IPL 2022: 5 players who might attract massive bids in mega auction based on T20 World Cup 2021 performance

This year’s ICC WT20 tournament has been a treat for several cricket fanatics around the world. Not only just the top teams, but even the underdogs have displayed some commendable cricketing action. This year, the ICC WT20 tournament has been a forum for several cricketers to show their top-notch cricketing performances.

And the Indian Premier League has been a gateway of opportunities for several cricketers. It is not only just for the Indian and local players, but even the foreign players desperately wait to get an IPL contract. As we see an expansion of this lucrative tournament, with the addition of Ahmedabad and Lucknow, we can expect these players, who have been top-notch in the T20 World Cup, to don an IPL jersey and go big in the auction race.

1. Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka)

Sri Lanka couldn’t qualify for the semi-final stages but their emerging players displayed some good performances.  Charith Asalanka has been one of the highlights of this years WT20 tournament. A left-handed batsman known for his controlled aggression and impeccable shot selection, he has been an emerging player for the Sri Lankan side.

He played a swashbuckling innings of 80 runs off 49 balls against Bangladesh. He has been the top run-scorer for the Sri Lankan side by making 231 runs in his six-match campaign. Also, he’s the third leading run-scorer of the tournament.

As the above stats suggest, we can expect him to acquire a big IPL contract. Being a run-getter in the shortest format of the sport and being the future of the country’s cricket, it is evident that most of the teams would aim to have this young talent in their side.

2. Adam Zampa (Australia)

Adam Zampa has been a handy wicket-taker for the Aussies. Even before the tournament, the a right-hand leg-break bowler scalped some crucial wickets for the team in this format.

He took a clinical fifer against Bangladesh (5/19), and showed his calibre in the shortest format yet again. Zampa has picked 11 wickets in just five matches and has been very economical.

Last seen with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2020 IPL edition, we can expect him to go big in the auction race and be a part of a team, thanks to his performance in this international tournament.

3. David Wiese (Namibia)

Former South African all-rounder David Wiese, who has started his campaign for Namibia this year, has been commendable with his all-round contribution in this tournament. From his medium pace with the ball to his lofted drives with the bat, he has been an asset for the side.

Wiese was impeccable during the Group-Stage qualifiers, bagging two Player of the Match awards. He was the top-scorer for Namibia in the T20 World Cup, scoring 227 runs and took 6 wickets in eight matches.

The last time he played in the IPL was for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the year 2016. But, an all-rounder would play a crucial role for any team in this format. So, many franchises would try to acquire him and he would make an IPL comeback after a long halt.

4. Aiden Markram (South Africa)

Though the Proteas haven’t qualified for the semi-final stages, even after winning four matches, it was the team’s performance that acted as the major highlight. And Aiden Markram was one of those players who was responsible for it. He had a great transition to white-ball cricket after coming from a red-ball cricket background.

From fielding to batting, he was phenomenal in his cricketing display in this tournament. He has made 162 runs in five matches, with an average of 54.

As the above suggests, we can see him being a valuable asset for any team’s batting department. Aiden Markram was a part of the Punjab Kings in the 2021 edition and made 146 runs in six matches. So, there would be teams going for this Protean in the mega-auctions.

5. Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan)

Mujeeb Ur Rahman has probably been the X-factor of the Afghanistan team. Starting his campaign with a five-wicket haul against Scotland, he has been a spinmeister to check out.

But an injury hindered his performance and he couldn’t play all the matches. But he left an impression from his performances and he could make an impact for the team in future. He has taken seven wickets in a short-run three matches.

Even in his IPL stint, he has had a decent wicket count and economy. He represented the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the previous edition, and we might see teams fighting for him in the upcoming mega auctions.

– Written by Armaan Patra