Gqeberha – IOL Sport rates what has been a mixed IPL campaign for the South Africans who took part in the lucrative tournament.
Most Proteas players spent very little time in the middle this season for a host of different reasons. Some just could not break into their team’s playing XI because other players had already solidified their spots.
Arriving a week late to the tournament because of national commitments did not help most of the SA players.
Kagiso Rabada, who is usually the most successful bowler in the IPL only played six games while Lungi Ngidi did not play a single game for a second consecutive season.
Quinton de Kock started playing late into the season but with Lucknow Super Giants having made it to the playoffs, he will most likely get another shot at the top of the order.
On the other hand, Sisanda Magala suffered an injury two matches into his IPL career. The fast bowler will be hoping to return to play in the playoffs for the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings.
9.5/10 - Faf du Plessis Runs: 730, Ave: 56, HS: 84, 50x8
Du Plessis has had an incredible season opening the batting alongside Virat Kohli for Royal Challengers Bangalore. The pair became just the second partnership to score over 900 runs together in one IPL season.
In 14 innings, Du Plessis reached the 50-run mark eight times and was the leading run-scorer for the majority of the tournament. Having not reached the playoffs with RCB, Du Plessis will most likely be unseated at the top of the chart, but that will take nothing away from the South African’s dominance this season.
9 - Heinrich Klaasen Runs: 448, Ave: 50, HS: 104, 100x1, 50x2
This season has been Klaasen’s most successful in both the IPL and in the green and gold of the Proteas.
It was a successful return to the IPL for the South African, having not lived up to expectation first time around when he was roped in by RCB in 2018. This season, Klaasen was often the lone warrior in the middle order for Sunrisers Hyderabad and showed an impressive game plan to spin bowling.
His average of 50 tells a tale of how successful Klaasen was this season despite his team finishing bottom of the standings.
6 - Wayne Parnell Wickets: 9, Ave: 26, BB: 3/10
Parnell was impactful for RCB despite only coming in as a replacement for David Willey almost half-way into the tournament.
The experienced left-arm seamer was a reliable new-ball bowler for captain Du Plessis, and his nine wickets in just seven games this season display his impact and success in a big team with big expectations.
5 - Marco Jansen Wickets: 10, Ave: 26, BB: 2/16
The youngster had a decent season with the ball for Sunrisers Hyderabad and his 10 wickets speaks volumes. He was particularly lethal with the new ball and often took wickets in the first power-play and put his team in the driving seat early on.
His batting, however, was not at its best. He scored 39 runs in six innings this season and was not anywhere near his best, which he displayed regularly in the SA20.
4 - Anrich Nortje Wickets: 10, Ave:36, BB: 2/20
Nortje is one of the first names on a team sheet when Delhi Capitals put together an eleven.
The fast bowler returned an economy rate of nine runs an over, meaning the South African couldn’t quite get it right this season. His forced return to South Africa at the business end of the tournament also played a part in him not headlining as he usually does in the IPL.
4 - Rilee Rossouw Runs: 209, Ave: 30, HS: 82 not out, 50x1
A solitary half-century towards the end of the season reminded the Delhi Capitals owners what Rossouw is capable of following a series of low scores earlier in the tournament. The left-handed batter is often a consistent performer in other T20 leagues, but the IPL has not been a happy hunting ground for him.
3.5 - Aiden Markram Runs: 248, Ave: 23, HS 50, 50x1
In his first stint captaining Hyderabad, there were high expectations from Markram. He set high standards in the orange and black of the Hyderabad last season and also in the SA20, where he led Sunrisers Eastern Cape to the title.
This season, Markram was not able to meet those standards.
3.5 - Kagiso Rabada Wickets: 7, Ave: 33, BB: 2/34
Rabada had an uncharacteristic season as he sat on the bench for a big part of the season. Despite claiming his 100th IPL wicket this season, Rabada still went for too many runs for a bowler of his calibre and registered an economy rate of 10 runs an over.
IOL Sport