IPL Auction 2022: 5 World Cup-winning players who went unsold in 2021 but can earn a contract at mega auction

IPL Auction 2022 is one of the most highly-anticipated events in cricket. The BCCI has not yet announced the date for IPL Auction 2022, but the officials have confirmed that it will be a mega auction, featuring some of the biggest names in world cricket.

According to reports, the existing eight teams will only be able to keep a maximum of four players from their current squad ahead of IPL Auction 2022. The two entrants, on the other hand, will reportedly have permission to draft three players before the auction gets underway.

Since two new teams have joined the league, there will be more spots for the players. On that note, here's a look at five World Cup-winning players who went unsold the previous season but could bag a deal at IPL Auction 2022.

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#1 Matthew Wade, T20 World Cup 2021

Matthew Wade won the ICC T20 World Cup 2021

Australian wicket-keeper Matthew Wade should be one of the top picks at IPL Auction 2022. The left-handed batter has scored 729 runs in 42 T20I innings at a strike rate of 127. Earlier this month, he played an incredible knock of 41 runs that helped Australia beat Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2021 semifinal.

Having won the T20 World Cup with Australia, Wade, who played his last IPL match in 2011, will now hope that he gets an opportunity to play in the IPL again.

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#2 Josh Inglis, T20 World Cup 2021

Josh Inglis is an extremely talented player

Another member from the Australian T20 World Cup-winning squad to feature on this list is Josh Inglis. The uncapped wicket-keeper hasn't got a chance to showcase his skills on the grand stage.

Ahead of IPL Auction 2021, the likes of Mitchell Johnson and Ricky Ponting appreciated Josh's talent. While he did not get a contract then, he could get one now at IPL Auction 2022. For the record, Inglis has scored 1,645 runs in 58 T20 innings at a strike rate of 151.61.

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#3 James Faulkner, Cricket World Cup 2015

James Faulkner could be an asset for any franchise

Veteran Australian all-rounder James Faulkner has performed well in T20 cricket this year. He scalped 13 wickets in six matches for the Lahore Qalandars in PSL 2021 and has 19 wickets to his name in his last 10 games.

Faulkner has played for multiple IPL franchises in the past. Looking at his recent form, the 2015 Cricket World Cup winner could return to the league next year.

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#4 Carlos Brathwaite, T20 World Cup 2016

Caribbean all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite surprisingly went unsold at the previous IPL Auction. He is a decent pace bowler and a hard-hitter. However, none of the IPL franchises raised the peddle for him.

Brathwaite has scored 2,122 runs and picked up 199 wickets in 223 T20s. The demand for overseas players will increase with the arrival of two new teams. It thus should not be a surprise if the 2016 T20 World Cup champion returns to the IPL in 2022.

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#5 James Vince, Cricket World Cup 2019

2019 World Cup winning batter James Vince has proven himself to be a match-winner in the shortest format of the game. He holds a unique record for the most runs by a batter without playing an IPL match.

Vince was in great touch during the Men's Hundred 2021, bolstering his chances of being signed by a team at the IPL Auction 2022.