IPL 2022: Flop Overseas XI after first week of the tournament

The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is up and running, as fans have been treated to some spectacular action over the past week. Not only have scores of over 200 runs been chased down twice, but we have also witnessed a few low scoring battles. Although the tournament is dominated by Indians, the talent and quality which the overseas players bring to the table just adds another dimension to the league.

Several big overseas names have flourished in the opening week of IPL 2022. However, some are yet to get off the blocks after putting up average outings in the first week of the two-month long tournament. In this article, we will have a look at the Flop Overseas XI from the first week of the 15th edition of IPL.

Flop Overseas XI after Week 1 of IPL 2022:

1) Kane Williamson (C)

It is absolutely shocking to see the ever-consistent Kane Williamson make the top of the list for the flop overseas XI. However, the Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper departed for just 2 runs off 7 balls against Rajasthan Royals in Match 5 of IPL 2022.

The Kiwi batter looked unsettled out in the middle, and it wasn’t long until he was rattled by some brilliant bowling from Indian speedster, Prasidh Krishna. Chasing a steep target of 211 runs against a new-look Rajasthan Royals side, Kane Williamson and Co. could afford no hiccups at the start.

Their innings got off to a worst possible start when they lost their skipper in just the second over. Kane Williamson, winner of Orange Cap in the 2018 edition, is a calm personality and there is absolutely no doubt that he will come all guns blazing in the second week.

2) Devon Conway

Devon Conway had huge boots to fill in the form of Faf du Plessis at the top of the order. The reigning champions, Chennai Super Kings were completely outplayed in their opening game against Kolkata Knight Riders.

One of their debutants, the explosive Kiwi top order batter, Devon Conway failed to impress much scoring 3 runs off 8 deliveries. The result of his poor debut was that he was dropped for the second game against Lucknow Super Giants.

Chennai Super Kings do not have many options with regards to overseas batters, and we can expect Devon Conway to feature again at some point in the future. It will be interesting to see if the Kiwi batter can grab the opportunity with both hands.

3) Liam Livingstone

Just like Punjab Kings’ start to the IPL this season, Liam Livingstone’s form has been kind of a mixed bag. Primarily bought by the Kings for his explosive batting, Livingstone has managed to score just 38 runs in 2 matches, although they have come at a good strike rate.

Against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Livingstone looked dangerous out in the middle, but lost his wicket at a crucial juncture in the chase. Similarly, it was one big shot too many for Liam Livingstone against Kolkata Knight Riders as he was dismissed after being caught near the ropes by Tim Southee.

Punjab Kings desperately needed the Englishman to bat through the entire innings, but he failed to control his natural instincts, as his side were left reeling with four wickets down for 78 runs.

4) Nicholas Pooran

There is no doubting Nicholas Pooran’s talent with the bat. The southpaw can absolutely clear the fence with ease, and once he gets going, he is often unstoppable. The West Indian found a new home in the form of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, hoping for a fresh start after his woes with Punjab Kings in 2021.

However, what followed in the opening game against Rajasthan Royals was not much different from what happened in the previous season. With the score reading 7/2 in a 211-run chase, Nicholas Pooran walked out into the middle, with there being a slight ray of hope for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

However, it was not meant to be, as the youngster was dismissed without opening his account, and taking up 9 crucial deliveries. Pooran looked a pale shadow of himself out in the middle, and one can say that it is high time that he starts getting runs on the board in IPL.

5) Kieron Pollard

Kieron Pollard is one of the most experienced players around in IPL Cricket. The West Indian limited overs skipper has been associated with Mumbai Indians since 2010, and has been through all ups and downs.

The veteran batter is often the kind of player who is slow to get off the blocks in IPL, but peaks at the right time. This is exactly what ensued in this season of the IPL as well. Mumbai Indians were motoring through the innings against Delhi Capitals, with the score reading 117 runs for the loss of three wickets with 27 balls to spare.

A score of 190 runs looked pretty achievable, with Pollard walking out in the middle. But the West Indian batter could manage to score just three runs off six balls, as he was dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav. It was a brilliant catch from Tim Seifert at short mid-wicket which meant that Pollard could hardly create an impact in the first game.

6) Rovman Powell

Rovman Powell had a poor debut with the bat for Delhi Capitals. The West Indian all-rounder was dismissed for a duck, after facing just two balls. He walked into the middle with the score reading four wickets for 72 runs, and the Capitals faced an uphill task of chasing more than 100 runs in the next 10 overs.

Rovman Powell hardly put up a fight as he was dismissed by Basil Thampi, just two balls after he walked out into the middle. The West Indian is expected to get at least a few more chances to prove his worth, given that David Warner will join the side in the next week.

Moreover, Mitchell Marsh is being treated for an injury, and his return date remains unconfirmed as of now. Powell will have to showcase his skills before time runs out for him.

7) Mitchell Santner

One can say that including Mitchell Santner in this list is a harsh decision, given the conditions he bowled in. In fact, he did manage to put up an impressive display, conceding 31 runs in 4 overs, and also picking up one wicket against Kolkata Knight Riders.

However, Chennai Super Kings managed to score just 131 runs from their 20 overs, which meant they needed a better performance from the bowlers. In a game where Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy went for an economy rate of under 6, an experienced spinner like Mitchell Santner was expected to rise to the occasion for his side.

The Kiwi all-rounder was dropped for the second game against Lucknow Super Giants, as Moeen Ali returned to the side, providing the second spin option.

8) Daniel Sams

Daniel Sams was roped in by Mumbai Indians at the IPL Mega Auction in February. The five-time champions considered the Australian left-arm pacer as an ideal replacement for Trent Boult, and his pinch-hitting abilities came as a bonus.

However, Daniel Sams performed poorly with the ball against Delhi Capitals, conceding runs at an economy rate of over 14. The Australian pacer conceded 57 runs in his four-over spell, and also went for conceded 24 runs in the 18th over, which handed the momentum back to Delhi Capitals.

Daniel Sams will look to make amends in the second game against Rajasthan Royals. With Riley Meredith and Jaydev Unadkat waiting in the wings, there are certainly plenty of bowling options for Mumbai Indians.

9) David Willey

David Willey has earned a reputation for picking up wickets with the new ball, up top. Spread across two games, the Englishman has bowled just five overs. but has failed to pick up a single wicket.

He conceded 28 runs off three overs against Royal Challengers Bangalore, at an economy rate of almost 10. In the second game against Kolkata Knight Riders, he was pretty economical, conceding just 7 runs in 2 overs.

But still failed to pick up a wicket. However, Willey delivered with the bat, scoring 18 runs off 28 balls, coming in at number four, after RCB lost two early wickets.

10) Nathan Coulter Nile

Nathan Coulter Nile, former Mumbai Indians pacer, was snapped up by Rajasthan Royals in the mega auction. The Australian pacer was way off the mark in the first game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, conceding over 45 runs in his three-over spell.

What made his figures even worse was that all the other four bowlers hardly put a foot wrong. Nathan Coulter Nile conceded 48 runs in three overs at an economy rate of 16. He conceded 24 runs in the 17th over, where Washington Sundar smashed the ball all around the park.

The veteran pacer had to walk off the field in the final over of the innings, in what looked like a concerning injury. He was replaced by Navdeep Saini for the game against MI.

11) Adam Milne

Adam Milne is one of the better bowlers with the new ball. But, he hardly made any impact in the first game of IPL 2022 against Kolkata Knight Riders. The Kiwi pacer conceded 19 runs in 2.3 overs, but failed to pick up a single wicket.

Chennai Super Kings did not have much to defend on the board, and it was absolutely necessary that they take early wickets up top. Adam Milne, however, missed the next game against Lucknow Super Giants due to injury and was replaced by South African all-rounder, Dwaine Pretorius.

The Protea player did a pretty good job, picking up two wickets in his four over spell. It is not yet certain when Milne will return but CSK would be happy with Pretorius’ performance.