IPL 2021: Team-wise four first-choice overseas players
All the squads have eight overseas players each and thus, there are several permutations and combinations involved.
5. Punjab Kings
1. Chris Gayle– The team led by KL Rahul was struggling to win matches last season and by the time they reached the half-way mark, it looked almost certain that they wouldn’t qualify. However, Chris Gayle’s inclusion in the team caused a sudden change in form and they nearly managed to qualify for the playoffs. He scored 288 runs in seven games at a strike-rate of 137.14 despite batting out of position at No. 3. Although PBKS have bought Dawid Malan, the former RCB player will most likely be preferred because of how he has performed in 2020.
2. Nicholas Pooran– Every T20 team would love to have a player like Nicholas Pooran in their ranks and his destructive ability in the middle-overs is unmatched. While teams generally focus on being aggressive during the powerplay and the death overs, he has the ability to score quickly during the middle-overs and gives the team a real boost. He scored 353 runs in 14 games at a strike-rate of nearly 170 last season and the keeper-batsman would want to build on that.
3. Jhye Richardson– Jhye Richardson was bought for a stunning Rs. 14 crores during the auction and Punjab will hope that their rather mediocre luck with overseas pacers over the last few seasons changes this time around. The Australian pacer was highly impressive in the Big Bash as he managed to pick up 29 wickets in 17 games. Like most fast bowlers from his country, Richardson can bowl at over 140 kph and it will be a great opportunity for him to show why he is so highly rated in his country.
4. Riley Meredith– The uncapped pacer is going to be a bit of a surprise package this season as most of the opposition batsmen have never faced him. Like Jhye, even Meredith is highly rated in Australia and he has even been selected in Australia’s T20I squad for the ongoing series against New Zealand. He has 43 wickets in 34 T20s and was bought for Rs. 8 crores by the Punjab Kings. He is one of the few bowlers in the world who can hit the 150 kph with ease, and a trio along with Shami and Richardson could cause serious problems for the batsmen.
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