IPL 2019: 5 Players Who Might Have Played Their Last IPL
May 14, 2019 at 11:25 AM
Every season we come across the finest performances in the Indian Premier League. Likewise, IPL 2019 has been sensational for quite a few players. It gave opportunities to many cricketers while a lot of players made comebacks with their stellar performances. In between, we figured out 5 players, who might have played their last IPL games in this season.
The Indian Premier League has given us a number of memories to live with, the best have been of our favourite players turning out for the franchises and rewinding the clock. While the number of retired cricketers playing in the league is coming down with each passing year, there are still a few players who are past their prime but are still trying to save their careers by playing in the IPL
Here are they:
5. Yusuf Pathan:
Once part of India’s middle-order, the World Cup winner is nowhere close to getting selected to the Indian team now. He is not the same explosive batsman that could set the ground on fire.
Playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad this season, he has been good only in patches, failing to hit big sixes as he used to in his prime. His off-spin, once a handy option for the captain, has also vanished away somewhere.
Most probably, the recently-concluded season has been the end of his phase in the Indian Premier League. The flamboyant batsman was given enough chances by SRH franchise but he never failed to make the most of the opportunity.
4. Shane Watson:
This could be a big decision. Time and Time again, Shane Watson showed that he is still capable of delivering the goods for the team. However, he hasn’t been that consistent as he used to be for CSK in the previous edition of the tournament.
Watson has retired from International cricket and is currently playing in T20 leagues around the world. The 37-year-old has shown that he still has a lot to offer but whether he will be willing to travel around the world to do so is the big question.
Watson amassed 555 runs from 15 games last year, averaging 39.64 with a fantastic strike rate of 154.59. The all-rounder also scalped six wickets, at an economy of under nine. Watson however, failed to do the same, as he scored 398 runs in 17 games and haven’t bowled a single over.
3. Dale Steyn:
The fast bowler Dale Steyn has been a force to reckon with in the little stay he had for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Though his presence in the team is a blessing for the team, his poor fitness and that troubling shoulder have always been his villains in Indian Premier League.
The flamboyant cricketer made his way into the tournament in the middle of the season and delivered those match-winning spells for the team. The first over, which he delivered against Chennai Super Kings will always remain as one of his classic shows with the ball.
However, IPL 2019 would have been his final showdown in his IPL career. Most probably, he would quit after the ICC World Cup 2019. or Else, franchises wouldn’t show much interest in him owing to his injury-prone habit.
2. Lasith Malinga:
Umm, he delivered a fantastic over under the immense pressure in the final of the tournament at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Perhaps, that would be his final over in his IPL career. With age catching up, he might call curtains on his career after the conclusion of the ICC World Cup 2019.
The fast bowler has been a massive impact on the Indian Premier League. He always had the success to his name and also holds quite a few records to his name. Lasith Malinga is the leading wicket-taker of the IPL over the years.
Malinga might make a way in the upcoming season and could join as a mentor of the team, as he did previously when he wasn’t that fit to play the game. However, if he decides to play ICC T20I world cup 2020, he might give it a crack.
1. Yuvraj Singh:
The veteran cricketer remained unsold in the first round of this year’s auction before Mumbai Indians showed faith in Yuvraj, bagging him at his base price of Rs 1 crore.
During the 2015 IPL players’ auction, the left-hander was pocketed by Delhi Daredevils for a whopping Rs 16 crore. However, Yuvraj’s dismal performances in domestic cricket forced the franchises to show very little interest in him.
Yuvraj Singh was the certain starter in the initial few games but failed to make into the playing XI after missing out from the playing XI in the middle phase of the tournament. His goal was to become the part of India that travels England for the ICC World Cup 2019.
So, with his dream ending without fulfilled, one might see him calling curtains on his career across the formats; IPL isn’t an exemption.