IPL 2018: Overseas Players’ report card

This year’s IPL saw some of the most nail bitings finishes we have ever witnessed. It was one of the best seasons to date. We also got to witness some scintillating performances from various players especially the overseas players.

For an overseas player, coming to a different country and playing cricket can be quite daunting especially if you’re playing in the toughest T20 tournament in the world.

While this year saw some great overall performances, we also witnessed some below average performances.

This report card highlights one player from each team and takes into account their batting, bowling and fielding performances while also considering how their performances helped their team.

If I have forgotten to include someone in this list, then please voice your opinion in the comments section below.

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#8 Glenn Maxwell (Delhi Daredevils)

Maxwell could be one of the people to blame for DD’s poor performance this year

Glenn Maxwell has always had a big reputation of destroying bowling attacks. However, the past few years have been pretty quiet for ‘The Big Show’. He wasn’t retained by Kings XI Punjab in the auction but was purchased by Delhi Daredevils.

Delhi fans were hoping that a change of teams would ignite a spark in Maxwell. However, this was not the case. Maxwell was one of the most disappointing overseas players this year. He managed to score just 169 runs in 12 matches and picked up 5 wickets.

Maxwell’s poor performance could be due to the fact that he was moved down the order to number 5 to make way for Rishabh Pant. The Delhi fans were deeply disappointing by Maxwell’s performance. Maxwell could be one of the people to blame for DD’s poor performance this year.

Rating: 3/10

#7 Kieron Pollard (Mumbai Indians)

2018 may be Pollard's worst year yet

Kieron Pollard has been a mainstay in Mumbai Indians camp ever since his arrival in 2010. He has contributed both with bat and bowl. However, 2018 may be his worst year yet.

The Pollard we all know and love just never showed up in the IPL leaving Mumbai Indians swinging for the fences. Pollard scored just 133 runs in nine matches and didn’t even bowl a single ball.

This could be one of the reasons MI crashed out of the tournament this year. One can only imagine what would have happened had Pollard contributed a little bit more.

Rating: 4/10

#6 Chris Lynn (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Chris Lynn had a decent season in 2018

Though Chris Lynn is a prolific T20 batsman, he has always been injury prone. This year he managed to stay injury free, but this impacted his performances earlier in the cash-rich league.

He wore a strap on his shoulder to keep his swing under control and this stopped him from reaching his full potential. As a result, he had a quiet start. He also looked comfortable at the crease.

Few matches later, he removed the strap and his performance started improving. Overall, he had a decent season this year scoring 491 runs from 16 games. He wasn’t as destructive as before being mindful of his injury, but he was certainly determined to perform well for his franchise, and this earned him some good marks in his report card.

Rating: 7.5/10

#5 AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

AB de Villiers scored 6 half-centuries this year

AB de Villiers has always been an impact player for RCB. This year also a lot of responsibility rested on his shoulders. He has always been tasked with carrying the middle-order by himself. While, alongside Virat, he formed a formidable duo when they bat together, if even one of them gets out, it spells trouble for RCB.

This year may not have been as good as 2016, but he still scored plenty of runs for his side and even won them a couple of games. He scored 480 runs in 12 matches. He also scored six half-centuries this year and took one of the best catches in the history of cricket.

Despite his efforts, he could not carry his team into the playoffs which put a dent in his rating. Whether he will return next year to play for the bold army remains to be seen since he recently accounted for his retirement from international cricket.

Rating: 8/10

#4 Shane Watson (Chennai Superkings)

He also scored his highest IPL score in the finals(117*)

It was really weird for me to see Watson wear the yellow jersey since he had a good track record against the Chennai Superkings. After a forgettable 2017, it was time for Watson to redeem himself this year. He started well in his first couple of games and showed signs of a player in form.

However, he came into his own against his former team - Rajasthan Royals. He scored his first century this year and took the bowlers to the cleaners. Perhaps he had something to prove.

Watson was back. Following that century, he had a poor couple of games. When everyone thought that Watson has lost his touch again, he surprised everyone with a brilliant ton in the finals of the IPL. He also scored his highest IPL score in the process (117*).

I have always been a big Shane Watson fan, but this was the best I have ever seen Watson batting. What’s even more fascinating is the fact that he did all this with a slight niggle. He scored a total of 555 runs from 15 matches and even took six wickets. Overall, this was the best we have ever seen Watson. You can also see the emotion on his face after winning the final.

Rating: 8/10

#3 Andrew Tye (Kings XI Punjab)

Andrew Tye was the best bowler in the tournament

Now it’s time we talk about a bowler who really stood out this tournament. For me, he was the best bowler in the tournament because he single-handedly made his entire team’s bowling department look strong.

Andrew Tye was a standout bowler this year often picking multiple wickets per match.

He picked up 24 wickets in 14 games and held three four-wicket hauls. Needless to say he won the purple cap even though he only played 14 matches. He was clearly the standout performer with the ball for KXIP.

Rating: 9/10

#2 Jos Butler (Rajasthan Royals)

Jos Butler scored 5 fifties during the course of the tournament

Jos Butler started the tournament in the middle-order where he wasn’t able to score many runs for Rajasthan Royals. He was later promoted to open the batting - a move that would favour Rajasthan Royals.

He scored a consecutive string of the fifties single-handedly ensuring his franchise qualifies for the playoffs. He had to exit the tournament early, but his magnificent innings won’t be forgotten.

Overall he scored 548 runs from 13 matches with a strike-rate of 155.24. He also scored 5 fifties during the course of the tournament.

Rating: 9/10

#1 Kane Williamson (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Kane Williamson led his team all the way to the finals

In the absence of David Warner, I thought SRH would be one of the first teams to exit the cash-rich league. I was proven wrong thanks to some brilliance from Kane Williamson.

Williamson was always considered a test player, but this year he proved his haters wrong. Always seen as a backup batsman for SRH, this year he got the chance to showcase his skills. He brought a touch of class to T20 cricket.

While a lot of batsmen were pummeling the ball with brute force, Williamson was using sheer timing and placement to find the gaps. I still remember his innings against RCB when SRH were chasing 218 runs to win. He was timing the ball so beautifully and he had a strike of 200.

Kane Williamson led his team all the way to the finals. He was the orange cap holder at the end of the tournament scoring a massive 735 runs from 17 matches with 8 fifties and an impressive strike-rate of 142.44.

Rating: 9.5/10