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The Mumbai Indians (MI) are the most successful team in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), with 4 titles to their name.
The Rohit Sharma-led side has always been known for its world-class Indian stars such as Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, but an equally crucial aspect of their dominance over the IPL has been the quality overseas players at their disposal.
The likes of Trent Boult, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Chris Lynn will play a key role for MI in the 2020 IPL as well.
MI's greatest overseas XI of all time in the IPL
The IPL states that no more than 4 overseas players can be part of a team's playing XI and we blatantly disregard this rule in the making of this article.
Here is MI's greatest overseas XI of all time in the IPL.
Openers: Lendl Simmons, Quinton de Kock (wk)
Opener Lendl Simmons will go down as one the most underrated players in the history of the IPL. The West Indian perhaps lacked the flair that his more illustrious countrymen possessed, but he more than made up for it with consistency and the ability to rise up to the occasion. Simmons scored 1,079 runs at an average of 39.96 for MI, which is the only franchise he has played for in the IPL.
Partnering Simmons at the top of the order is Quinton de Kock. The South African has played 16 games for MI, scoring 529 runs at a superb average of 35.27. His performances have been so good in the blue and gold that he has managed to push one of the greatest openers of all time, Sanath Jayasuriya, lower down the order in this XI.
Middle Order: Evin Lewis, Dwayne Smith
Due to the presence of Simmons and De Kock, Evin Lewis doesn't get to play as an opener in this XI. However, the West Indian performed brilliantly in the 2 years that he was part of the franchise, scoring 430 runs in 16 games. The explosive opener has registered two centuries in T20I cricket, but went unsold in the 2020 IPL auction.
Dwayne Smith excelled at the top of the order for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) alongside Brendon McCullum, but the dashing right-hander did play in the middle order when he was at MI and comes in at No. 4 in this XI.
The West Indian played 24 games for MI, and scored 620 runs and picked up 9 wickets. This included a stunning assault on CSK's Ben Hilfenhaus off the last three balls of the match to pull off a win, arguably the reason behind MS Dhoni's men signing Smith.
Spin-bowling all-rounders: JP Duminy, Sanath Jayasuriya
Given that no overseas spinner has played even a moderate number of games for MI in the IPL, JP Duminy and Sanath Jayasuriya have been entrusted with the responsibility of churning out a few overs in this all-time XI.
Duminy played 26 games for MI and scored 565 runs at a superb average of 37.67, with 5 fifties to his name as well. The South African also chipped in with 5 wickets at a miserly economy rate of 6.38.
Jayasuriya, on the other hand, has been pushed down from his opener's role simply because he has the experience of batting lower down the order, having done so during the initial part of his international career. The Sri Lankan's power and ability to put the foot on the pedal makes him an ideal lower-middle-order batsman, especially in a tournament such as the IPL.
And as mentioned above, Jayasuriya's handy left arm spin will lend balance to this XI.
Fast-bowling all-rounders: Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard (c)
West Indian all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard are two of the greatest overseas players to have played in the IPL, and both of them own the distinction of having played for MI.
Bravo made 30 appearances for the side, and scored 457 runs with 3 fifties. The 2-time Purple Cap winner also picked up 26 wickets at a respectable economy rate of 8.2, given that he was utilised at the death often. In IPL 2020, he will play for CSK, for whom he has become a fan favourite and captain Dhoni's go-to man.
Pollard, on the other hand, is still at MI. The big Trinidadian, who is captaining the Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) at the moment, is the skipper of this XI. He has scored 2,756 runs in the 148 games he has played for MI, and has won many a game single-handedly for the team.
Bowlers: Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell McClenaghan, Lasith Malinga
A three-pronged pace attack features Australian quick Mitchell Johnson, New Zealand left-armer Mitchell McClenaghan and Sri Lankan stalwart Lasith Malinga.
Johnson played 22 games for MI, and picked up 31 wickets at a splendid economy rate of 7.14. The 38-year-old was also part of the team's title-winning campaigns in 2013 and 2017.
McClenaghan was been one of MI's most overlooked players, and has always delivered for Rohit Sharma's side whenever called upon. The Kiwi has scalped 71 wickets in 56 games, and will play for the 4-time IPL champions in the 2020 edition of the tournament.
Lasith Malinga, on the other hand, is expected to miss a major part of the 2020 IPL season. The leading wicket-taker in the history of the cash-rich league with 170 wickets, the Sri Lankan great is arguably the greatest death bowler the IPL has ever seen. Malinga completes a very well-rounded fast-bowling attack in this all-time MI XI.
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