Cricket fans were looking forward to the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023 auction in Colombo as they watched fierce bidding contests, unexpected decisions, and surprising results. While some cricketers received substantial deals that helped them succeed economically, a few international players were also unexpectedly passed over.
As excitement grows for the upcoming Lankan Premier League, which will officially start on July 30 and end on August 22, the focus now turns to the stories of the top five foreign players who unfortunately missed the chance to play in the LPL 2023 season.
Here are the Top 5 Overseas Players who went unsold in LPL 2023 Auction
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Mohammad Hafeez (Pakistan)
Mohammad Hafeez, a well-known player in Pakistani cricket, was one of the unsold players in the LPL auction. Hafeez’s ability in the 20-over format is widely recognized as he stands third for Pakistan in runs scored. He holds the title of the seventh-highest run-scorer in the Pakistan Super League with 1,731 runs. Franchises were likely prevented from investing in Hafeez as a result of his disappointing performance in the latest PSL season, where he scored just 135 runs in seven matches. All of these factors, along with his age, could have hurt his chances.
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Martin Guptill (New Zealand)
Martin Guptill, who has become known for his explosive batting style, is the top run-scorer for New Zealand in T20 Internationals. Guptill is a strong choice for any team with his 3,531 runs, including two centuries and 20 half-centuries in 122 T20Is. However, his age and unavailability from the New Zealand national team since October 2022 might have caused organizations to pass him over at the LPL auction. Despite an excellent PSL season in which he scored 310 runs at a 150.48 strike rate, Guptill failed to grab the interest of any franchise.
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Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe)
The all-rounder from Zimbabwe, Sikandar Raza, showed extraordinary talent in T20 Internationals, significantly raising the bar for Zimbabwe cricket. He became an important player due to his remarkable statistics, including 1,259 runs and 38 wickets in 66 T20 Internationals. Raza displayed outstanding promise in 2022, amassing 735 runs with a strike rate of 150.92 in 24 T20 Internationals. Fans and experts were shocked that despite his achievements, not a single franchise has shown interest in the talented Zimbabwean.
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Sarfaraz Ahmed (Pakistan)
Former Pakistani captain Sarfaraz Ahmed failed in securing a deal during the LPL auction. Ahmed’s latest participation in the Pakistan Super League 2023 did not go well despite his wealth of expertise and skills. Ahmed’s poor performance for Quetta Gladiators and absence from the national T20 squad proved to be significant factors in his failure at the auction. His poor T20I record and poor strike rate of 104.51 also added to the team’s hesitation.
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Imad Wasim (Pakistani)
Fans and analysts were baffled by Imad Wasim’s absence from the list of players who had been purchased. The 34-year-old Pakistani all-rounder has a strong resume that includes 302 T20 games, which shows his depth of expertise. Wasim’s skill to bowl in the powerplay makes him an asset in T20 cricket with 3,150 runs and 270 wickets in the shortest format. Surprisingly shocking, he was not included in the auction.
Overall, some unexpected results were seen during the Lankan Premier League auction for the 2023 season, when a few famous international players failed to find a team. Despite having an excellent record as a T20 player, Mohammad Hafeez had difficulty attracting teams due to his poor performance in the most recent PSL season and doubts about his age. The explosive batsman from New Zealand, Martin Guptill, also missed the opportunity to show off his skill set, probably as a result of his withdrawal from his national team. Sikandar Raza, a promising all-rounder from Zimbabwe, was also passed over despite his remarkable 2022 performance and good T20 stats.
Sarfaraz Ahmed, the former captain of Pakistan, also failed in securing a deal owing to his recent poor performance, and Imad Wasim, an experienced all-rounder with an impressive T20 record also went unsold, surprising both fans and analysts. Even though it’s unfortunate, these unsold players will now need to find alternative ways to showcase their talents and contribute to the T20 format.
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