IPL 2016: Overseas XI of the tournament

The Indian Premier League has always been an attractive destination for players from all over the world. The cash-rich league provides plenty of opportunities to overseas players to perform and establish themselves as prominent players for their respective teams.

Very often, the overseas players become almost a fulcrum for their respective teams and grow both in their own games and also in the way they react to different situations.

This season was no different, and there were a number of foreign players who outshone and emerged as proven match-winners. They also became synonymous with their teams.

We try to form a playing eleven of such overseas players.

David Warner (Captain)

There is little doubt that this season was all about Sunrisers Hyderabad and their glorious journey towards the title. They were led from the front by all means by their captain David Warner, both with the bat and then as a captain in the field.

He was like a one-man army and scored runs in almost all the matches. His knock of 93 not out in the playoffs and then the knock of 69 in the finals added the sheen to the campaign.

In the 17 matches this season he scored 848 runs at an average of 60.57 and with a strike-rate of 151.42.

A captain and the main batsman of the season.

Quinton de Kock (Wicket-Keeper)

The diminutive left-hander from South Africa was one of the shining lights for the Delhi Daredevils this season. He was consistent at the top of the order and provided sedate starts to his team. The innings of 108 against the Royal Challengers Bangalore will be one of the innings of the season.

As a wicket-keeper, he was brilliant behind the stumps and pulled off some brilliant catches and drove home the point as to why a regular keeper is needed even in the shortest format.

Surprisingly he did not get to play all the games this season, but this was a strategy followed by Delhi all through.

In 13 matches, de Kock scored 445 runs at an average of 37.08 and with a strike-rate of 136.08.

AB de Villiers

The superman from South Africa will saunter into any team because of his freak abilities and remarkable consistency. Once again he was the man for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and along with Virat Kohli formed an almost unstoppable combination for all the other teams.

The amazing AB was on in full flight all through the tournament and it was just a crying shame that he failed in the Finals of the tournament. Save this minor blip, this was a tournament that once again showed why AB was perhaps the best batsman at the moment.

In 16 matches, he scored 687 runs at an average of 52.87 and with a strike-rate of 168.79.

And we have not even spoken about his fielding and insane abilities in the field.

Aaron Finch

The burly Victorian started off the tournament like a man possessed and smashed 3 half-centuries in succession. He was almost single-handedly taking his team, the Gujarat Lions home.

Unfortunately, he got injured and had to be rested. He came back in and was slotted in the middle-order and started scoring half-centuries there too. He provided the late finishing touch to the innings and was proving to be a master-stroke.

It was a memorable tournament who gave full account of his abilities and also his adaptability.

In 13 matches he scored 393 runs at an average of 39.30 and with a strike-rate of 131.43.

Shane Watson

Shane Watson was more a bowling all-rounder this season. After having retired from International duties it was like he had found new wings this season.

With the bat however, his effectiveness and impact can never be underestimated. He was the all-rounder that rendered balance to the Royal Challengers Bangalore side.

He was the bowler who provided wickets and control in the middle stages and then came back to choke the opposition in the death overs.

In 16 matches he scored 179 runs and picked up 20 wickets. A memorable campaign for the veteran.

Dwayne Smith

He did not start the tournament for the Gujarat Lions but was slotted in after Aaron Finch was injured. Immediately he struck form and showcased his prowess with the bat.

He provided the belligerent start at the top of the order and formed a potent combination with Brendon McCullum. He scored 324 runs in 12 matches and played many crucial innings for Gujarat once he dropped down the order.

However, the biggest surprise this season was his bowling performance. He jogged in, hit the wicket hard and got the ball to move and jump. He picked up 8 wickets, which included a 4-wicket haul against the Kolkata Knight Riders in Kanpur.

Chris Morris

Chris Morris proved to be the talisman for Delhi Daredevils this season and he certainly earned every penny of his 7 crore. He was the all-rounder Delhi needed and was brilliant with both bat and ball.

In 12 matches he scored 195 runs but his effectiveness was far more than numbers can prove. He scored all these runs with a strike-rate of 178.89 and on more than once occasion gave his team the late boost needed. His highest score of 82 off 32 balls would have been the innings of the tournament had he pulled off an improbable chase for his team. Delhi went down by a solitary run against Gujarat Lions.

With the new ball he got the zip, pace and bounce off the seam, but he reserved his best for the death overs. Hurling in pin-point yorkers, Morris was unnervingly accurate every time. He picked up 13 wickets in the sojourn and it is just a shame that his team could not make it through to the playoffs.

It is no coincidence that Delhi lost their momentum when they 'rested' Morris in one the matches, and then they just stalled.

Andre Russell

Arguably the most effective West Indian this season, Russell was silky in whatever he did. He opened the bowling and bowled with mean pace and bounce. At the death, he was accurate with his yorkers and changes of pace and length.

In 12 matches he picked up 15 wickets at an economy rate of 7.97 and with an average of 19.40.

If with the ball he was effective, he was lethal with the bat. The combination of power, brute force and solid temperament proved to be match-winning for Kolkata Knight Riders on more than one occasion. He scored 188 runs coming in at number 5 or 6 with a strike rate of 164.91.

He was injured in the critical matches for KKR and was not available for the eliminator too and KKR never recovered from this setback.

Adam Zampa

The leg-spinner from Australia was one of the few bright sparks from an otherwise forgettable season for the Rising Pune Supergiants this season.

He came into the team late into the team but quickly outshone everyone else. Added to his skill, he had the captaincy of MS Dhoni, who is the best captain of spinners in the world and Zampa only grew.

He played only 5 matches but picked up 12 wickets including the 6-wicket haul against Sunrisers Hyderabad, which was the best figures this season.

A bright prospect has been unearthed for Australia.

Mustafizur Rahman

Ever since he has come into the limelight it has all been one big party for the Fizz from Bangladesh. He shot into fame against India in his debut series and has only grown ever since.

There was little doubt and no surprises at all when he was declared as the best emerging player of the tournament. He befuddled all the batsmen with his variations, his cutters and his repertoire.

In 16 matches he picked up 17 wickets and formed a deadly combination with Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the death.

Mitchell McClenaghan

The fiesty left arm-quick was the leader of the Mumbai Indians' bowling attack and justified this tag every bit.

Fast, nasty and in the face, Mitch was picking up wickets in the powerplay and then returned with his bumpers and toe-crushing Yorkers at the death.

In 14 matches this season, McClenaghan picked up 17 wickets, and his influence was massive in the Mumbai Indians scheme of things.