“I didn’t expect to be picked in the IPL auction” – Moises Henriques

Moises Henriques did not expect to be picked up by any franchise in the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) mini-auction. The Australian all-rounder also revealed that he was sleeping through one of the biggest moments in his career.

Moises Henriques, who has played 57 IPL games, last played in the cash-rich league in 2017. The Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab) shelled out INR 4.2 crore to secure his services for IPL 2021. Henriques will be sharing the dressing room with fellow Australians Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith.

“I was not expecting to get picked up at all. It wasn’t until I woke up to go to the bathroom that I saw a couple of messages saying congrats on the pick-up, and I thought, ‘That’s nice,’ and tried to go back to sleep as soon as possible," said Moises Henriques.

“I just assumed I would have been picked up at base. It wasn’t until I woke up properly in the morning that I realised how much I went for,” Moises Henriques told cricket.com.au.

Moises Henriques wants to secure a spot in the Australian T20 squad

One of the most prolific Australian cricketers at the domestic level, Moises Henriques has led the Sydney Sixers to consecutive Big Bash League (BBL) titles in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.

Henriques remains hopeful of making it into Australia’s T20I squad for the World Cup later this year through a good showing in the IPL.

“When you fight your way into the international white-ball teams, and then you get selected to go to South Africa, and that tour doesn’t go ahead, you don’t get your opportunity to defend your spot in that (T20) team when it goes to New Zealand," said Moises Henriques.

“By not playing, someone else gets that opportunity - and deservedly so. But the IPL is more T20 cricket, more white-ball cricket for me to play and learn from. If I do get that opportunity (for Australia) in the future, then I’d be ready to go,” added Moises Henriques.

In a career spanning one-and-half decades, Moises Henriques has played 213 T20s. He averages 27 with the bat, striking at 128.7. He also has 111 wickets to his name and an economy rate of 8.29. He has also represented Australia in 4 Tests, 13 ODIs and 14 T20Is between 2009 and 2020.