators, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Welsh Fire
  • Role: Right Arm Fast/Right-Hand Batter (All-Rounder)

Final Thoughts

Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA has attracted some of the biggest names in world cricket, with 48 overseas cricketers making the cut and showing their skills on the big stage.

The likes of Aaron Finch, Quinton de Kock, and many other prominent figures are sure to bring a dynamic dimension to the tournament and make it an exciting affair. The level of competition is sure to be high, as teams battle for the title of MLC champions. Fans can expect plenty of action in this highly anticipated tournament!

Which overseas cricketers would you like to see play in Major League Cricket?

Frequently Asked Questions: Overseas Cricketers in Major League Cricket

How many overseas players can a MLC team have in their squads?

Each Major League Cricket (MLC) team is allowed to have 9 overseas players in their squads along with 10 domestic cricketers.

Which country has most players in Major League Cricket as overseas players?

So far, 12 South African cricketers have been signed as overseas signings in MLC 2023.

Which Major League Cricket (MLC) team has signed the most overseas players?

Washington Freedom has so far signed 7 high-profile signings so far. Anrich Nortje, Wanindu Hasaranga, Marco Jansen, Glenn Phillips, Adam Milne, Moises Henriques, and Ben Dwarshuis.

How many overseas players can play in a XI of a Major League Cricket (MLC) match?

Up to six players can play in a MLC match, while nine overseas cricketers can be signed in the squad.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC 2023. Originally published on 05/23/2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

49 South African Cricketers Who Left Their Country for Kolpak Deals

Time for another World XI with Twists – Kolpak South African Cricketers Edition.

Huge revelation today – Quinton de Kock bid adieu to Test Cricket at the age of 29 after India brushed them aside in the first Test at Centurion. For more than a decade, South Africa have suffered a loss of talent to England through the Kolpak deal and now they have lost yet another great player, this time to overkill of cricket.

Table of Contents

Also Read: Cricket Self-Implodes: Thailand, The ICC, COVID, Racism, Sex, And Overkill of Cricket – Cricket Controversies 2021, End of Cricket as We Know it?

What Has South African Cricket Been Through Recently?

From being the #1 Test side for over a decade to becoming the “team in transition,” things have been far from ideal for South African cricket fans.

AB De Villiers retired from all of cricket, finally quashing the “Will he-Won’t he-Should he Return” debate. Faf du Plessis (retired from Tests to focus on T20I comeback), Imran Tahir, and Chris Morris have been shunted out from national selection due to their T20 leagues commitments. Dale Steyn hung up his boots, while Vernon Philander, Hashim Amla (lack of form) and Morne Morkel (now an Australian citizen) retired prematurely and took Kolpak deals post-retirement. In 2021, the domestic system has been restructured, SJN (Social Justice and briefly Nation Building) report has sparred nobody including Boucher-Smith, and the QDK kneeling controversy has further added to the fuel.

Only the 4/5 wins and positive brand of cricket in the 2021 T20 World Cup was a shining light. That too ended in a traditional disqualification due to net run rate.

However, since Brexit the Kolpak deal no longer holds, and the players are eligible for comeback. Blessing Muzarabani has been a ray of hope for Zimbabwe while David Wiese (ex-South African international) had a stellar T20 World Cup with Namibia. Wayne Parnell became the 1st official Kolpak player to make a comeback while Duanne Olivier is inching closer and closer.

Can Kolpak South African cricketers revive the Proteas ill-fated destiny?

Today’s Twist

Build 2 World XIs:

(1) A current XI of Kolpak South African Exodus players who are eligible for a South African comeback (Note they do not have to be contracted by a domestic team yet. Only that they are not retired and could comeback sometime in the future)

(2) An All-Time Best XI of Kolpak Players (retired)

The Catch

The XI needs to have five bowlers & a wicketkeeper.

*Note this does NOT include the list of players who were born in South Africa and are now settled in different countries representing England, Australia, New Zealand, Namibia, Netherlands, USA, etc. Those players are in the list linked below.

South African Cricketers Who Play For Other Countries: Labuschagne, Neil Wagner,…Can you Guess the Rest?

Quantifying South Africa’s Talent Drain

Overall around 69 cricketers have taken up Kolpak deals at some points in their career (49 from South Africa, 6 Zimbabwe, 2 New Zealand, and 12 West Indies – 7 Barbados, 3 Jamaica, 1 Trinidad and Tobago, 1 Guyana).

Additionally, around 39 cricketers were born in South Africa but have represented other countries & left South Africa earlier like Devon Conway and Kevin Pietersen. Then there are some like Dawid Malan (born in England, raised in South Africa, went back to England for international cricket) and Dane Piedt (left for USA but has not played an international for them yet), who are in neither of those lists.

Hence, there are at least 80 high profile cricketers that were from South African origin but did not represent the Proteas for at least some portion of their careers (Remember SA was banned from international cricket due to Apartheid in the 1980s, which was the beginning of the exodus).

Let us add another layer. Due to overkill of cricket, politics, and financial opportunities, AB De Villiers, Quinton de Kock, Hashim Amla, Morne Morkel, and Graeme Smith retired relatively early. Others took up coaching opportunities outside, further weakening the domestic circuit.

*Grant Elliot is a South African born cricketer, who played for New Zealand and later took a Kolpak deal after retiring from New Zealand duty.

What do you think about Kolpak South African cricketers’ comeback? COMMENT BELOW AND LET US KNOW!

Current Kolpak XI Eligible for South African Comeback

From the 49, here are 14 Kolpak South African cricketers who are eligible for an international comeback. Practically, the reserve South African XI disappeared in a decade.

1. Stiaan van Zyl (2016)

  • International Debut: December 16-19, 2014 (101*) International Matches: 12 Tests
  • Age Left: 30 Age Now: 34
  • County Team: Sussex
  • Previous Teams: Cape Cobras, Western Province, South Africa A
  • SA Domestic Team (Current): Boland

Claim To Fame

Stiaan van Zyl became the 100th player to score a Test century on debut and yet, he left for England after just 12 Tests.

What did South Africa Miss?

A top order batter who could bowl fast medium, South Africa missed the balance (especially after Kallis’ retirement), reserve depth in batting, and a weaker domestic system without a batter of his caliber.

2. Richard Levi (2014)

  • International Debut: February 6, 2012 International Matches: 13 T20Is
  • Age Left: 26 Age Now: 33
  • County Team: Northamptonshire (earlier Somerset)
  • T20 Teams: Mumbai Indians
  • Previous Teams: Cape Cobras, Western Province, South Africa A, South Africa U-19, South Africa XI
  • SA Domestic Team (Current): Has not played again in SA domestic circuit yet

Claim To Fame

Fastest T20I hundred (off 45 balls against New Zealand in 2012) at that time. Also had most sixes in a T20I (13) in that innings. Played only 13 T20Is before heading out.

What did South Africa Miss?

A swashbuckling opening batter in limited overs (Think Brendon McCullum-Martin Guptill-Colin Munro esque) who was ahead of his times when the T20 format was in its infancy. Could have been an ideal foil for QDK-Amla at the top in T20Is.

3. Rilee Rossouw (2016)

  • International Debut: August 20, 2014 International Matches: 36 ODIs, 15 T20Is
  • Age Left: 26 Age Now: 32
  • County Team: Hampshire
  • T20 Teams: Dambulla Giants, Khulna Tigers, Multan Sultans, Quetta Gladiators, Melbourne Renegades, Royal Challengers Bangalore
  • Previous Teams: Free State, Eagles, South Africa A, South Africa U-19
  • SA Domestic Team (Current): Knights (T20)

Claim to Fame

After beginning his international career with a series of ducks, he stabilized his spot in the international team with 3 ODI hundreds, 7 fifties and two T20I fifties (here is his 78 vs Australia, where he overshadowed the likes of QDK, Miller, and Duminy).

Played the 2015 ODI World Cup and the 2016 T20 World Cup. Now sought after in T20 leagues around the world.

What did South Africa Miss?

The messiest exit of all and the one that hurt the most. South Africa had heavily invested in Rossouw, and he had become the next big middle order player in the South African line-up, one that would almost certainly replace the great AB De Villiers. Rossouw exited over an iPhone email to coach Russell Domingo and even spelled Domingo’s first name incorrectly. Scored a century in his last ODI (122 vs Australia) and was the player of the series in that series (311 runs). Little did Protea fans know that it was to be his final time in South African colors.

4. Heino Kuhn – WK (2018)

  • International Debut: July 6-9, 2017 International Matches: 4 Tests, 7 T20Is
  • Age Left: 33 Age Now: 37
  • County Team: Kent (Northerns earlier)
  • Previous Teams: Titans, South Africa A
  • SA Domestic Team (Current): North West

Claim To Fame

Overall 11,000 first class runs with 24 hundreds and 58 fifties. Did not light up the international circuit in his short stay, but is a stalwart of South African domestic circuit.

What did South Africa Miss?

Left after CSA conveyed the message to him that his chances at international cricket would be limited. The domestic circuit was further weakened by his exit in his first class prime.

5. Colin Ingram (2014)

  • International Debut: October 8, 2010 Interational Matches: 31 ODIs, 9 T20Is
  • Age Left: Age Now: 36
  • County Team: Glamorgan
  • Previous Teams: Free State, Eastern Province, Warriors, South Africa A
  • T20 Teams: Islamabad United, Trinbago Knight Riders, St. Lucia Zouks, Oval Invincibles, Hobart Hurricanes, Adelaide Strikers, Delhi Capitals
  • SA Domestic Team (Current): Has not played again in SA domestic circuit yet

Claim To Fame

With 3 ODI hundreds and 3 fifties in ODIs and a 78 in T20Is, he had a decent limited overs career. However, these days he is known for being the most famous South African T20 export, playing in almost all leagues around the world.

Has played some glittering knocks in the PSL.

What did South Africa Miss?

Stability in the middle order in limited overs cricket. It is clear after 15 years of T20I cricket that boundary percentage, pressure situation experience, and T20 leagues are the backbone of world winning T20I sides. Apart from Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, and AB De Villiers, Colin Ingram would have bolstered SA in this regard.

6. Dane Vilas – WK

  • International Debut: March 30, 2012 International Matches: 6 Tests, 1 T20I
  • Age Left: 30 Age Now: 36
  • County Team: Lancashire
  • Previous Teams: South Western Districts, Lions, Cape Cobras, South Africa A, South Africa XI
  • T20 Teams: Lahore Qalandars, Northern Superchargers
  • SA Domestic Team (Current): Has not played again in SA domestic circuit yet

Claim to Fame

Has scored over 9700 first class runs with 22 centuries. Appeared in the movie Hansie as Allan Donald.

What did South Africa Miss?

SA missed out on a great wicket-keeping substitute. AB De Villiers took the burden as keeper for most of his career. and Quinton de Kock’s entry signaled the end of Vilas’ international career. However South Africa would have liked long-term wicket-keeping reserves just like India had Parthiv Patel, Wriddhiman Saha, Dinesh Karthik, and Rishabh Pant in case of injury to MS Dhoni (or playing alongside for an extended batting order).

7. Hardus Viljoen (2016)

  • International Debut: January 13-15, 2016 International Matches: Only Test
  • Age Left: 26 Age Now: 32
  • County Team: Derbyshire (Kent earlier)
  • T20 Teams: Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawari Zalmi, St. Lucia Zouks, Kings XI Punjab
  • Previous Teams: Easterns, Lions, Titans, South African Invitation XI
  • SA Domestic Team (Current): Boland

Claim To Fame

Took Alastair Cook’s wicket first ball of his Test career (only Test).

Also mentioned in Faf du Plessis’ infamous hilarious toss interview.

What did South Africa Miss?

Reserve depth in the medium pace allrounder-finisher slot. After Viljoen, Wiese, & Parnell left, Chris Morris, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, and Wiaan Mulder were the only names left. With Morris’ strained relationship with CSA and Phehlukwayo’s loss of form, SA does not have many options anymore. At only 32 and back in SA domestic circuit, there may be an opening for a comeback.

8. Wayne Parnell (2018)

  • International Debut: January 12, 2009 International Matches: 6 Tests, 66 OIs, 40 T20Is
  • Age Left: 28 Age Now: 32
  • County Team: Worcestershire (Sussex, Kent earlier)
  • Previous Teams: Cape Cobras, Eastern Province, Warriors, South Africa U-19, South Africa A
  • T20 Teams: Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Barbados Tridents, Pune Warriors, Delhi Daredevils
  • SA Domestic Team (Current): Western Province

Claim To Fame

Youngest player to get a CSA contract after his early age/U-19 World Cup heroics, Parnell burst onto the scene around the 2009 T20 World Cup. Good performances lead to a great IPL deal, and Parnell became a rising star.

He played in a couple more World Cups but injuries meant other bowlers jumped ahead in the pecking order. He left for a Kolpak deal but has come back, still only 32.

What did South Africa Miss?

A left-arm seamer for variation. Marco Jansen grabbed eyeballs with his great debut against India, but that is exactly what South Africa have been missing. Among the Steyn-Morkel-Philander-Rabada-Nortje generation, there haven’t been as many left-arm swing bowlers in the last decade for South Africa apart from Parnell (like Boult, Starc, and Shaheen). Good allrounder as well.

9. Simon Harmer (2016)

  • International Debut: Jan 1-5, 2015, International Matches: 5 Tests
  • Age Left: 27 Age Now: 32
  • County Team: Essex
  • Previous Teams: Border, Warriors, Eastern Province, South African Universities, South Africa A
  • SA Domestic Team (Current): Titans

Claim To Fame

He is well known for self-acclaimed statement that he is the best-off spinner in the world. With 719 first class wickets and the highest wicket-taker in England first class for the last five years, that may actually be true (along with Nathan Lyon and Ravichandran Ashwin).

He has signed a 5-year contract with Essex as an overseas player till 2026.

What did South Africa Miss?

Although leg spinners were in demand in 2010s (Tahir) and left arm spinners are now at the top of the demand list (Maharaj, Shamsi, Fortuin, Linde), they have been missing a world class off spinner. Aiden Markram’s off-spin can only take you so far…

10. Kyle Abbott (2017)

  • International Debut: Feb 22-24, 2013 (Player of the match), International Matches: 11 Tests, 34 ODIs, 26 T20Is
  • Age Left: 29 Age Now: 34
  • County Team: Hampshire (Middlesex, Worcestershire other teams)
  • T20 Leagues: Pune Warriors, Chennai Super Kings, Kings XI Punjab, Lahore Qalandars
  • Previous Teams: Dolphins, Warriors, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa A
  • SA Domestic Team (Current): Boland

Claim To Fame

With Steyn-Morkel-Philander at their peak, Abbott did not get consistent opportunities but made the most of it when he was given a chance, especially in limited overs. The 2015 World cup semi-final broke the backbone of the South African team as an injured Vernon Philander was picked (due to political interference/quota system) over Kyle Abbott, the man in-form. South Africa lost, and slowly began to crumble.

Abbott announced his Kolpak decision after everything had been confirmed (without informing CSA) on the same day as Rilee Rossouw—the ultimate double jolt.

What did South Africa Miss?

South Africa missed a smooth transition between the Steyn-Morkel generation and the Rabada-Ngidi generation. Abbott had been earmarked as the next leader in line but that did not happen. Thankfully, Rabada had a great couple of years and Nortje followed it up with a good partnership.

Abbott is back in SA although he has not yet committed to an international return. His first goal is to get back in form due to the Covid-induced break.

11. Duanne Olivier (2019)

  • International Debut: Jan 12-14, 2017, International Matches: 10 Tests, 2 ODIs
  • Age Left: 26 Age Now: 29
  • County Team: Yorkshire
  • Previous Teams: Free State, Knights, South Africa U-19
  • T20 Teams: Jaffna Stallions, Jozi Stars
  • SA Domestic Team (Current): Lions

Claim To Fame

48 Test wickets in 10 matches at an average of 19.25, what a brilliant start to his career. In the second series against Pakistan, he took two 5-fers in a match and went onto take 24 wickets in the series (best haul in a 3-match series since 1902-03), thereby becoming the player of the series.

What did South Africa Miss?

When one door opens, another closes.

Abbott left on January 1st, 2017. Olivier began his journey on January 12th, 2017. It looked like South Africa had found a replacement right away. It worked in their favor for about two short years, before he was picked by Yorkshire. Broken dreams for South African fans again.

12. Marchant de Lange (2017)

  • International Debut: Dec 26-29, 2011, International Matches: 2 Tests, 4 ODIs, 6 T20Is
  • Age Left: 25 Age Now: 31
  • County Team: Glamorgan
  • Previous Teams: Eastern, Free State, Titans, Knights, Pretoria University, South Africa Academy
  • T20 Teams: Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Dambulla Giants, Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Team Abu Dhabi, Bengal Tigers, Trent Rockets, Durban Heat
  • SA Domestic Team (Current): Has not played again in SA domestic circuit yet

Claim To Fame

In a bowling attack comprising of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Imran Tahir, and Jacques Kallis, de Lange came up with figures of 23.2-3-81-7 in his debut bowling performance.

What did South Africa Miss?

Unfortunately, injuries meant he could never cement a place in the South African squad and hence, took the Kolpak deal in 2017. Still only 31 and the joint highest wicket taker in the Hundred, he could be a dark horse for a comeback.

Squad:

13. Cameron Delport (holds a British passport and signed with Essex – plays T20 leagues around the world)

14. Farhaan Behardien, former South African T20 captain, has signed with Durham (before Brexit so his future is safe with them) but has not played yet due to COVID.

*This does not include Dane Piedt & Juan (Rusty) Theron, who have gone to the United States as an alternate option.

List of All-Time Kolpak South African Players

South Africa Exodus XI

  1. Faf du Plessis (2007, came back again)
  2. Neil McKenzie (2010)
  3. Jacques Rudolph (2007, came back to SA again; later went back to England as an overseas player)
  4. Hashim Amla (2019)
  5. Ashwell Prince (2013)
  6. Justin Kemp (2008)
  7. Andrew Hall (2008)
  8. David Wiese (2017)
  9. Paul Harris (2006, came back again)
  10. Ryan Maclaren (2007, came back to SA again; later came back to England as an overseas player)
  11. Morne Morkel (2018)

First Choice Squad:

12. Alfonso Thomas (2008), 13. Lance Klusener, 14. Shaun Pollock (2008), 15. Nicky Boje (2008), 16. Vernon Philander (signed but cancelled), 17. Charl Langeveldt (2008), 18. Andre Nel (2009)

Squad: 19. Claude Henderson, 20. Greg Smith (2004), 21. Riki Wessels, 22. Charl Willoughby, 23. Martin van Jaarsveld, 24. Zander de Bruyn (2005), 25. Garnett Kruger, 26. Tyron Henderson (2007), 27. Dillon du Preez, 28. Dominic Telo, 29. Friedel de Wet, 30. Johan van der Wath, 31. Nantie Hayward (2008), 32. Johann Myburgh (2011), 33. Gareth Roderick (2012), 34. Alviro Peterson (2015), 35. Daryn Smit – WK (2017)

List of Non-South African Kolpak Players

  1. Dwayne Smith (2008, West Indies – Barbados)
  2. Brendon Taylor – WK/Captain (2015, Zimbabwe, later came back)
  3. Murray Goodwin (2005, Zimbabwe)
  4. Grant Flower (2004, Zimbabwe)
  5. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (2017, West Indies – Guyana)
  6. Grant Elliot (2017, New Zealand)
  7. Brendan Nash (2013, West Indies – Jamaica, born in Australia)
  8. Wavell Hinds (2008, West Indies – Jamaica)
  9. Kyle Jarvis (2013, Zimbabwe)
  10. Blessing Muzarabani (2018, Zimbabwe, later came back)
  11. Fidel Edwards (2015, West Indies – Barbados, later came back)

Squad:

12. Ravi Rampaul (2016, West Indies – Trinidad & Tobago), 13. Ottis Gibson (2004, West Indies – Barbados), 14. Miguel Cummins (2019, West Indies – Barbados), 15. Tino Best (2017, West Indies – Barbados), 16. Pedro Collins (2007, West Indies – Barbados), 17. Corey Collymore (2008, West Indies – Barbados), 18. Jermaine Lawson (2008, West Indies – Jamaica, later moved to the USA), 19. Andre Adams (2008, New Zealand), 20. Anthony Ireland (2007, Zimbabwe)

What Was the Kolpak Deal?

The Kolpak ruling was named after Maros Kolpak (handball player from Slovakia) by the European Court of Justice. It was submitted on 28 November, 2000 and decided on 8 May, 2003.

County cricket had limited each team to have at most one overseas player. Earlier in 1995, the Bosman ruling had already admitted players from EU (like the Netherlands) to be considered as domestic players. The Kolpak ruling now allowed citizens of other countries with EU Association Agreements to have the same rights to work. Hence, a cricketer from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Jamaica, or Barbados did not eat up the overseas spots of counties.

However, they had to give up their international career until the Kolpak contract expired.

Why Did Kolpak Deal End?

With Brexit, the UK withdrew from the European Union (effective 31 January, 2020), thereby ceasing the Kolpak deal.

Also Read:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Kolpak Deal

Can Kolpak players play for South Africa?

Yes, Kolpak players can now play for South Africa (beginning in 2022). They are already able to be picked domestic South African sides. Wayne Parnell has played a few ODIs upon his return and Duanne Olivier has starred in some Test matches.Wayne Parnell's photo in his comeback

Has Kolpak ended?

Yes, the Kolpak deals ended as of January 31st, 2020, when the United Kingdom officially left the European Union.

Why do South African cricketers leave South Africa?

South African cricketers leave South Africa for multiple reasons—financial opportunities, administrative drama, quota system, Apartheid, passport of another country through family citizenship, and decreasing value of the South African Rand (7.81 rands = $1 in Jan 30, 2012 to 18.52 on April 29, 2020).

How many cricketers took the Kolpak deal?

Overall around 69 cricketers took Kolpak deals at some points in their career (49 from South Africa, 6 Zimbabwe, 2 New Zealand, and 12 West Indies – 7 Barbados, 3 Jamaica, 1 Trinidad and Tobago, 1 Guyana).Kolpak South African cricketers graphic

Which Kolpak South African players are available for a national comeback?

Stiaan van Zyl, Richard Levi, Rilee Roussow, Heino Kuhn, Colin Ingram, Dane Vilas, Hardus Viljoen, Wayne Parnell, Simon Harmer, Kyle Abbott, and Duanne Olivier are eligible for a South African cricket team national comeback (or have already been picked).

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 12/31/2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

200th Article Special: 5 Things I have Learned From My Journey of Cricket Writing

Welcome fellow readers to the 200th Special!

This is going to be a different sort of article — No World T20 match reviews, not dissecting India’s disaster or praising Namibia’s story, no analysis or stats either, and surprisingly, not even any predictions. Just pure reflection with a hint of philosophy.

91 years after Don Bradman hit his first out of 12 Test double centuries, I finally have my first double as a writer. How did I get here? Why did I start this journey? What have I learned?

To give this article a twist, the theme of this article will rally around the lyrics of some pieces of music. I would highly encourage you to click on the song and give them a listen as well.

1. “It Means No Worries”

Song: Hakuna Matata – Lion King

Significant Quote:

“It means no worries for the rest of your days. It’s our problem-free philosophy…

Hakuna Matata!”

Situation: Finally starting this blog and website after England Vs West Indies 1st Test as cricket resumed post-COVID

What Is My Story?

I have been watching cricket for my whole existence, ever since the 2003 Cricket World Cup. My close ones tell me that I used to memorize the line ups of all the teams, from Australia to Zimbabwe, dragged my plastic bat around the house, and tried to copy actions of bowlers like Brett Lee, Harbhajan Singh, and Anil Kumble and the strokes of batters like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Sanath Jayasuriya, Rahul Dravid, and Mohammad Yousuf.

Not much has changed 18 years later. From Afghanistan to Papua New Guinea, I still memorize players’ names, follow most cricket, play cricket casually with my brother and friends, and try to copy mystery spinners like Ajantha Mendis and Theekshana (since Rashid Khan is too hard to emulate). Moreover, I now go into in-depth analysis before the game, after game, read articles on Cricinfo, watch CricBuzz Live, crunch up the numbers, and more.

You can say that I am obsessed with cricket. Not much has changed all these years…except that I talk a lot more now.

I was told I should start writing about cricket but for years, I never took that action. However, after Jason Holder & a hobbling Campbell secured a victory after Jermaine Blackwood’s counterattack, I was filled with emotion. In that moment, I realized what we had all missed during the sports break. A few minutes later, I began my journey as a cricket writer.

Life Lesson #1

From that moment, I changed my working philosophy—If you have any idea, take the action. Do not just play scenarios in your head or think what others would think of you or how you would be judged. Take your destiny in your own hands, channel your inner Timon & Pumba, and live a problem-free life just as you want.

2. Broken Cricket Dreams — Where Dreams Live

Song: Somewhere Over The Rainbow from the Wizard of Oz

Significant Quote:

“And the dreams that you dare to dream

Really do come true”

Situation: Cricket writing fulfilled a life long dream

What Was My Underlying Motivation?

Once this website opened, the natural question was what it going to be called? What was my motivation? Here is the story.

I dreamed of becoming a cricketer, as did billions of people around the globe. Staying till the end, winning matches for your team are moments I would visualize and imagine.

I finally got my opportunity and began playing school level cricket way back in third and fourth grades. A few months later, our school finally was invited for a knockout tournament. I was guaranteed a place in the second match. In the first match, we lost a last over thriller, and our team was knocked out. We moved, and little did I know that it would be my last game of cricket or sports.

Broken Cricket Dreams.

Guess what? There are numerous other fans with similar stories. And that is why we created this platform. You can share your own pain and share your joy from cricket. Here, dreams come true. Little did I imagine that people would appreciate my content, I would get a chance to interact with some of my favorite players, journalists, writers, and love the game even more from the outside.

Life Lesson #2

Always expect the unexpected. Life may not go to plan, but whatever comes your way might be a blessing in disguise as writing was for me. Don’t have regrets, smile, enjoy your journey, celebrate the struggle, dream big, follow your passion, appreciate the small things in life, and things will be good.

3. “But I am Not The Only One”

Song: Imagine by John Lennon

Significant Quote:

“You may say I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one…:

Situation: Cricket Twitter

Sharing Is Caring

Living in a non-cricket playing nation, it was difficult to find people to talk to with whom I could share this passion for cricket. Before I started this website, I used to talk in-depth about each and every cricket match with my family and a couple of close friends. Since I had no other outlets, I used to chew their brains off.

What I have realized since the inception of this website 15 months ago is that even though I am a dreamer and live in my own cricket bubble….I am not the only cricket fan on Earth. In fact there are more like me. There are fans of the game who go to even more of an extent for the love of the game. Fans with a greater sense of loss or broken dreams.

The other, more darker aspect of Twitter and social media in general is the divisiveness. When things are going well, social media is usually a nice happy place. However, fan wars, cancel culture, trolling, tagging cricket players themselves, abusing their families take away from the game.

Life Lesson #3

Loving one country does not mean detesting the opposition. You can have too different views without contradicting each other. Spread Love. Sharing is Caring, Shouting is Not. Man has created boundaries. Cricket can unite the broken world. This is where the final line of John Lennon’s song comes in.

I hope someday you will join us, and the world will live as one”

4. “I Did It My Way”

Song: My Way by Frank Sinatra

Significant Quote:

“When there was doubt, I ate it up and spit it out.

I faced it all, and I stood tall,

And I did it my way.”

Situation: Trying to be me

Thinking Outside The Box

One of my main goals when starting this project was to do things differently from a normal cricket or news site. There are several better platforms for that.

I have tried to make content unique by embedding my personality via life lessons, philosophy, and cultural references or by experimenting with different styles and formats (A Shakespearean play, The Comedy of Overs, for example). Everything has not worked. I have struggled, doubted myself, overworked, but in the end, I learned, improved, changed things, and progressed further.

Life Lesson #4

There are millions of ways to manifest your love for something. I choose to portray my love of cricket via writing. Yours might be different. There is no one right or wrong answer. You can express your love or admiration for anything in numerous ways. Just whatever you do, give it your all and do it YOUR way. Be honest. Be yourself.

Life is a game. You win some, you lose some. Sportsmanship make your life easier. You become a better human being when not bogged down by failures. Learn from failures, work hard, and rise again. Any setbacks just make you stronger.

5. “Time To Say Goodbye”

Song: Time to Say Goodbye by Sarah Brightman & Andrea Boceli

Situation: Thank You to everyone out there reading this

Thank You

Okay, this is not really a goodbye. I just love this piece of music. This is just the beginning of my writing journey, but I wanted I want to end this article with a Thank You. Thank you for all my readers and all the followers on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as well. I love the engagement and learning from y’all. Friendly banter, memes, stories, art make my day. Hoping for many more years of conversation ahead!

Life Lesson #5

Be grateful. For everything and everyone. Hug your family. Keep in touch with your friends. Make that call you have been waiting for. Reach out if there are any mental health struggles. Appreciate one another. This pandemic has taught us some harsh lessons. Cherish every moment. To be human is to be grateful.

If you like this content on Dinesh Karthik, please subscribe and follow us on our social media accounts.

Follow us here if you are on Medium or Bloglovin‘.

If you are one of my new followers, I will leave you with some of my best writing and featured articles.

Featured Articles

I. My Favorite Cricket Heroes and What We Can Learn From Them?

My cricket writing journey began with a tribute to Rahul Dravid. Since then, I have written about some of my other favorite players—Dale Steyn, Ellyse Perry, Ross Taylor, Faf Du Plessis & AB De Villiers, Umar Gul, Nicholas Pooran, Dinesh Karthik, Lasith Malinga, Joe Denly, Sam Curran, Dean Jones, the Bangladesh Fab Five, and the duo of Suresh Raina & MS Dhoni.

Just swipe the photos for more articles in each category.

II. World XIs With Twists

Have you ever tried to compile an XI of South African born players playing for other countries? Or wondered what the most beautiful stadiums in the world are? Here is some of my lists—Players who retired too early, most underrated cricketers, unluckiest XI, commentators XI, most stylish, etc.

III. How Can We Improve Test Cricket and the World Test Championship?

IV. Life Lessons

V. Cricket Analysis

VI. Experimental Interviews & Articles

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 11/01/2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Dale Steyn, The Embodiment of Simplicity and Intensity, Retires—The Greatest Fast Bowler of Them All

Everyone loves Dale Steyn—Simply the Greatest.

Famous French fashion designer Coco Chanel professed that “Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.”

Simplicity and Intensity were the hallmarks of Dale Steyn’s illustrious career—ever smiling character with a popping veins-chainsaw celebration, a smooth, silky action that delivered lethal bouncers, a humble down-to-earth character who assumed the mantle of being the greatest fast bowler of his generation.

Hence, it was true to his character that he hung up his boots via an understated tweet. He signed off with a snippet from the Counting Crows rock band and summed up the end as “bittersweet, but grateful…It’s been 20 years of training, matches, travel, wins, losses, strapped feet, jet lag, joy, and brotherhood.”

Table of Contents

  1. The Beginning
  2. Dale Steyn Stats – Strike Rate Like No Other
  3. Records
    1. Overall
    2. Individual
  4. Teams
  5. My Favorite Steyn Memory
  6. The Rise of Dale Steyn, Conqueror of All Conditions
    1. The King of Asia
  7. Steyn Vs AB De Villiers IPL
  8. The Injuries
  9. Climbing the Peak
  10. Who Is Dale Steyn, The Person?
    1. The Inspiration
    2. Other Interesting Steyn Facts
    3. The Match That Broke Dale Steyn
  11. The Downfall of the Great Era
    1. Steyn, Morkel, Philander, Rabada
  12. The Legacy of Dale Steyn
  13. Dale Steyn Vs Jimmy Anderson – Let Us Settle The Debate
  14. What Can We Learn From Dale Steyn?
    1. Life Lessons
  15. Dale Steyn Fast Bowling Videos
  16. Interested In Reading More Such Tributes? Check These Articles Below

The Beginning

Steyn was thrusted in the international arena after just seven first class games. He began his Test career on December 17, 2004 against England, debuting in the same match as the another-to-be legend, Abraham Benjamin de Villiers.

Both teams had great bowlers. On the opposite end—Steve Harmison, Simon Jones, Matthew Hoggard, and Andrew Flintoff (formed the core of the great 2005 Ashes series), while South Africa had the dependable duo of Shaun Pollock & Makhaya Ntini.

Then arrived a 21-year old boy in iconic fashion, going through the gates of Marcus Trescothick and breaking a 152-run opening partnership. In the 43rd over. Full and straight. Slight movement. He screamed. Crowd erupted.

Usually, one brilliant delivery in a match is good enough. However, the ball from Steyn’s debut that is remembered is that Michael Vaughan ball in the second innings. Good length, outswing, beats the bat, off stump rooted. Perfection.

Although South Africa eventually lost that match, they found someone would would win them the decade.

Dale Steyn Stats – Strike Rate Like No Other

Before we jump into his best hits, let us look over some numbers really quick.

We tend to focus on batting strike rate much more due to T20 cricket and increasing run-rates, but to understand what set Steyn apart, we need to understand bowling strike rate. Bowling strike rate is the number of balls taken per dismissal on average. The lower, the better.

Matches Wickets Best Strike Rate Average 5-fers 10-fers
Test (Overall)934397/51 (Innings)
11/60 (Match)
42.3022.95265
Test (Asia)22927/51 (Innings)
10/108 (Match)
42.924.1151
Steyn in Tests

MatchesWicketsBestStrike RateAverage5-fersEconomy
ODI1251966/3931.9025.9534.87
T20I47644/915.8018.352 (4-fers)6.94
T202282634/919.2022.004 (4-fers)6.85
Steyn in ODIs and T20Is

To put this into perspective, for those with at least 100 Test wickets, Waqar Younis (43.4), Shoaib Akhtar, (45.7), and Allan Donald (47) are the only other contemporary fast bowlers who were close to Steyn’s SR. From an earlier era, Malcolm Marshall (46.7) was the best, while Kagiso Rabada (41.2), Anrich Nortje, and Pat Cummins (47.1) are in the race right now.

Records

Overall

  • (42.30) 6th Best Strike Rate of All-Time, 3rd Best post-World War I. Only Shane Bond (38.7) & fellow countrymen Kagiso Rabada (41.2) higher
  • 3rd Fastest to 400 wickets, and the joint-fastest fast bowler to this mark alongside Sir Richard Hadlee (80 matches)
  • Most Test Wickets for South Africa, surpassing Shaun Pollock’s 421 wickets.
  • 8th Highest Wicket-Taker of All-Time (Only Muralitharan, Warne, Anderson*, Kumble, McGrath, Broad, Walsh ahead. None had a strike rate below 51.9)

Individual

  • ICC Test Cricketer of the Year (2008)
  • ICC Test Team of the Decade (2020)
  • #1 Ranked ICC Test Bowler (2008-2014) – 78 wickets at 16.24 in the 2007/08 season.

Teams

International: South Africa, Africa XI

Domestic: Eersterust Cricket Club, Titans, Northerns, Cape Cobras

IPL: Royal Challengers Bangalore, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad

Other T20 Leagues: Cape Town Blitz (Mzansi Super League), Melbourne Stars, Islamabad United, Quetta Gladiators, Kandy Tuskers

My Favorite Steyn Memory

My favorite aspect about Steyn was his action. Just a joy to watch. Anytime any format if Steyn is bowling, I would turn my TV on.

You see, the Shoaib Akthars and Lasith Malingas are legends in their own rights, but emulating their actions is a convoluted task. The two pace bowlers with almost perfect actions that I tried to imitate in gully cricket were Brett Lee and Dale Steyn. Uncomplicated yet effective.

To be perfectly honest, I do not remember his specific bowling figures from the top of my head. He has bowled so consistently over the decades that you only remember his iconic wickets or spells. More often than not he probably took a 4-fer or a 5-fer. Most times, I was scared for my favorite batter in the opposite camp, and that is the beauty of Dale Steyn—the ability to send shivers in the opposite camp but in an awe-inspiring, charming kind of manner.

The Rise of Dale Steyn, Conqueror of All Conditions

It would be difficult to go through all of his 29 5-fers, so let us talk about the greatest hits from Steyn’s career. Dropped after his early debut, he made a comeback. Against New Zealand, he would get his first five-fer in 2006.

He had memorable spells against England, Australia, and New Zealand. He took 5 wicket hauls in every condition and situation. Either with helpful seaming conditions or reverse swing.

He has literally taken a 5-fer against every country he played against.

Best Figures (Overall) Against This TeamBest Figures In This Country
Australia5/675/67
Bangladesh5/634/48
England5/515/56
India7/517/51
New Zealand6/493/49
Pakistan6/85/56
South Africa6/8
Sri Lanka5/545/54
U.A.E.4/98
West indies6/345/29
Zimbabwe5/465/46

The King of Asia

Steyn’s best figure was 7/51 at Nagpur in 2010, but it was his 5/23 in Ahmedabad (2008) that landed him in the lengdary fast bowling pantheon, when India were skittled out for 76 at home soil. His brilliant consistency in the 2008 series against India continued- 4/103 (Chennai), 5/23 & 3/91 (Ahmedabad), 3/71 (Kanpur).

In Sri Lanka, he lifted his game even more. 5/82 (2006), and beast mode in 2014 (5/54, 4/45, 2/69, 2/59). He even landed a 5/56 in Karachi (2007) and had a best innings of 4/48 in Bangladesh.

His best figures in South Africa was a miserly 6/8 when Pakistan were skittled for 49/10.

In limited overs, his record is decent as well although he did not play as many matches. 5 wickets in Nagpur against India in the 2011 World Cup, 4-0-17-4 figures while defending a thriller in the 2014 T20I World Cup, and a T20I economy of under-7 suggests he was a much better bowler than his T20 leagues returns suggest.

It would be grave injustice if I did not mention his batting. He was more than a useful down-the order player. Two Test fifties including a crucial 76 and a best of 60 in ODIs meant he was a better than a tailender, but not quite an all-rounder. Kemar Roach-esque batting abilities.

Steyn Vs AB De Villiers IPL

Another riveting memory is the 2012 IPL game between Deccan Chargers and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Chinawamy. 24 runs in one over. The inside out shot was the best of them all and even got a wry smile from Steyn in appreciationg of ABD’s class.

The brilliance of that passage of play was two players at the top of their games in a pressure situation and for once, Steyn had lost to his fellow countrymen.

Which phase of Dale Steyn was the most memorable or heartbreaking for you?

The Injuries

Another miraculous part of Steyn’s journey was his career of two halves—with respect to injuries.

Usually a fast bowler succumbs to an injury early in their career and comes back stronger, more well built (like Pat Cummins). An injury in the middle of the career means lowering the pace and focusing on line & length (like Munaf Patel). Another extreme is Brett Lee or Shane Bond (always injured, played cricket in between without compromising speed).

Steyn completely escaped this phase and never lost control, momentum, or pace. However, the law of averages came back to bite him at the end of his career.

Injury. Rehabilitation. Few games. Repeat.

  • 2013 (Groin Strain, Side Strain)
  • 2014 (Rib Fracture, 3 Hamstring Strains)
  • 2015 (Groin Strain)
  • 2015-16 (Shoulder Injury)
  • 2017 (Freak heel injury)
  • 2019 (Shoulder Injury) after being selected into the ODI World Cup squad

Climbing the Peak

Although his goal was to lift a trophy with South Africa, there was always a personal goal—to go one past Shaun Pollock. After numerous injuries, he got back up on his feet and on Boxing Day 2018, he took his 422nd wicket to become the leading wicket-taker for South Africa.

It was probably fate that Shaun Pollock would be commentating on that exact moment. Watch the video below to relieve that moment and all of his major milestone wickets till then.

After his shoulder injury again just before South Africa’s 2019 campaign started (and derailed), he announced on 5 August 2019 he would retire from Tests to focus on limited overs cricket. He ended at 439 after going past 400 in 2014.

Loss of form, pandemic, and postponement of the T20 World Cups meant it was time to retire in the other formats as well.

Steyn goes past Shaun Pollock, thereby becoming the highest wicket-taker for South Africa in Test cricket.

Who Is Dale Steyn, The Person?

Now that we know how good Steyn is as a bowler, let us get an insight on who the person he truly is—what really makes Dale Steyn kick. He has a life outside cricket, ya know? Thankfully, his interviews, especially this ESPNCricinfo’s Cricket Monthly interview with Nagraj Gollapudi, provides us a glimpse into his life.

Dale Steyn was born in the small town of Phalaborwa in the Limpopo Province (borders Kruger National Park in South Africa). Maybe the natural environment around him had an effect of him since he became an out-doorsy kind of person. Skateboarding, surfing, and fishing are some of his favorite hobbies. He even flexed his acting muscles for a cameo role in a Drew Barrymore-Adam Sandler movie Blended.

The Inspiration

He is a natural athlete who competed at various sports from an early level. 100 meter sprints, long jump, triple jump, high jumps all prepared him for long spells of bowling in Test match arena. He wanted to be like “Allan Donald through the air, but I wanted to land the ball the way Polly landed.. I wanted to be a faster version of Shaun Pollock.

The best of both worlds.

Steyn said that the “difference between a good fast bowler and a brilliant fast bowler is the wickets column.” He always backed himself to take wickets regardless of the condition and taking 5-fers in every Test playing nation was one of his goals. Here is his collection of souvenir cricket balls.

In order to rise to this level, he has had a lot of support from his coaches, Chris van Noordwyk, Vinnie Barnes, Geoff Clarke, and captains, Graeme Smith, AB De Villiers, and Hashim Amla.

Other Interesting Steyn Facts

There were couple of other cool snippets in there as well. Keeping his cool against dropped catches, facing the Kohlis and de Villiers, altercation with Michael Clarke, Tests vs ODIs, Tendulkar Vs Donald, and video analysis & field settings.

A fun fact is that his full run up is 19 meters, 21 steps, which helps him avoid bowling no-balls. Why is this important? Well because he once took a wicket on a no-ball early in the innings, and it cost his team dearly. The batter was Kumar Sangakkara and the innings became famous for the record 624 partnership with Mahela Jayawardene.

(If you want to learn how Steyn learned about cricket in the first place, hear it from the man himself. Interesting story).

The Match That Broke Dale Steyn

It is time to talk about that World Cup semi-final. In Faf Du Plessis & AB De Villiers’ Friendship article, we spoke about the 2015 World Cup match.

Ian Smith on commentary. Grant Elliot. Superman. It hurt AB De Villers & Faf du Plessis. Definitely hurt Morne Morkel. Probably ended Vernon Philander’s career. We never saw Miller 1.0 again. The entire team. Devastated.

Now for a moment, let us put ourselves into Dale Steyn’s shoe. He dominated the world between 2008 and 2015. Responsibility for the last over of a World Cup semi-final rested on his shoulders (which would literally break a year later). South Africa’s history of collapses and chokes running in the background.

How must have it felt. Carrying the burden of the nation, the tag of the best fast bowler of the generation. One good ball, and you are in the legendary books. One bad ball, and you are scarred for life. Vettori squeezing a wide yorker, chaos in the field, overthrow chances. Steyn calm under pressure. Yet a half-volley in the small grounds of Auckland and Elliot did not miss his chance to glory.

Six. South Africa out. Steyn changed forever.

He reveals how he knew he was going to bowl the final over irrespective of Brendon McCullum’s expensive assault earlier in the innings. After all, he defended 7 runs in the 2014 T20 World Cup match against the same opposition. (He ended with 4-0-17-4 in Bangladesh. Wow). “This year was the hardest in dealing with that pain after the World Cup…We had our chances to win the game…Knowing that you have put four years’ hard work in, especially the last two years before the tournament, all you see is yourself holding the trophy. And then you don’t.”

The Downfall of the Great Era

With Steyn’s retirement, this is the close of one of the better chapters in South African cricket (Technically Faf and Tahir are still available for T20 World Cup selection, but have not been selected recently). All of them deserve a separate article.

Herschelle Gibbs was the architect of that 438 chase. Graeme Smith was the young leader who could bat with a broken hand. The pure class of Hashim Amla & AB De Villiers was unmatched. Faf’s leadership & resilience and once-in-a-generation-allrounder, Jacques Kallis, are often underrated. JP Duminy & Mark Boucher were the utility players every team needs for balance.

Steyn, Morkel, Philander, Rabada

Donald, Ntini, and Pollock passed on the baton to Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, and Kagiso Rabada—possibly the greatest line up (if only for just a few Tests). Philander’s swing made him the second fastest to 50 wickets, while Morne’s height and action bamboozled one and all. Rabada will soon form his leagacy of his own, and Imran Tahir was the energy boost South Africa required.

Together, they conquered teams overseas and became the No. 1 Test Team of the decade, the only ones to really challenge the great 2000s Australia team consistently and win away from home in the 2010s.

The future of South Africa lies with Quinton de Kock, Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Janneman Malan (100+ average in 9 ODIs by the way), Keshav Maharaj, and Tabraiz Shamsi. This is a pretty solid core, but it will take quite a few generations to reach the heights of Steyn’s South African team.

The Legacy of Dale Steyn

To answer this question, we must first ask ourselves what is great fast bowling?

Is it swinging it like Jimmy Anderson? Putting fear in the opposition’s heart like a Mitchell Johnson or Shoaib Akhtar? Delivering consistent line and lengths like Glenn McGrath & Shaun Pollock? Having a seamless action like Brett Lee? Bowling yorkers at will like a Mitchell Starc? Reverse swing like Waqar Younis?

Imagine all of these players. Package them into one. Add a tinge of humbleness with Sam Curran’s ability to make things happen. There you have it. Dale Steyn, the greatest Test pace bowler of all time.

The 1980s had Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, and the West Indies fast bowlers. The 1990s with was dominated by the Pakistan duo Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram. Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Richard Hadlee all played stellar roles in this era as well. Steyn, Akhtar, and Lee a carried the baton to the next generation and made sure that “fast bowling is cool.” In the age of T20 cricket where sixes are hit on will, Steyn played his part in extending the beauty of pace bowling. The fact that Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje have arrived on the scene has to be credited to senior bowlers like Steyn & Morkel.

He ends that interview with, “The moment I feel I can’t contribute anymore I will not hang on. And if I fall just short of 100 Test matches or five short of 500 Test wickets, that’s fine.”

Unfortunately, that his how it ended. 7 short of a 100 Tests and 61 short of 500 wickets. Legendary career nevertheless.

Dale Steyn Vs Jimmy Anderson – Let Us Settle The Debate

Both Anderson and Steyn are in awe of each other. Steyn describes Anderson as “a more skillful bowler…I am a fan,” in Sky Sports’ Lockdown special, while Anderson’s tribute tweet to his retirement was that Steyn was “The Best.”

Every generation, there are three to five great fast bowlers but maybe one all-time great. We should be grateful we had two. Jimmy Anderson, the greatest swing bowler in the history of Test cricket and Dale Steyn, the greatest pace bowler of all-time.

Let us appreciate both and cheer on Jimmy Anderson in whatever time he has left.

What Can We Learn From Dale Steyn?

Being at the top for over a decade requires immense discipline and fitness levels.

It is one thing to be a great fast bowler. Another to comeback with the same intensity. Not once, not twice. But thrice. My heart sank when his freak heel injury occurred, a sign that the end was near.

I just wanted him to bowl some more. Another Test. Just another spell. Maybe one more over.

Every good thing comes to an end, and so does his magnificent career. I am sure he will continue to inspire athletes around the world and mentor fast bowlers like he did in his career. We will all miss watching Dale Steyn dominate the best batting attacks around the world. I will miss that anger, speed, cartwheeling stumps, celebration, and of course, the action.

Life Lessons

Kids, if you are reading this and want to make a sports person your idol, there is no one better than the great Dale Steyn. So what can we learn from Dale Steyn?

Give it your all on the field and be a decent human being off it. Steyn might have shown plenty of emotions in intense situations, but outside the cricket ground, he is a super chill dude who likes to fish and stay away from conflict.

The truth is that being gifted alone cannot make you great. Simplicity. Honesty. Hard work. Discipline. Consistency. Longevity. Adaptability. You need all characteristics to work in sync.

Steyn was gifted. Not everyone can bowl at such high pace. If you are talented in a particular area and enjoy doing it, you should pursue it further. In order to convert the potential into actual realization, persevere and power through.

You will eventually find your away. Just like a Steyn outswinger that beat the bat and rattled the top of off stump.

Dale Steyn Fast Bowling Videos

  1. What the Aussies Think of Dale Steyn
  2. Steyn Vs David Warner-World’s Most Curious Battle
  3. 6 Wickets Durban Vs India (2010)
  4. Bowleds, Beats, and Bouncers

Interested In Reading More Such Tributes? Check These Articles Below

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CSK Vs MI- IPL 2021 Match 27 Review: Pollard Powers Resurgent MI to Memorable Chase

CSK Vs MI – IPL 2021 Match #27 Quick Review! What a Game! Pollard Power to the Fore! The best game of IPL 2021 so far.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: CSK Vs MI Video Highlights

Toss: MI won the toss and chose to field first.

Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

Umpires: KN Ananthapadmanabhan & Nandan

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Mumbai Indians won by 4 wickets.
  • Scores: CSK 218-4 Vs MI 219-6
  • Player of the Match: Kieron Pollard
  • Best Figures
    • Kieron Pollard – 2/12
    • Sam Curran – 3/34
  • Most Runs
    • Ambati Rayudu – 72* (27)
    • Kieron Pollard – 87* (34)

Moments of The Day: Rayudu’s Hitting & Pollard’s Epic All-Round Show

Here are my moments of today:

  • Faf du Plessis-Moeen Ali’s consistency at the top drives CSK. After Ruturaj departed for 4, onus was on Faf-Moeen to repeat what they have done all-tournament, and they did not disappoint. Aggressive 108 partnership in 61 balls, with both amassing fifties set the tone for the carnage to follow.
  • Ambati Rayudu’s free-flowing nature gets CSK past 200. Rayudu’s career has perhaps been the greatest Broken Dream in recent Indian cricket. At an ODI overage of 47.05 with 3 centuries & 10 fifties, it is a shame he only played 55 ODIs and was dropped at the eve of the 2019 World Cup. 2004 India U-19 member, in-and-out of the international team, run-ins with the management, the Indian Cricket League stint—he has seen it all, but this innings was the most fluent I have ever seen him play. He had a really good IPL as an opener a couple of seasons back, and this 72* (27) in the middle order showed his versatility. 7 sixes, 4 fours, 102* (49) partnership where ‘finisher’ Jadeja ended with 22* (22). Brilliant.
  • Pollard can do no wrong. When Faf & Moeen were galloping along, Pollard was given the ball in the 11th over. He delivered right away with medium-pace dibbly-dobblies, taking back-to-back wickets of du Plessis & Suresh Raina. When Pollard came in to bat, Mumbai Indians still needed 138 in 62 balls. After getting an eye in, he was just 3 (5). In came Jadeja, Pollard smashed 3 sixes in 4 balls and never looked back.

Definitely one of the best IPL all-round shows of all-time.

Honorable Mention: Hardik Pandya’s cameo with back-to-back sixes brings MI closer; Sam Curran almost brings CSK back into the game with yorkers at the death; Quinton de Kock-Rohit Sharma set 71-run opening partnership for MI

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Du Plessis Drops Catch, What?

There are two ways at looking at this game: 1. Brilliant game between the two best sides of the IPL that added another classic to its memories; 2. Good game, but CSK’s faults gave Pollard and co enough opportunity to bounce back. Here are chances CSK gave away.

  • Sam Curran has just delivered a 2-run/wicket over in the 17th and Chennai are back in it. Shardul Thakur gives up a couple of boundaries but CSK hold the upper-hand with 34 needed in 14. Thakur bowls, Pollard swipes, Faf runs in and drops it. Straight through his fingers. 2 runs taken. Pollard still alive. The game changing moment.
  • Shardul Thakur & Lungi Ngidi’s expensive figures gives MI the advantage. Thakur finished with 4-0-56-1 while Ngidi ended with 4-0-62-0, including the full-toss filled last over.
  • Why did the field not come in with 2 needed in 1 ball? Usually in a close game, some time is taken and field is brought it before the last ball, but completely opposite in this case. Would not have mattered given how Pollard was batting, but this was just too easy for him.
  • Suresh Raina’s IPL is going downhill after the 54 in the opening game. He has scored 69 runs at 17.25 in the other 5 matches he had a bat.

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

  • Shikhar Dhawan 380 runs (PBKS, 8 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 17 wickets (RCB, 7 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Delhi Capitals 862012+0.547
2. Chennai Super Kings752010+1.263
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore 752010 -0.171
4. Mumbai Indians74308+ 0.062
5. Rajasthan Royals73406-0.190
6. Punjab Kings83506-0.368
7. Kolkata Knight Riders72504-0.494
8. Sunrisers Hyderabad71602-0.623
IPL 2021 Points Table

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Faf Du Plessis

CSK Vs SRH – IPL 2021 Match 23 Review: Do SRH Need to Drop David Warner For Jason Roy?

CSK Vs SRH – IPL 2021 Match #23 Quick Review! The better side won today. Warner disappoints, and Gaikwad-Faf partnership impresses again.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: CSK Vs SRH Video Highlights

Toss: SRH won the toss and chose to field first.

Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

Umpires: Chettithody Shamshuddin & Nandan

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Chennai Super Kings won by 7 wickets.
  • Scores: SRH 171-3 Vs CSK 173-3
  • Player of the Match: Ruturaj Gaikwad
  • Best Figures
    • Lungi Ngidi – 2/35
    • Rashid Khan – 3/36
  • Most Runs
    • Manish Pandey – 61 (46)
    • Ruturaj Gaikwad – 75 (44)

Moments of The Day: Positive Faf-Gaikwad Shine Light On Warner-Pandey’s Conservative Approach

Here are my moments of today:

  • David Warner & Manish Pandey once SRH’s strength are now the weakness. For once we will not be talking about Manish Pandey’s slow going. After being dropped from the SRH XI, he came back with a relatively positive 35-ball 50. On the other hand, sluggish 57 (55) by David Warner was the difference between the two sides. In his own words, “I batted slow…I take full responsibility…I took too many balls.” At the end of the day, a 106 (87) partnership should not be losing you too many games.
  • Kane Williamson’s finishing skills comes to the forefront. After SRH’s slow approach, Williamson began his famous rescue act. With four 4s & one six, he ended up with 26*(10) and received some good support from Kedar Jadhav, who hit 12* (4) with one six. 37 runs were scored in the last 13 balls to lift SRH to 171, but unfortunately it was too little, too late.
  • Ruturaj Gaikwad & Faf du Plessis are key to CSK’s revival. Gaikwad now has had 6 innings of note in his short IPL career. He was going neck and neck with Faf at one point, but when the spin duo Suchith-Rashid arrived, Gaikwad went berserk, ending with a score of 75 including 12 classic fours. Faf is enjoying a second wind after retiring from Test cricket and relieving South African captaincy. Mr. Ultra Consistent, he has been diving around the field and has now become the Orange Cap holder in IPL 2021. With scores of 0, 36*, 33, 95*, 50, 56, Faf just keeps on getting better.

Highlight of the Day

  • The best part of their fifties was the celebration from the dugout. Everyone stood up with Robin Uthappa (who may not get a game if Gaikwad keeps on going well) clapping with a smile and the best of the lot – whistles from Deepak Chahar. CSK’s team spirit is growing game by game and are slowly approaching unstoppable status.

Honorable Mention: Rashid Khan expensive but among the wickets; Lungi Ngidi’s 2 wickets; Faf’s catch & boundary riding

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Sunrisers Hyderabad Bench

  • While Pandey & Warner were stitching singles in the middle overs, I could not help but wonder how Jason Roy, Mohammad Nabi, & Jason Holder would go about in the situation. In my pre-tournament previews, I had SRH in my top 4 due to their flexibility and bench strength. Yet, they have not been able to figure out their balance. It is time that Warner rests himself for a couple of games, Williamson take on the captaincy mantle, & SRH unleashes the Roy-Bairstow opening combination.
  • In the last game, Warner implied that he did not know why Pandey was dropped for Virat Singh, and today he questioned Williamson’s #4 position.

David Warner’s post-match conferences are suddenly being scrutinized. Cryptic for sure. Is there a power struggle in SRH’s dugout? Who is making all the decisions?

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

Shikhar Dhawan has been dethroned! Faf du Plessis up at the top now.

  • Faf du Plessis 270 runs (CSK, 6 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 17 wickets (RCB, 6 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Chennai Super Kings651010+1.475
2. Royal Challengers Bangalore 651010 +0.089
3. Delhi Capitals64208+ 0.269
4. Mumbai Indians52304-0.032
5. Kolkata Knight Riders62404-0.305
6. Punjab Kings 62404-0.608
7. Rajasthan Royals52304-0.681
8. Sunrisers Hyderabad61502-0.264
IPL 2021 Points Table

Tomorrow’s Preview

Mumbai Indians take on Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders take on Delhi Capitals in double header day.

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Faf Du Plessis

KKR Vs PBKS – IPL 2021 Match 21 Review: Bowlers, Captain Morgan Inspire Big KKR Win

KKR Vs PBKS – IPL 2021 Match #21 Quick Review! Mavi-Krishna, Sunil Narine, Rahul Tripathi, and captain Morgan the positives. A brilliant catch by Ravi Bishnoi, but not much else for PBKS.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: KKR Vs PBKS Video Highlights

Toss: RR won the toss and chose to bat first.

Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

Umpires: Paul Reiffel & Yeshwant Borde

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Kolkata Knight Riders won by 5 wickets.
  • Scores: PBKS 123-9 KKR 126-5
  • Player of the Match: Eoin Morgan
  • Best Figures
    • Prasidh Krishna – 3/30
    • Moises Henriques – 1/5 (1 over), Mohammad Shami – 1/25 (4 overs)
  • Most Runs
    • Mayank Agarwal – 31 (34)
    • Eoin Morgan – 47 (40)

Moments of The Day: Kolkata’s Pacers Vs Intent-less Punjab

The IPL is full of surprises and memorable moments. Here are my moments of today:

  • Shivam Mavi & Prasidh Krishna have been earmarked of representing India. Krishna had a brilliant debut series already. Today, Shivam Mavi’s spell of 4-0-13-1 set the tone for a disciplined KKR bowling performance. Prasidh Krishna was a touch expensive but three wickets nevertheless. If they keep on contributing, Lockie Ferguson on the bench does not look as bad anymore.
  • Sunil Narine’s stocks have been decline over the past couple of seasons. Ever since his action was remodeled, his bowling has been less threatening. Similarly, since oppositions figured Narine’s short-ball weakness and with the departure of Chris Lynn, his X-factor is gone missing. Today, his spell of 4-0-22-2 took the game in KKR’s direction and the bowled to Moises Henriques was the ball of the match.
  • In a low scoring match, Punjab sent Kolkata’s openers back. In came Narine, pulled Arshdeep Singh’s delivery only for Ravi Bishnoi to run in and take a superb diving catch. Catch of the tournament so far.
  • Captain Eoin Morgan finally comes to the party – After Bishnoi’s catch, KKR felt the jitters with 17/3. With 45 runs (4 single digit scores including a duck) in the previous five matches, Morgan’s calm and counterattacking 47*(40) sealed the game. Biggest positive of the game for KKR. Wonderful support by Tripathi as well – wholehearted cricketer. If Shubman Gill or Nitish Rana can get in form, KKR has all the ingredients to be a dangerous side.

Honorable Mention: Rahul Tripathi’s diving catch, Varun Chakravarthy’s 4-0-24-1, Morgan’s 3 catches, Russell’s run out, Chris Gayle’s direct hit.

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Dawid Malan

  • Punjab Kings have iterated through Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Moises Henriques, Fabian Allen, and Chris Jordan. None of them (barring Meredith in the BBL) were in-form players coming into the IPL. Except for Dawid Malan. #1 internationally ranked batsman in this format, his exclusion has been surprising. On the flip side, Pooran has scored 28 runs in 5 innings including 3 ducks, with 19 as his best today. Chris Jordan scored 17 ball (30) today, more than Pooran in his 6 games.
  • 106, 120, & now 123 (courtesy Chris Jordan). They have also scored 221 & 195, but inconsistency & slow starts from KL Rahul-Mayank Agarwal is not helping. Need to reflect a bit.

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

  • Shikhar Dhawan 259 runs (DC, 4 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 12 wickets (RCB, 4 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Chennai Super Kings54108+ 1.612
2. Delhi Capitals54108+ 0.034
2. Royal Challengers Bangalore54108+ 0.096
4. Mumbai Indians52304-0.032
5. Kolkata Knight Riders62404-0.305
6. Punjab Kings 62404-0.608
7. Rajasthan Royals52304-0.681
8. Sunrisers Hyderabad51402-0.18
IPL 2021 Points Table

Tomorrow’s Preview

Tomorrow is the another double header! The Delhi Capitals take on Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Faf Du Plessis

CSK Vs RCB IPL 2021 Match 19 Review: Jadeja’s Superhuman Outing Makes It Big Win For CSK

CSK Vs RCB– IPL 2021 Match #19 Quick Review! Brilliant outing for Jadeja, went berserk for a 37 run over!

He came, he conquered, and hit some sixes, took a few wickets, and inflicted direct hits along the way.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: CSK Vs RCB Video Highlights

Toss: CSK won the toss and chose to bat first.

Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Umpires: Anil Dandekar & Virender Sharma

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Chennai Super Kings won by 69 runs.
  • Scores: CSK 191/4RCB 122/9
  • Player of the Match: Ravindra Jadeja
  • Best Figures
    • Harshal Patel – 3/51
    • Ravindra Jadeja – 3/13
  • Most Runs
    • Ravindra Jadeja – 62* (28)
    • Devdutt Padikkal – 34*(15)

Moments of The Day: Jadeja, Jadeja, & More Jadeja

The IPL is full of surprises and memorable moments. Here are my moments of today:

  • Faf-Gaikwad give CSK another great start. Once again, Faf (50 runs) & Ruturaj Gaikwad (33) set the platform with a steady 74 (58) run partnership. With a steady opening partnership & the addition of Moeen Ali/Suresh Raina at the top, this CSK team is beginning to look threatening. Top of the table now.
  • Ravindrasinh Anirudhsinh Jadeja – One of the greatest all-rounders of all-time. From 19 overs, 154/4, Sir Jadeja hit 6,6,6nb,6,2,6,4 to take CSK to 191/4. On the bowling front, with RCB strolling around with 65/2 in 6.2 overs, in comes Jadeja. Out goes Washington danger & the in-form duo Glenn Maxwell & AB De Villiers. RCB 83/6. Game-Set-Match. Including an iconic direct hit as well. Brilliant Jaddu.
  • Imran Tahir is 42-year-old. A spell of 4-0-16-2 in tandem with Jadeja and a direct hit sealed the game for CSK.

Honorable Mention: Suresh Raina’s 3 sixes, 19* (24) Siraj-Chahal partnership reduces margin of defeat

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: The Drop Catch & Harshal Patel

  • Harshal Patel is the purple cap holder. His figures read 3-0-14-3 before the 19th over. Dan Christian’s dropped catch off Jadeja cost them heavily. Patel’s last over cost 37 after Jadeja’s assault, and he ended with 3-0-51-3. Broken Cricket Dream.

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

  • Shikhar Dhawan 231 runs (DC, 4 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 15 wickets (RCB, 5 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Chennai Super Kings54108+ 1.612
2. Delhi Capitals54108+ 0.034
2. Royal Challengers Bangalore54108+ 0.096
4. Mumbai Indians52304-0.032
5. Punjab Kings 52304-0.428
6. Rajasthan Royals52304-0.681
7. Sunrisers Hyderabad51402-0.18
8. Kolkata Knight Riders51402-0.675
IPL 2021 Points Table

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Faf Du Plessis

RR Vs KKR IPL 2021 Match 18 Review: KKR Abysmal As Sanju Samson, RR Pacers Shine

RR Vs KKR– IPL 2021 Match #18 Quick Review! Despite being hit by injuries & returns (Jofra Archer, Liam Livingstone, Ben Stokes), RR came together as a side.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: RR Vs KKR Video Highlights

Toss: RR won the toss and chose to bat first.

Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Umpires: Navdeep Singh & Sundaram Ravi

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Rajasthan Royals won by 6 wickets.
  • Scores: KKR 133/9 – RR 134/4
  • Player of the Match: Chris Morris
  • Best Figures
    • Chris Morris – 4/23
    • Varun Chakravarthy – 2/32
  • Most Runs
    • Rahul Tripathi – 36 (26)
    • Sanju Samson – 42* (41)

Moments of The Day: Disciplined Rajasthan Royals Make KKR Toil

The IPL is full of surprises and memorable moments. Here are my moments of today:

  • Although Morris starred with wickets of finishers Russell, DK, & Cummins, the platform was set by Jaydev Unadkat (4-0-25-1), Sakariya (4-0-31-0), and Mustafizur Rahman (4-0-22-1). With the ball gripping, the accurate left-arm off cutters troubled KKR’s batsmen. Add to that, direct hit by Jos Buttler, Morris inflicting Morgan’s run-out, and brilliant catches by Jaiswal, Sakariya, and Parag. The combined effort restricted KKR to 133 at the Wankhede.
  • Yashasvi Jaiswal replaced Manan Vohra and impressed right away. After a dropped catch, came back with a brilliant diving catch and a sparkling 22 with 5 fours. He should definitely get a long run this time around.

Honorable Mention: Riyan Parag’s catch & Parag-Tewatia selfie celebration, Tripathi’s counterattack

World T20 World Cup Spotlight: Samson, Dube, and Team England

  • Sanju Samson is often criticized for throwing away his wicket after a couple of nice drives. A particular observation in the IPL has been a couple of glorious hundreds followed by single digits throughout the tournament. With the 23-men squad for the T20 World Cup and Rishabh Pant & KL Rahul almost locked in, the reserve wicketkeeper-batsmen spot seems to be a direct shootout between Ishan Kishan (glorious debut) & Sanju Samson. Kishan has been struggling at MI and hence, Samson batting through the innings and taking RR home will give him an edge.
  • With Hardik Pandya struggling at MI & Vijay Shankar not doing too well either, Shivam Dube’s composed 46 in the last game and a supportive 22 should bring him back to the conversation for the medium pace-all round option.
  • England are the reigning ODI champions and favorites with India in the upcoming World Cup. With Ben Stokes & Jofra Archer injured, Liam Livingstone going home due to bio-bubble fatigue, Alex Hales not in the reckoning, and Jos Buttler & Eoin Morgan struggling for runs, Chris Jordan & Tom Curran struggling at the death, are England really prepared for the challenge? You are not going to win a World Cup with only a Jonny Bairstow.

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Eoin Morgan

  • Eoin Morgan was unfortunately run out without facing a ball, but he now has scores of 2, 7, 29, 7, and now 0. Questionable captaincy decisions as well. With the likes of Ben Cutting, Tim Seifert, and Lockie Ferguson on the bench, Morgan is not pulling his weight in this side.

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

  • Shikhar Dhawan 231 runs (DC, 4 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 12 wickets (RCB, 4 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Royal Challengers Bangalore44008+ 1.009
2. Chennai Super Kings43106+1.142
3. Delhi Capitals43106+0.426
4. Mumbai Indians52304-0.032
5. Punjab Kings52304-0.428
6. Rajasthan Royals52304-0.681
7. Sunrisers Hyderabad 41302-0.228
8. Kolkata Knight Riders51402-0.675
IPL 2021 Points Table

Tomorrow’s Preview

Tomorrow is the another double header!

RCB takes on CSK tomorrow & SRH Vs DC. What are your thoughts?

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Faf Du Plessis

CSK Vs KKR IPL 2021 Match 15 Review: Faf’s 95 Outdoes Russell-DK-Cummins Assault

CSK Vs KKR– IPL 2021 Match #15 Quick Review! The most exciting match of IPL 2021 thus far feat Andre Russell & Pat Cummins’ magic. Wickets & sixes galore.

First, congratulations to Dinesh Karthik for his 200th IPL match! Third player to get there after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: CSK Vs KKR Video Highlights

Toss: MI won the toss and chose to bat first.

Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Umpires: Anil Dandekar & Paul Reiffel

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Chennai Super Kings won by 18 runs.
  • Scores: CSK 220/3KKR 202/3
  • Player of the Match: Faf du Plessis
  • Best Figures
    • Varun Chakravarthy – 1/27
    • Deepak Chahar – 4/29
  • Most Runs
    • Faf Du Plessis – 95 (60)
    • Pat Cummins – 66 (34)

Stars of The Day:

The IPL is full of surprises and memorable moments. Here are my moments of today:

  • Faf Du Plessis-Ruturaj Gaikwad set the platform. Looks like Ruturaj Gaikwad gets in and out of form every three games. Last IPL, he was dropped after 3 no-shows and came back with 3 fifties. Credit to CSK for keeping faith with Gaikwad (5, 5, 10 prior to this match) – 64 (42) with some amazing pull shots. Also, Faf is class. That’s all. Knows how to play second fiddle in a 115 (77) run partnership and accelerate accordingly. Faf’s scoop has to be one of my favorite shots.
  • The Deepak Chahar show. Chahar might have become a T20 specialist, but swing his still his forte. Back into form again in IPL 2021. His 4/29 reduced KKR to 5-31 in 5.2 overs. His spell almost finished the game then and there for KKR.
  • Almost being the key phrase. Andre Russell-Dinesh Karthik-Pat Cummins show their worth. KKR’s last two season have been disappointing because their so-called strength, Morgan-Russell-Karthik-Cummins, have never performed together. Partnerships of 81 (39) Russell-DK & 34 (22) DK-Cummins partnership almost brought KKR brought into the game today, but the 30 run-over of Pat Cummins against Sam Curran sent shivers in the CSK dressing room. The hitting from Andre Russell & Pat Cummins. Brute force.

The KKR began to dream. Before it came crashing down in iconic KKR fashion—a silly bowled, nonsensical shot, and two run-outs.

Honorable Mention: Lungi Ngidi’s 4-0-28-3 the turning spell; MS Dhoni turns back the clock with 17 (8) including a six

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Discipline in the Field & Russell’s Bowled

  • Wides, No balls, 5 Wides, Dropped catch for six, Nagarkoti’s ill-timed shot, run-outs…the list goes on. Discipline in the field was lacking on both sides. KKR lost around 20-30 runs in the field, which probably cost KKR the game. Sam Curran conceded 51 in his first 3 overs (58 overall), while Thakur conceded 47. Have to be better than that.
  • We now know that 200 is probably par in Mumbai, and 220 is just about safe. KKR should think about bringing in Tim Seifert and Lockie Ferguson for Mumbai. Will give them the edge they are missing thus far.
  • The broken cricket dream of the day goes to Andre Russell’s bowled. He left the ball, and Sam Curran’s bowl smashed the stumps behind his hip. He was so disappointed, he sat on the stairs for quite a while. With no expression. Had he stayed for a couple more overs, KKR might have just reached the target.

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

  • Shikhar Dhawan 231 runs (DC, 4 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 12 wickets (RCB, 4 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Royal Challengers Bangalore44008+ 1.009
2. Chennai Super Kings43106+1.142
3. Delhi Capitals43106+0.426
4. Mumbai Indians42204+0.187
5. Sunrisers Hyderabad 41302-0.228
6. Kolkata Knight Riders41302-0.7
7. Punjab Kings41302-0.824
8. Rajasthan Royals41302-1.011
IPL 2021 Points Table

Tomorrow’s Preview

Tomorrow is the first double header!

MI takes on DC tomorrow. What are your thoughts?

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Faf Du Plessis