3 teams that should target Dilshan Madushanka in IPL 2024 ft. Mumbai Indians

On the back of his five-wicket haul against India at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Sri Lanka's Dilshan Madushanka has now surged to the top of the wicket-charts of the 2023 World Cup.

The lanky left-arm seamer bowled with good rhythm while using his cutters to great effect as he chipped away at the Indian batting order on Thursday. He finished with figures of 5/80 even as Sri Lanka were blown away for a paltry 55 while chasing 358.

Madushanka's delivery to castle Indian skipper Rohit Sharma off the second ball of the match was one of the standout deliveries of the match as well as the tournament.

With 18 wickets to his credit from seven outings, he has been stellar for Sri Lanka and also boasts of the second most wickets in the powerplay (7) behind South Africa's Marco Jansen (12).

There's no doubt that this strong set of performances will put Madushanka in the race for a lucrative contract at the IPL 2024 auction, which is reportedly set to take place in December.

Given that there are a few franchises that need an overseas seamer in their ranks, let's look at three teams who should target the left-arm pacer at the IPL 2024 auction:

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#1 Mumbai Indians (MI)

A team that desperately needs some ammunition in its fast-bowling department, Mumbai Indians (MI) will look to bolster their stocks to that end ahead of IPL 2024. Having made it to Qualifier 2 in the preceding season, it was very clear that the five-time champions lacked a cutting-edge in their attack with Jasprit Bumrah unavailable.

Jofra Archer's fitness remains a factor of concern even as MI will be keen to unleash him in tandem with Bumrah. Either way, they need more options to be able to turn to and Madushanka is someone they ought to eye in that regard.

The sea breeze at the Wankhede Stadium will assist him in extracting movement under lights while he also has a very sharp bouncer which can come in handy on the red soil deck at the venue.

Oh, there's also the matter of MI's tryst with left-arm seamers - Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell McClenaghan, and Trent Boult have all, at various times, played pivotal roles in the team's storied success.

Taking a cue from the same, Madushanka could lend MI the variety and quality they are after in order to gun for the IPL 2024 crown.

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#2 Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Is Dilshan Madushanka the solution to KKR's fast-bowling problems?

It's no secret that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have struggled desperately for a fast-bowling leader. It hasn't quite worked with Pat Cummins while splurging a huge chunk of their allotted purse to trade Lockie Ferguson back from the Gujarat Titans (GT) last year also backfired.

While the surface at the Eden Gardens has been on the slower side so far at the 2023 World Cup, it has generally been a batting paradise with assistance on offer for the new ball bowlers. In that regard, Madushanka ought to enjoy bowling at the venue, where KKR play their home matches.

There are a fair number of talented Indian fast-bowlers in their current roster, headlined by Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora, apart from the experienced Shardul Thakur. They need an overseas pacer to complete their attack though and Madushanka is certainly someone who can do so having led Sri Lanka's bowling unit with aplomb at the World Cup.

KKR ought to have him as an option in their wishlist once the IPL 2024 auction rolls by.

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#3 Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)

Another team that has had issues with its fast bowling over the years, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) certainly look better placed at this point with Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, and Reece Topley among their options.

That said, Topley has been incredibly prone to injuries while Harshal Patel looked woefully out of sorts earlier this year while also falling off the radar of the Indian team. David Willey and Wayne Parnell (who replaced Topley in IPL 2023) are currently contracted with the franchise but they could do with a frontline wicket-taking option at the high-scoring M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

In that regard, RCB could throw their hat into the ring for Madushanka's services at the IPL 2024 auction. He has been more active on the international circuit than Parnell and brings more variations apart from a natural knack for picking up wickets - attributes that RCB can certainly do with.

Even if there is no immediate spot for him in their starting XI, Madushanka will certainly bolster RCB's bench as they aim to break their trophy duck.

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Will Dilshan Madushanka rake in the moolah come the IPL 2024 auction? Have your say in the comments section below!