The Indian Premier League is probably the most competitive domestic cricket tournament in the world. The key reason behind it is that the big names from the entire cricket universe gather at one place to compete against each other. BCCI launched the IPL in 2008, with the aim of giving the youngsters a platform to showcase their special talents.
While the primary goal was to develop the young Indian cricketers, the players from other nations have also benefited lot by playing in the IPL. Over the years, a few players from the non-Test playing nations have also earned a contract from the IPL franchises. Here are the players from non-Test playing countries who have been a part of the Indian Premier League.
5.Tanmay Mishra – Kenya
Tanmay Mishra is a Mumbai-based batsman who played international cricket for the Kenyan team. He represented the African nation in international cricket from 2006 to 2013, playing 42 ODIs and 15 T20Is for them.
Ahead of the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League, the Deccan Chargers signed him in the auction. Two years later, Mishra earned a contract from the Royal Challengers Bangalore. He played his only IPL game against the Rajasthan Royals in 2012, but he did not get a chance to bat in that game. Currently, Mishra plays domestic cricket in India.
4.Sandeep Lamichhane – Nepal
Many Asian countries have made progress in the cricket world during the last few decades. One of the fastest rising nations in the cricketing field is Nepal.
The country’s 20-year-old leg-spinner had made history by becoming the first Nepalese player to earn an IPL contract. Lamichhane has been a part of the Delhi-based franchise since the 2018 season. He has scalped 13 wickets in nine IPL games.
3.Ryan ten Doeschate – The Netherlands
The only player from a non-Test playing nation to have won the Indian Premier League is the Dutch all-rounder, Ryan ten Doeschate. The 40-year-old represented the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.
He played 29 matches for the team, scoring 326 runs at an average of 23.29. The medium pacer bowled 13 overs in the league and scalped two wickets.
2.Chirag Suri – United Arab Emirates
IPL 2020 is taking place in the United Arab Emirates. However, there is not a single local player participating in this year’s IPL. UAE is still growing as a cricket team.
In 2017, Chirag Suri became the first UAE player to earn an IPL contract. The Gujarat Lions signed him that year but did not give him a single chance to play.
1.Ali Khan – United States of America
Kolkata Knight Riders had recently grabbed the headlines by signing American fast bowler Ali Khan for IPL 2020. The Pakistan-born bowler has joined the team as Harry Gurney’s replacement.
The right-arm pacer has impressed in the other T20 leagues of the world. It will be interesting to see if he can continue that same form in the IPL. There was a report spreading online that Ali Khan had been ruled out of IPL 2020 because of an injury. Eventually, it proved to be false because ESPNCricinfo reported that Ali was injured but not ruled out of the season.
