IPL 2021 auction: Players from SMAT who could attract bids
What's the story
The 2020/21 edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy concluded on Sunday. Tamil Nadu claimed a seven-wicket victory over Baroda to lift their second title. Spinner Manimaran Siddharth was named the Player of the Match for taking four wickets. Besides Siddharth, a bunch of other players made a mark ahead of the impending IPL auction. Here are the players who could bag a contract.
Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh's cameos were in the limelight
Right-handed batsman Shahrukh Khan opened his arms like the other one while hitting the winning runs for Tamil Nadu in the final. Although he wasn't among the top run-scorers, his powerful hitting grabbed eyeballs. His 19-ball 40* helped TN chase 136 in the quarter-final against Himachal Pradesh, after they were reduced to 5/66. Shahrukh might earn an IPL contract due to his exploits.
Khrievitso Kense
The 16-year-old leg-spinner could attract bids
The 16-year-old Nagaland leg-spinner Khrievitso Kense made headlines in his debut domestic tournament. He scalped seven wickets from four games for his state at an impressive economy rate of 5.47. It was even reported that Mumbai Indians have invited the youngster for bowling trials ahead of the auction. The leggie could well spark a bidding war at the auction table soon.
Lukman Meriwala
Left-arm seamer Meriwala jeopardized the batsmen
Left-arm pacer Lukman Meriwala was sensational for Baroda this season. He finished as the second-highest wicket-taker with 15 scalps at an astonishing average of 13.27. Despite starting the tournament poorly, he snapped up eight wickets in the next two games. His 5/8 against Chhattisgarh turned out to be one of the best spells. The 29-year-old could be a perfect addition to any franchise.
Vishnu Solanki
Another match-winner from Baroda
Another Baroda player who emerged as a match-winner for Baroda was right-handed batsman Vishnu Solanki. In the quarter-final against Haryana, he stepped up with a blinder and played the rescuer. As Baroda required 15 runs from the final three balls, he finished the game, and secured the semis berth. Overall, he finished with 267 runs from eight games at an average of 53.40.
Chetan Sakariya
The consistency of Chetan Sakariya stood out
Saurashtra fast bowler displayed terrific consistency throughout the tournament. He remained one of the two bowlers with 10+ wickets (12) to have an average below 10 (8.17). His bowling figures in the tournament read as - 2/22, 2/31, 2/15, 5/11, 1/19. He was also the only bowler in the top 15 to concede less than 100 runs (98) in the tournament.