10 potential overseas bargains in the T20 Global League
These are the guys that owners in Cricket South Africa's new T20 tournament should target for a good return on investment.
Johan Botha was once touted as a regular Proteas captain. Now he could return to SA as an Australian … and a bargain buy. Photo: Brendan Thorne/Getty Images.
The player draft for Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) inaugural T20 Global League takes place on Sunday.
In the first of two features, we check out 10 overseas players would could be real value for money.
Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan)
The 27-year-old is a prime example of how T20 cricket can change the economic and professional fortunes of someone. Having languished in Pakistan’s poorly-resourced domestic competitions for five years, his classy displays saw him called up for Pakistan’s T20 tour of the West Indies earlier this year. But it was his performances in the Champions Trophy that marked him out as a player to watch. Scoring at a strike-rate of 113 through the tournament, he provided a match-winning century for his team in the final.
Alex Hales (England)
The 28-year-old Englishman has played 11 Tests without stamping his mark but it is as an opener in white-ball cricket that Hales plays with tremendous freedom. He is fresh off scoring 187 not out to win Nottinghamshire the 50-over title, the highest score in a Lord’s final, and he has scored England’s only T20 International century.
Ben Duckett (England)
Young Player of the Year in 2016, the 22-year-old Duckett is arguably England’s most promising batsman. He already has a highest first-class score of 282 not out, has played four Tests, and made an unbeaten List A double-century for England Lions in an A international. But it is in T20 cricket where his special talent is most likely to flourish.
Babar Azam (Pakistan)
The 22-year-old Pakistani is the leading run-scorer after his first 25 innings in ODI history and is a cousin of the Akmal brothers. Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur has said he is as good as Virat Kohli was at the same age, but he is probably not the same destroyer of attacks as the Indian captain is. What he does bring though is a calmness in the middle-order as his T20 International average of 50.60 shows.
Carlos Brathwaite (West Indies)
The West Indian all-rounder will attract attention simply because in the white-knuckle moments of the last over of the World T20 final, he pulled off the impossible by hitting four consective sixes to win the match. He earlier took three for 23 with the ball. He has a strike-rate of 146 in T20 cricket and a bowling economy rate of 7.72.
Johan Botha (South Africa/Australia)
The man who was once tipped to become full-time Proteas captain could return to South Africa as a naturalised Australian. The off-spinning all-rounder may be 35 years old but he is still a go-to man for the Sydney Sixers with his tight bowling, useful lower-order runs and brilliant fielding. He might not play every game, but Botha would be a valuable man to have in a squad for his experience and tactical acumen.
Tom Curran (England)
Another English cricketer with South African roots – born in Cape Town and schooled at Hilton College in KZN – Curran has risen rapidly up the ranks with sheer pace and made a strong international debut with five wickets in two matches against his country of birth in the recent T20 series against the Proteas. Armed with a good slower ball, Curran is the sort of wicket-taking bowler coaches will be looking for.
Junaid Khan (Pakistan)
A left-arm fast bowler capable of changing the game, the 27-year-old Pakistani was a key figure in their Champions Trophy triumph this year. Having played over a hundred T20 games in Pakistan and England, Junaid is also an experienced bowler well-versed in his variations.
George Dockrell (Ireland)
The 25-year-old slow left-armer boasts the amazing figures of 52 wickets in 46 T20 Internationals for Ireland, at an average of just 17.82. His economy of 6.49 is a measure of what a good spinner he is in world cricket. Dockrell is one of the stars in the exciting new era of Irish cricket and has the composure needed for the T20 game.
Yasir Shah (Pakistan)
A leg-spinner with a wonderfully aggressive mindset, 31-year-old Yasir has all the variations and Imran Tahir’s success has shown how successful leggies can be in this country. Most coaches are looking for wicket-taking options so Yasir could well get a look in. He is also an unusually good fielder for a Pakistani.
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