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Overseas XI of IPL 2021, thus far

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Last updated on 15 May 2021 | 09:35 AM
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Overseas XI of IPL 2021, thus far

Here is an XI acknowledging the best overseas performers in the curtailed 2021 season of IPL

The 2021 season of IPL saw only 29 matches but there were still a number of overseas players who stood head and shoulders above others. Here is Cricket.com’s Overseas XI of the Year from the season conducted thus far:

Faf du Plessis

With 320 runs in seven innings (average 64, strike-rate 145.4), Faf du Plessis was the highest run-scorer for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2021. But more importantly, he was the foundation-setter for the side. He was one of the only four batsmen to have scored over 100 runs in the Powerplay while batting at a strike-rate above 140 (148.5).

Du Plessis’ efforts lifted Chennai’s Powerplay run-rate from 8 runs per over in IPL 2020 to 9.6 this year. It also helped his opening partner, Ruturaj Gaikwad to bide his time at the top (strike-rate of 91.5 in the Powerplay). As a result, Chennai enjoyed three games in a row without losing a wicket in the first six overs. 

Du Plessis notched up four half centuries in the season, first of which was an unbeaten 95 against Kolkata. He then scored three consecutive fifties proving his worth to the side. There is no competition behind picking du Plessis as the first-choice opener for this XI. 

Jonny Bairstow (wk)

Jonny Bairstow (248 runs, 41.3 average, strike-rate 141.7) is the second opener. While Sunrisers Hyderabad had a troubled time, Bairstow shone as their best batsmen. The most appreciable facet about Bairstow’s season was the way he tackled the Chennai track, scoring 211 runs at an average of 52.8 while striking at 141.6.

He was unapologetic in the Powerplay, scoring 149 runs at 74.5 and an astonishing strike-rate of 167.4. He scored 43.3 percent of Hyderabad’s Powerplay runs. Yet, his best was probably his unbeaten 63 off 56 balls against Punjab Kings where Bairstow took the responsibility to see the chase through and get Hyderabad off the mark on the points table - their only win of the season. 

Moeen Ali

Scoring 206 runs at 34.3 and a strike-rate of 157.4, Moeen Ali left a lasting impression on Chennai’s fortunes this year. Slotted in at number three, Moeen was the epitome of Chennai’s fresh approach of consistently going for the big hits during the middle-overs. It was quite obvious in his cameos like 24-ball 36 against Delhi and 12-ball 25 against Kolkata to mention a few. 

In Chennai’s last game before the season suspension, he amassed his maiden fifty in Chennai colors, scoring a 36-ball 56 against Mumbai. His strike-rate of 169.9 between overs 7 to 15 was the third highest. 

With the ball, Moeen picked five wickets, including a match-winning spell of 3/7 against Rajasthan Royals. Hence, he is a valuable part of this XI. 

Glenn Maxwell

After a poor last season, Glenn Maxwell turned his fortunes around this time in Bangalore’s colors, scoring 223 runs at an average of 37.2. 

Given the license to do what he does the best in format, Maxwell was a breath of fresh air in Bangalore’s middle-overs with the bat. He negated spin expertly, that too on the challenging decks of Chepauk with knocks of 39 off 28, 59 off 41 and 78 off 49. His tally of 142 runs against spin is the second-highest in the tournament and came at a strike-rate of 161.4.

AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers has made a habit of winning matches for Bangalore. He came into this season with no cricket since the last edition of the tournament. Yet, he was effortless in the season opener, scoring 48 off 27 coming at the crux of the run chase. 

Two matches later, he mauled an unbeaten 76 off 34 balls against Kolkata, helping Bangalore to notch up at least 20 runs over the par score. Add his 75 not out off 42 balls against Delhi as de Villiers won Bangalore three out of the six games he batted in. This is a terrific record for someone batting at number five. De Villiers once again nailed the finisher’s role for Bangalore. 

Kieron Pollard

Kieron Pollard arguably played the innings of the tournament when he smashed Chennai for an unbeaten 87 off only 34 balls. The knock single-handedly pulled off the second highest successful chase in IPL history - 218. 

Prior to that, Pollard had a slow start to the tournament with the bat. Struggling to cope with the slowness of the Chennai track, Pollard managed only 12 runs from the first two games. In the third, however, he scored a handy 35 not out which gave Mumbai enough runs to pip Hyderabad. He also bowled two crucial overs for only 10 runs in a low-scoring game. 

That has been Pollard’s legacy in this season. Filling up the extra bowler’s role, Pollard conceded only at an economy of only 7.5 in his 7 overs. He also picked three wickets, two of which came in the match against Chennai, before his storm with the bat. He is also the captain of this side.

Andre Russell

Andre Russell is a debatable selection but the need of a hard-hitter who can provide something with the ball brings the big Jamaican at number 7. Russell had a better season than IPL 2020. He scored 163 runs with the bat at a strike-rate of 155.2 and grabbed seven wickets which included his maiden five-wicket haul in T20s - 5/15 against Mumbai. Hence, he was still one of the better all-rounders in this truncated season. 

Russell was majorly used as a two-over bowler by Kolkata that too majorly during the death overs, making him a perfect fit for this XI. 

Chris Morris

Signed at INR 16.25 crore, the biggest amount given to a player in the IPL auction history, Chris Morris justified the big paycheque with his all-round show. 

With his primary skill, Morris picked 14 wickets, the joint second-most. Nine of these wickets came at the death, while conceding at an economy of 9.5 runs per over. His 4/23 against Kolkata included the crucial scalps of Dinesh Karthik, Andre Russell and Pat Cummins. Bowling first or second, Morris was always amongst the wickets. With the bat, Morris’ 36 not out off 18 balls against Delhi got Rajasthan their first win of the season.

Rashid Khan

The wily leg-spinner once again did not do much wrong while Hyderabad’s campaign was falling apart around him. There is not much to write about their pace attack this year which fell flat on its face. However, Rashid Khan took care of the spin facet. His 10 wickets are the second most by a spinner this season. He bowled with an economy of 6.1, a tad higher than last year but still brilliant. His best performance of the season was 3/36 against Chennai but by impact, it was 2/18 against Bangalore which included the key wicket of AB de Villiers. Unfortunately, Hyderabad lost both games but it was another decent season for the Afghan spinner. 

Trent Boult

The Kiwi pacer bagged 16 wickets during the Powerplay last year. This season, his impact with the new ball was restricted to only two wickets in seven games. It was a season where swing was absent. Boult rather laid his impact at the death where snaffled six wickets. 

Boult formed a lethal death bowling duo with Jasprit Bumrah where he turned a couple of games around in Mumbai’s favor. He picked 2/4 against Kolkata and ⅜ against Hyderabad in his two overs each at the death. His sixth wicket in this phase was that of Sanju Samson which came through an impeccable yorker. Boult was, in fact, one of the best yorker bowlers in the season which sneaks him in as one of the three prime pacers of this XI. 

Mustafizur Rahman

The ‘Fizz’ was back this season in his old self. Sam Curran, Pat Cummins and Kyle Jamieson picked more wickets than Rahman (8) in as many games but the left-arm seamer pipped everyone with a superior economy of 8.3, that too having bowled more overs at the death than any of them. 

Rahman brought his cutters back that had troubled batsmen way back in 2015-16. Releasing the ball like he was Muttiah Muralitharan, Rahman extracted grip on the lesser suited tracks in Mumbai and Delhi. 

Rahman picked up 3/20 in his four overs against Hyderabad, a match where the average run-rate was 9.6. His inclusion also provides this XI the variety of left-arm seam.


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