IPL Auctions 2019: One player each from non top-8 ODI nations that the IPL teams should target

Indian Premier League is the biggest domestic tournament that the game of cricket has ever seen. It began in Kolkata in 2008 in a relatively low key manner but the tournament has grown on to become the most popular league in the world.

The 12th edition of the league will begin in March next year but the build-up for the season begins with the auction which will be held in mid-December. The auction is almost as exciting as the league itself as fans are excited to know about the new players who would be a part of their favourite teams in the upcoming season.

While the league has always provided opportunities for Indians and other players from the Test playing nations, players from other lower ranked nations were largely left behind.

This aspect of the league has changed in recent years with players like Rashid Khan, Mohammed Nabi, Mujeeb ur Rahman and Sandeep Lamichhane all playing a vital role for their respective sides in 2018 IPL.

The 2019 edition promises to include even more such players as a number of players from these countries are making a name for themselves in various leagues across the world and the IPL teams would be looking to pick them in the upcoming auction.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore- Mohammad Shahzad

Mohammad Shahzad is amongst the most exciting players to watch on the field in world Cricket at present. He is a phenomenal hitter of the ball and is also a keeper which adds value to the team.

Shahzad played a brilliant knock against the Indian team in the Asia Cup scoring a century at a brilliant strike-rate. His knock in that match would have earned him an IPL contract by itself, but he has followed it up with brilliant performances in the Afghanistan Premier League and the ongoing T10 league.

RCB have released Quinton de Kock and Brendon McCullum and are left with only Parthiv Patel as the only keeper in their squad. Shahzad can fulfil the keeper's role and in addition, he can also provide the team with an explosive start something which de Kock and McCullum tried and failed.

Delhi Daredevils- Sean Williams

Sean Williams

Sean Williams is the most important player of the Zimbabwe team and has performed for the team for a number of years now. He, along with Brendan Taylor, form a potent duo who have bailed their country on a number of occasions.

Sean Williams is one of the best all-rounders in the shorter formats of the game. He is a brilliant finisher and is also a spinner who can bowl both in powerplay as well as in the middle overs.

Williams plays the big shots in the final overs and has the ability to clear any ground with ease. He can also bowl a tight line to strangle the opposition for runs and pick wickets in the process.

Delhi requires a finisher and are also in the search for a quality spinner and Williams has the ability to fulfil both roles with ease. He can perform a role which is similar to what Washington Sundar and Mohammad Nabi perform for their IPL teams.

Kings XI Punjab- Shimron Hetmyer

Shimron Hetmyer

Shimron Hetmyer is a phenomenal talent and has been identified by many as a player to watch out for. He has been hailed as the next Lara by the followers of West Indies Cricket and he has performed pretty well for West Indies as well.

Hetmyer proved his talent in the Indian ODI series where he smashed the Indian bowlers all around the park. His performance against the strong Indian team in their own backyard has definitely earned accolades from Cricket enthusiasts across the world.

In addition to that, his performance on that tour has also made him a hot property in the next month's auction. He is expected to be among the costliest players in the upcoming auctions.

Punjab struggled throughout last year with finishing as Ashwin tried Miller, Stoinis and Finch and failed on all the occasions. Punjab are in a desperate need for a finisher and if they manage to get hold of Hetmyer they might go all the way next year.

Sunrisers Hyderabad- Shai Hope

Shai Hope

Sunrisers Hyderabad had a brilliant IPL last year as they emerged as the second-best team in the League. The team has traded Dhawan for Vijay Shankar, Shahbaz Nadeem and Abhishek Sharma and are going into the auction relatively weakened at the top of the batting order.

Vijay Shankar will help to strengthen the brittle middle order which was a source of trouble last year. Williamson would also prefer to play at one down to control the game better in the middle overs.

This leaves the team with a spot for an opener who can keep as the team has let go of Wriddhiman Saha. Warner will be the team's premier opening batsman and SRH require a solid opener who could lend some stability to their top order.

Shai Hope is a technically sound batsman who has performed exceedingly well for West Indies. He is also a keeper, and he will be an ideal foil for Warner.

Rajasthan Royals- Nicholas Pooran

Nicholas Pooran

Rajasthan Royals were one of the luckiest teams of last year's IPL as the team reached the playoffs ahead of Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians, thanks to a last-minute blitzkrieg by Jos Buttler.

The team struggled with their second opener's slots and the finisher's slot throughout the season as both Short and Rahane failed at the top and both Stokes and Buttler failed in the middle order before Buttler was promoted to open the batting.

Royals desperately require a finisher to be in a position to compete for the title and they could find no person who would do that better than Nicholas Pooran. The young man from Trinidad has made a name for himself with some impressive performance in the CPL.

Pooran has a phenomenal strike rate of 164 in T20Is and his strike rate in the 2018 CPL was more than 200. He is a phenomenal striker of the ball and is also a keeper who can keep wickets in Buttler's absence.

Kolkata Knight Riders- Ali Khan

Ali Khan

Kolkata Knight Riders were the most promising side in the Indian Premier League last year as they defied everyone's expectations and qualified for the Playoffs despite having a relatively weak side.

One area where the team lacked was in the fast bowling department as Mitchell Starc was ruled out of IPL and the likes of Vinay Kumar, Tom Curran and Javon Searles failed to step up in his absence.

Kolkata Knight Riders will be in the lookout for a quality pacer in the IPL auction and would ideally love to have Oshane Thomas in their side but given the amount of money they have, they might have to settle for Ali Khan.

Ali Khan is a brilliant fast bowler who has performed extremely well for the Trinbago Knight Riders in CPL. He is a Pakistan-born USA Cricketer and he might be the first Cricketer from the USA to play in IPL.

Mumbai Indians- Zahir Khan

Zahir Khan

Mumbai Indians had the worst possible season in 2018 as the defending champions couldn't even make it to the playoffs. The team lacked a proper finisher but the bigger problem is the lack of a high-quality spinner.

Mayank Markande began IPL in a brilliant fashion but soon players started tackling him with ease and he became ineffective. The lack of a mystery spinner or a quality spinner in the team proved costly as Mumbai Indians couldn't defend totals.

Zahir Khan is the latest sensation to have emerged from war-torn Afghanistan and he is indeed making the cricketing world take notice. He has played in 24 T20s so far and has scalped 34 Wickets at a brilliant average of 17 and a phenomenal economy rate of 7.1.

Zahir Khan's biggest strength is that he is a left-arm chinaman bowler which makes him a very useful commodity. The cricketing world has seen how Kuldeep Yadav has bamboozled the opposition batsmen and this youngster from Afghanistan might well follow that path.