IPL Fantasy 2019: 5 Must-Have Overseas Players

With the IPL season just days away now, fans are ready for another season of the biggest festival in cricket. Most fans will be gearing up for the IPL fantasy league which has gained a lot of popularity since its advent.

Setting up a fantasy IPL squad is easier said than done. A lot of planning has to be put into the selection of players. Like who are the in-form players, which player has switched teams or which domestic player performed well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

While there is an abundance of quality Indian players to choose from it is the selection of overseas players that is a cause of headache for most fantasy managers.

Selecting overseas players is one of the biggest challenges in the game since only 4 can make it to the everyday squad. So, to make things easier for all fantasy managers here are 5 must-have overseas players for your fantasy team:

#5 Andre Russell (Kolkata Knight Riders):

Andre Russell(Batting)

Andre Russell aka Dre Russ has been one of the most explosive players in the IPL. His big hitting ability, pace bowling, and explosive fielding make him a complete T20 player, something that franchises crave for in a cash-rich league like the IPL.

Dre Russ was a phenomenon last year, scoring 316 runs at a mind-boggling strike rate of 184.79 while also chipping in with 13 wickets at an economy rate of 8.74. His economy rate may look on the higher side but the fact that he bowls in the powerplay and death overs shows it isn't that bad after all and wicket taking options are also high during that period of the innings.

He hit 31 sixes and 17 fours last season and since most fantasy leagues allocate extra points for boundaries, Dre Russ will rake in those points with his big hitting and help fantasy managers in their run for the championship.

In the recently concluded Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Dre Russ scored 299 runs at a strike rate of 156.54, also hitting 28 sixes and 16 fours along the way. He also captured 14 wickets at an economy rate of 7.44. Since the BPL is played on pitches that mirror those in India, Dre Russ can be backed for another swashbuckling IPL season.

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#4 Shane Watson (Chennai Super Kings):

Shane Watson

After 2 underwhelming seasons with the bat, Shane Watson came back with a vengeance and marshaled the Chennai Super Kings to their 3rd IPL title; his match-winning century in the final will be counted as one of the finest in the league.

He scored 555 runs in 16 matches at an average of 39.64 and a strike rate of 154.59. He also had 2 centuries and 2 half-centuries to his name along with 35 sixes and 44 fours.

Watson is coming into the 2019 IPL season in top form, he finished the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as the highest run-getter with 440 runs in 12 matches at an average of 43 and a strike rate of 143.81. He recorded 4 half-centuries along the way. He had the most number of fours(43) and was 3rd on the list for most sixes(22).

An opener for CSK, Watson gets to face the most number of balls and with him being in prime form, his addition to fantasy squads will only bring fruition to dreams of many fantasy managers, that is of winning the IPL fantasy championship

#3 Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders):

Sunil Narine

The fact that he can now bat at the top of the innings and score runs at will has only added to the legend that is Sunil Narine. Already a world beater in the bowling department, his explosive batting ability has now multiplied his value several times.

Narine has been a vital cog in the Kolkata Knight Riders machinery since his introduction to the IPL in 2012. He played a pivotal role in KKR's IPL winning campaigns in 2012 and 2014.

He had a career-best season with the bat last season, scoring 357 runs in 16 games at an average of 22.31 and a strike rate of 189.89. He clobbered 23 sixes and 40 fours during his time at the crease. His bowling also got a boost, as after 3 disappointing seasons with the ball he finally broke the 15-wicket barrier and finished with 17 wickets at an economy rate of 7.65.

Narine was in peak form during the recently concluded Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), he scored 279 runs as an opener at an average of 18.60 and a strike rate of 143.07 along with 34 fours and 15 sixes. On the bowling end, he captured 18 wickets in 15 matches at a miserly economy rate of 6.35.

Batting in the top order and then bowling during all stages of the match make Narine one of the most dangerous dual-threat players in the IPL. With extra points available for strike-rate and economy rate, Narine is has a huge potential for scoring points in every game.

#2 AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore):

AB De Villiers

Mr 360 has been one of the most consistent players in the IPL and forms one-half of the most dangerous pairs in the tournament alongside Virat Kohli. He will be rearing to make a mark at the Chinnaswamy Stadium again this year.

ABD had a great IPL 2018, where he accumulated 480 runs in 12 matches at an average of 53.33 and a strike rate of 174.54. He garnered 6 half-tons along the while clearing the ropes 30 times and hitting the boundary rope 39 times.

He has already fired warning shots to IPL teams with a blistering performance in the UAE leg of the PSL, He scored 218 runs in 7 matches at an average of 54.50 and a strike rate of 128.99. His average was highest among batsman who had played 7 matches or more.

Chinnaswamy Stadium is a high scoring arena where the average 1st inning score was 188 last season. De Villiers loves to bat on this pitch and many of his memorable performances for the men in red have come on this ground. Now we can only tighten our seatbelts as ABD takes us for a ride.

#1 Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals):

Jos Buttler

Jos Buttler is viewed as one of the most destructive batsmen in the current crop of international players. He has an array of shots at his disposal which he can deploy at any moment of the innings.

In his first 2 seasons of the IPL, Buttler showed only glimpses of his potential with the Mumbai Indians. He started his 3rd season as a member of the Rajasthan Royals quite timidly before a promotion to the top of the batting order saw him express his natural attacking game.

He finished the 2018 IPL season with 548 runs at an average of 54.80 and a strike rate of 155.24. He smashed 5 half-centuries along the way, he also managed to hit 21 sixes and 52 fours.

Buttler had a solid BBL 2019 season representing the Sydney Thunder, he scored 273 runs in 7 matches at an average of 39 and a strike rate of 135.14. He later joined the England squad for the West Indies series and in the 4th One Dayer smashed a 77-ball 150.

Playing at the top of the order, Buttler has been given the license to kill by the Rajasthan Royals and we are all aware of his capabilities. Buttler is one of the must-haves for your fantasy squad for the upcoming 2019 IPL season.