February was an exciting month for cricket fans! Plenty of action but the major focus was on the IPL Auction which took place in Bangalore on the 12th and the 13th. 204 players were bought and plenty of cash was spent. Although Indian players were in demand this time, overseas players too got their due, with the likes of Livingstone, Hasaranga and Pooran going for big bucks. This auction was very exciting and seeing the franchise owners bid for players was fun. Here we have a look at the 5 most expensive overseas players who were bought in the mega auction -
1 – Liam Livingstone (Punjab Kings – 11.50 crore) – One year ago, who would have thought that Liam Livingstone would have been bought for such a high price? Not many, I presume but such has been the rise of Liam Livingstone that many teams wanted him in their team and eventually, Punjab won the race. Livingstone came into the picture when he hit the fastest T20I century by an English player in 2021 against Pakistan. In IPL 2021 though, Liam had a tough time and was struggling for runs big time. But his performance in the T20 World Cup was decent and his ability to hit the ball big and provide some overs with the ball could not be ignored and there we go, Liam was sold to Punjab Kings for a hefty price of 11.50 crore.
2 – Wanindu Hasaranga (Royal Challengers Bangalore – 10.75 crore) – One of the most improved cricketers of recent times, Wanindu Hasaranga made his debut for Sri Lanka in 2017 but could not make an impact. But, in the last two years or so, Hasaranga has improved miles. Not only a terrific bowler, he is also a very handy batsman. He was part of RCB in 2021 but could not justify his place in the side but since then, he has churned in impressive performances and deserves the hefty price that he has fetched. It will be interesting to see how he goes about his business when the show begins.
3 – Nicholas Pooran (Sunrisers Hyderabad – 10.75 crore) – Nicholas Pooran has lot of talent, there is no doubt about that but his performance in recent times has been poor. In IPL 2021, he was averaging less than 10 with the bat and it was indeed a surprise that Hyderabad paid him so much to acquire his services. He is a good player but on current form, it is a big risk. Hyderabad will hope that he repays the faith that they have shown in him.
4 – Lockie Ferguson (Gujarat Titans – 10 crore) – One of the fastest bowlers going around in the world currently, Lockie Ferguson has been a beast for New Zealand. He was brilliant in the 2019 World Cup and has continued his impressive performances in the IPL. Although he has injury concerns, Ferguson is one bowler who everybody would want and hence, it was no surprise that plenty of interest was shown in the speedster. In the end, it was Gujarat Titans who bought him at a price of 10 crore and it will be delightful to watch him bowl.
5 – Kagiso Rabada (Punjab Kings – 9.25 crore) – Kagiso Rabada is South Africa’s pace spearhead and one of the best going around. He has the pace, the accuracy to be successful in the tournament and has shown it in the past while playing for Delhi Capitals. In recent times, his form has faded a bit but it does not make him a lesser bowler by any means and it would have been a surprise if he had been sold for a cheaper price. Fortunately for him, it did not happen and there was a fierce bidding war for this speedster and Punjab will consider themselves lucky to acquire his services. They would hope that Rabada plays a key role in search of their first IPL title.
