The IPL has attracted some of the best players in the world. We have already seen their epic performances in the Indian Premier League over the years. Some players have come, some have gone, but some players have left their marks with their game and their achievements. Players like Chris Gayle, AB De Villiers, and Pollard have attracted audiences to IPL. With their sixes, century, and amazing fielding skills, they have taken IPL to another level. So let’s take a look at the top 5 oversea players of all time in IPL.
Best oversea players in IPL | Who are the best oversea players of all time in the IPL?
Top 5 oversea players in IPL
| Rank | Player Name | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chris Gayle | Jamaican |
| 2. | AB de Villiers | South African |
| 3. | Lasith Malinga | Sri Lankan |
| 4. | Dwayne Bravo | Trinidadian |
| 5. | Kieron Pollard | Trinidadian |
1. Chris Gayle– Oversea players in IPL
Gayle is A T20 specialist known for hitting magnificent sixes in the game. He is a former captain of the West Indies team. Chris Gayle led his team to victory in the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 cup. He is the first batsman to hit a T20 double century and also the first to hit a century in all three formats of the game. This big hitter holds the record for most sixes and fastest T20 century across all formats of cricket. He is also a handy bowler and has taken more than 50 wickets in ODI cricket and has also played as a wicketkeeper.
With his aggressive batting, Gayle has earned the reputation of a legend in the world of cricket. The 37-year-old Jamaican cricketer has played for seven teams in IPL. Firstly he played for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2008 and made 97 runs from 49 balls in his debut match. In the 2011 IPL auction, RCB bought Gayle for $750,000, and since he has been instrumental in getting them impactful results. Later in 2018, he signed a contract with the Kings XI Punjab.
2. AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers is the second-best overseas player of all time in IPL. He was a famous player for his spectacular batting style and team coordination. Moreover, AB de Villiers holds the record for the fastest 50, 100, and 150 in ODIs. He is also known as Mr. 360 degree because he can play shots all around the wicket. In his IPL career from 2008 to 2018, he played for teams like Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Also, he scored 4395 runs in 143 matches with an average of 39.95 and a strike rate of 151.23 in the IPL. AB de Villiers is one of the most demanded players in IPL history.
He retired from international cricket on May 23, 2018. Furthermore, he stated that he would like to continue playing franchise cricket. Currently, he plays for Brisbane Heat in Big Bash League 2019-20 tournament.
3. Lasith Malinga
Lasith Malinga is a retired Sri Lankan cricketer who has been a regular member of the Sri Lankan national team since 1999. Widely regarded as one of the greatest limited-overs bowlers of all time, Malinga is known for his unusual round-arm bowling action and can also bowl yorkers and slower balls with high precision. Furthermore, he was ranked as the third-best overseas player of all time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) by the IPL governing council in 2019.
Malinga captained the Sri Lankan side from 2009 to 2011 and took over in 2013 during pre-match warm-ups. He is known for his ability to take consecutive wickets in ODIs. The records are as follows: four in four balls against South Africa in 2007, five in five balls against New Zealand in 2019, which is also a world record. In 2012, Malinga captained Mumbai Indians for their first four games because Sachin Tendulkar was injured. As a captain, he won three of those games before handing over to Harbhajan Singh.
4. Dwayne Bravo
Dwayne Bravo is a Trinidadian cricketer and also the former captain of West Indies in all formats. He plays for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Quetta Gladiators in Pakistan Super League (PSL). A genuine all-rounder, Bravo, who bats right-handed and bowls right-arm medium-fast pace is also known for his aggressive batting in the middle order and his “at the death” bowling.
In IPL, he has been playing for CSK since 2011. Bravo is the highest wicket-taker in the history of IPL. He took 277 wickets in 190 matches. He is also the third player to take 200 wickets or more in T20 cricket after Shahid Afridi and Lasith Malinga. Bravo holds the record for most catches by a fielder in IPL with 90 catches to his name. He also has an IPL record for the most catches by an overseas player in a single season, with 15 catches in 2012.
5. Kieron Pollard
Lastly, Kieron Pollard is the fifth-best overseas player on our list. He has scored 1531 runs and picked up 82 wickets from his 137 matches. Pollard is also a good bowler and can be used as an option at any point in the game as he bowls medium pace. He has a strike rate with the bat of 164.33 and has also taken 82 wickets with an economy rate of 8.73.
He was not a part of the initial squad for Mumbai Indians but was signed by them after two other players were injured. Pollard played his first match on 3 April 2010 against Delhi Daredevils. He followed it up with another blistering knock in his second match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, where he hit 21 (9 balls) with two sixes and a strike rate of 233.33 batting at number 5. Also, one of Pollard’s best knocks came against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2011, where he scored 60 off 32 balls as Mumbai chased down a total of 170.
Also, check out: the top 5 highest paid Indian cricketers in 2022.
Conclusion
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