10 Foreign players to watch out for in IPL 2016

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to continue the excitement generated by the recently concluded ICC World T20. Fans in India and world over will be looking forward to the most popular T20 league in the world. Some of the finest Indian and overseas players will showcase their skills in the tourney which will begin on April 9th and end on the 29th of May in Mumbai. Here’s a look at 10 Foreign players to watch out for in IPL 2016. 1. Kevin Pietersen (RPSG): Kevin Pietersen. (Photo Source: KP24 Foundation) One of England’s greatest ever, KP is no longer a part of the country’s set up and plays in leagues around the world. He missed last year’s IPL and will be eager to make an impact with the new Rising Pune Supergiants franchise. He has been in superb form in recent times playing the Ram Slam T20 in South Africa and later the Big Bash League in Australia. KP is a crowd favourite in India and has many admirers for the flamboyance with which he plays his cricket. He has played 155 T20 matches and scored 4478 runs at an average of 34.71 including 3 tons and 26 fifties. 2. Mitchell Marsh (RPSG): Mitchell Marsh. (Photo Source: BCCI) KP’s Pune teammate is one of Australia’s brightest young talents. A tall all-rounder who idolised Steve Waugh and Jacques Kallis, Mitchell Marsh was earmarked for higher honours ever since he captained the Australia Under-19s to victory in the 2010 World Cup in New Zealand. He has only recently become a regular member of the national side. Marsh is a fine seam bowler and a massive striker of the ball. His 56 T20s have produced 1103 runs including 5 fifties and 33 wickets. MS Dhoni is going to lead the Pune outfit and his preference for seam bowling all-rounders is well known hence Marsh is likely to get many opportunities to showcase his talent. How does the Pune team look like? – IPL 2016 Auction Analysis: Rising Pune Supergiants 3. Colin Munro (KKR): Colin Munro. (Photo Source: Twitter) An attacking left-hander with strong shots square of the wicket and a superb switch hit, Colin Munro has earned a reputation as one of New Zealand’s most reliable big hitters. He hit a tournament-topping 366 runs at a strike rate of 175 in the 2015-16 Georgie Pie Super Smash. That run of form earned him a steady T20 place in New Zealand’s top order. He quickly justified his place. His 14-ball half-century against Sri Lanka at Eden Park was the fastest by a New Zealand batsman in T20Is. He batted at number 3 for the Kiwis in the World T20. He has played 108 T20s and scored 2088 runs including 10 fifties with a strike rate of 27.11. The Kolkata outfit will expect big things from him. 4. Shane Watson (RCB): Shane Watson has 2 Centuries in the IPL. (Photo Source: BCCI) Australia’s veteran all-rounder Shane Watson emerged as the biggest draw of the 2016 IPL auctions going for a whopping Rs 9.50 crores to the Bangalore outfit. Having retired from international cricket now, the attacking cricketer will play freely and join hands with the likes of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle to make RCB a formidable batting unit. At the crease Watson is an aggressive brute with a broad chest, a right-handed disciple of Matthew Hayden, and someone who often doesn’t need to follow-through to gain a boundary. As a bowler, Watson has a knack of picking up wickets at crucial times. He has played 180 T20s scoring 4834 runs and taken 140 wickets. 5. David Wiese (RCB): David Wiese RCB. (Photo Source: BCCI) The South African all-rounder is a canny bowler and a very useful lower order batsman. He did well for the RCB in last year’s IPL. In January last year, he became the 12th bowler to take a five-for in a T20I when he helped SA bowl out West Indies for 126 in Durban. His was not a typical South African fast bowling performance, in that he did not bounce or bowled at high speeds, nor did he swing or seam the ball. Wiese used slower deliveries and cutters, something he specialises in. On Indian pitches his style of bowling will work as pitches are much slower compared to South Africa. He has played 116 T20s scoring 969 runs including 3 fifties and taken 99 wickets. 6. Chris Morris (DD): Chris Morris. (Photo Source: BCCI) The bustling, big-hitting all-rounder, Chris Morris has been in news recently with his strong show for South Africa. He was bought by the Delhi Daredevils for a huge amount of Rs. 7 crores. He is a pacy opening bowler who often sends the speed gun beyond 140kph. Apart from speed, his accuracy with the ball and fearless lower-order ability with the bat is also dependable. Prior to the World T20 he played some match-winning cameos against England and gave a glimpse of his immense potential. In the marquee event he bowled reasonably well in a disappointing campaign for the Proteas. He has played 105 T20s scoring 640 runs and taken 132 wickets. How different is the DD team? – IPL 2016 Auction Analysis: Delhi Daredevils 7. Carlos Brathwaite (DD): Carlos Brathwaite. (Photo Source: Twitter) The Delhi Daredevils bought the then unknown West Indian for an amount of Rs. 4.20 crores and many were left wondering about the potential the franchise had seen in him. Brathwaite’s solid performances in Australia in the Test series earned him the contract however it was his last over heroics in the World T20 final that made everyone take notice as he took West Indies over the line in one of the greatest finishes ever witnessed in a final. His 4 successive sixes stole the game away from England in a dramatic fashion. Brathwaite is a good seam bowler and he proved it in the same match by taking 3 wickets. 8. Quinton de Kock (DD): South African batsman Quinton de Kock. (Photo by GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/Getty Images) Another Daredevil, South Africa’s wicketkeeper batsman, Quinton de Kock has been in prolific form in recent times for his country in white-ball cricket. Against England prior to the World T20, he surpassed India’s Virat Kohli to become the youngest cricketer to score ten ODI tons. The left-handed opener is one the finest young batsmen in world cricket. He is also a brilliant wicketkeeper and he has a knack of pulling off stunning catches. He batted superbly in the World T20 and will want to continue his form. His 107 T20s have produced 3086 runs including 2 tons and 15 fifties. He has taken 67 catches and effected 18 stumpings. 9. Jos Buttler (MI): England’s wicketkeeper batsman Jos Buttler. (Photo Source: Twitter) England’s swashbuckling batsman Jos Buttler will play for the defending champions Mumbai Indians. He recently said that he has modelled his game on South Africa’s master batsman AB de Villiers after he (Buttler) smashed England’s fastest ever ODI ton in January 2016. He said the invention of Twenty20 and de Villiers’ approach are reasons for his own big-hitting style. He plays well all-round the wicket using a strong bottom hand and loves hitting over cover and down the ground. He had a brilliant run in the World T20 as his team reached the summit clash. His 138 T20s have produced 2556 runs and he is a fine wicketkeeper who has 72 catches and 16 stumpings in the format. 10. Lendl Simmons (MI): Lendl Simmons. (Photo by Jan Kruger-IDI/IDI via Getty Images) One of the most prolific and consistent run-scorers in the IPL and T20 cricket, the West Indian Lendl Simmons is a key member of the Mumbai Indians side. He played 8 matches in the 2014 edition and scored 394 runs at an average of 56.28 including one ton and 3 fifties. His 13 matches in the 2015 season produced 540 runs at an average of 45.00 including 6 fifties. The dashing opener has the knack of producing his best when the stakes are high, especially in knockout matches. His unbeaten 82 off 51 balls in the World T20 semi-final knocked the home side out of the competition. His 167 T20s have produced 4666 runs at an average of 31.52 including 36 fifties and 1 ton. Why will the IPL never be the same again? – 5 Reasons why IPL will not be the same without CSK and RR