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Cricket News: 3 players from Associate nations who can attract buyers in the IPL 2022 Auction | 3 players from Associate nations who can get a franchise in IPL
The IPL 2022 Mega Auction is all set to take place on February 12th & 13th in Bangalore. Earlier, it was informed that 1214 players registered themselves for the auction, and out of 1214, only 590 players have been registered for the IPL 2022 mega auction.
Out of the 590 players, seven associate players have been shortlisted to undergo the hammer at the IPL 2022 mega auction. These 7 cricketers are from Associate nations like USA, Nepal, Namibia, and Scotland, namely David Wiese, JJ Smit, Ruben Trumpelmann, Sandeep Lamichhane, Brad Wheal, Safyaan Sharif, and Ali Khan.
All seven players have displayed their skills in the 20-over format and will be hoping to participate in the World’s richest cricket league. In this article, we look at the three associate cricketers who may find a bidder at the Mega Auction.
Ali Khan
Ali Khan is the first and only player from the USA to be a part of an IPL franchise when he was roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2020 edition of the IPL. He emerged as a proven wicket-taker from the Caribbean Premier League where he represented Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR).
The right-arm fast bowler has 53 wickets in 48 T20 matches. Ali Khan went unsold in IPL 2021 auctions, and would be hoping for a buyer in the IPL 2022 mega auction. The 31-year old right-arm medium pacer has set his base price at 40 lakhs and at this price he could well attract buyers as he has the raw pace and wicket-taking ability to make an impact if given an opportunity in the IPL.
Sandeep Lamichhane
Nepal’s globe-trotting spinner has played for all the top franchises in the best T20 leagues of the world, including for the Delhi Daredevils (as the Delhi Capitals were called back then) in the IPL. In 2018, Lamichhane made history when he was bought for Rs 20 lakhs by the Delhi-based franchise, becoming the first cricketer from Nepal to be sold in the IPL auction.
Lamichhane was a part of the Delhi Capitals squad in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. However, after not finding a place in the whole IPL 2020 season, he was released by the Delhi Capitals team in 2021. Sandeep was also shortlisted in the 40 lakhs base price category and considering the dominance of wrist spinners in T20 Cricket, he’s most likely to find a new home in the upcoming auction.
David Wiese
Namibia all-rounder David Wiese is one of three cricketers from his country in the IPL 2022 mega auction player shortlist. The Veteran all-rounder may be 36-years-old, but his attributes make him a suitable player for a competition like the IPL. Hence, despite his age, a few teams might go after his wealth of experience and his current form.
The ex-South African international caught everyone’s eyes in the T20 World Cup 2021 where he played a major role in Namibia’s Super-12 qualification. A bowler who can roll his arm over at any stage of the game and a batter who can strike big while batting in the lower middle order, Wiese is a complete package and can be a valuable asset to any of 10 IPL teams.
Wiese has been part of Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore in the past. He might just receive an opportunity to make a comeback for just 50 lakhs in the IPL 2022 mega auction. It’s most likely that he’ll not be left unsold this time as teams will be hunting for a quality all-rounder and of late David Wiese has shown that he’s quality.
Written by Vaibhav Tripathi. Follow Vaibhav on Twitter today.
