IPL broke the differences between South African and Australian cricketers: Morne Morkel

Morne Morkel, the former South Africa fast bowler, talked about how the Indian Premier League (IPL) has helped the Proteas and Australian cricketers sort out the differences between them. After making his IPL debut in 2009, the speedster went on to play 70 matches in which he picked up 77 wickets before last taking part in the tournament back in 2016.

Apart from representing the Delhi Daredevils, now Capitals, and the Rajasthan Royals, he also was a part of the 2014 IPL-winning Kolkata Knight Riders’ squad, led by Gautam Gambhir. Morkel mentioned that the T20 league has brought the players closer.

“There was always a little bit of tension when South Africa played Australia or England, but the IPL broke all those sorts of differences that there were,” Morkel was quoted as saying in an interaction on the YouTube channel The Grade Cricketer.

It just shows you the quality and the power of the game: Morne Morkel

“I remember the one year we played Australia at the Wanderers and, after the Test match, we all got into one bus and we were driving back to the hotel. Never in the world back in the day would you see that. It just shows you the quality and the power of the game that can actually unite all of us,” he stated.

Morkel also went down memory lane and talked about the after-match parties that carried on until morning. “Some of those after-party functions are underground. So next thing, you look at your watch, it is 5 AM. It feels quite weird to sit with a whiskey in your hand at 5 in the morning, when other people are having breakfast,” Morkel added.

Morkel’s international career came to an end in 2018 when Australia toured South Africa. In 86 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 44 T20Is, he went on to pick 309, 188, and 47 wickets respectively. After retiring from the highest level, Morkel went to Australia and became a permanent resident there.

In fact, he went on to play for Brisbane Heat in the 2020-21 Big Bash League as a local player. In the tournament, he played six matches and picked up five wickets with the best figures of two for 24 against the Perth Scorchers at the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne.