Top IPL players who were unsuccessful in ICC World T20

ICC World Twenty20 (T20) 2016 has already started creating the much awaited waves around the globe with the Round 1 matches. The cricketing season has made its way and just then the next awaited tournament by the entire country – Indian Premier League (IPL) – announced their schedule on Thursday night. World T20 and Indian Premier League (IPL) are interconnected in many ways with IPL players finding their way in international teams with likes of Pawan Negi, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah due to good performances in the IPL. This edition of the IPL will see many international cricketers and budding players from the domestic set up for the first time. But there are some players who have created astonishing records in IPL but failed to impress the audience in World T20. Some of the players who were bloopers in World T20 are:

1. Kieron Pollard (West Indies): When IPL began; Indian and West Indies players ruled the tournament. When one would mention of Mumbai Indians, they can never forget the mighty Caribbean. Pollard started playing for MI in 2010 and he has collected total runs of 1751 with a strike rate of 148.51. His highest score for MI is 78 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) losing the match eventually. His yet another remarkable innings remained 34-ball 66 and 4 for 44 in the second innings against Rajasthan Royals (RR) thereby winning the Man of the Match award. But he has not had an impressive innings in World T20, rather being neglected for most of the matches. In 2007 he was included in squad, but was not called to play, which was condemned by cricketers as they found him to be the future start for West Indies. From 2009, he was back in action but his fans are yet to witness a crackling performance from Pollard. Pollard is not playing this edition of the tournament, but his records in the previous editions suggest that it was perhaps the right call. READ: Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine withdraw from ICC World T20 2016 squad

2. David Warner (Australia): Australia’s new middle-order batsman David Warner is yet another cracking player who remains at top of the highest run scorer of IPL among foreign players. He entered IPL as player for Delhi Daredevils (DD) but from 2014 he took charge as captain of Sunrisers Hayderabad. His IPL total so far has been 2525 when in 2011 he scored consecutive centuries Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). His highest score in World T20 was 72 against India in 2010 for which he did receive the Man of the Match award, but slowly that started fading away with new talents coming and taking away the opportunities. He has over 2,000-plus runs in IPL, as opposed to 435 in the World T20s.  He will still be one of Australia’s main players in this tournament.

3. Suresh Raina (India): Suresh Raina is known for his T20 format skills but when it comes to World T20 he has shown the capabilities just once, that much needed century against South Africa at Durban in 2010 that helped India win. But as the tournament progressed, the performance started depleting. His total run in World T20 is 412, which is too less compared to over 3,000 runs in the IPL. Raina who is at top of the list as leading run scorer in IPL, but needs to break the records in World T20 as well. His total figures in IPL can shock anyone which is 3699 with a century in 2013. In 2014 he missed the opportunity of fastest century due to a run out against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP). Raina will be now leading The Gujarat Lions in IPL 2016.  READ: How a teenaged Suresh Raina overcame a bunch of big bullies

4. Harbhajan Singh (India): Yet another name associated with Mumbai Indians (MI) is Harbhajan Singh. He remains third highest wicket-taker in IPL with 110 wickets and also been the batsman in need lower the order. Right since the start for IPL he has been with MI. But the spin and talents have gone in vein when it comes to World T20, though he has played until 2012. He has taken just 16 wickets with spinners like Afridi and Vettori who remain at the top as highest wicket takers. With Harbhajan back to action in World T20 2016, Indian fans are looking forward to some good spin from the Punjabi lad.

5. Dwayne Bravo (West Indies): At one moment, audiences wanted the name of IPL changed looking at the way West Indies players were ruling the league just as Indian players. Other such star player was Dwayne Bravo who yet again ruled the list of highest wicket-takers just two ranks behind Harbhajan Singh with total wickets of 105 and also has been the owner of Purple cap. He has played for CSK right since 2008 until 2015. Though West Indies won the World T20 in 2012, he was prevented from bowling due to injury. With so many controversies regarding the pay issues by WICB, one can only expect the big Caribbean to create an impact in this World Cup. READ: Sunil Narine will be missed by West Indies in ICC World T20 2016, admits Dwayne Bravo

6. Zaheer Khan (India): If there is another player to, who did not have a particularly good time in World T20s but shone in the IPL was Zaheer Khan. He started playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2008 and was bought back again by RCB to play from 2011 to 2013. From 2009 to 2010 and 2014 he played Mumbai Indians (MI) and presently plays for Delhi Daredevils (DD). Amongst so many changes in teams he never changed his bowling actions and remains one f the best players in the IPL. With regards to World T20 he was playing for India till 2012 and has picked up 12 wickets in the mega event. He was another star bowler for India until he planned to retire from T20 cricket and new age cricketers filling his gap. IPL 9 could be his last jig in cricket.

7. Sunil Narine (West Indies): This off-spin bowler and left-handed batsman made his entry in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2012 and since then he remains a crucial bowler taking the award for Man of the Tournament taking 24 wickets. In 2013 he became the first player to pick hat-trick against King XI Punjab (KXIP), but lacked the required skills in World T20 for West Indies. Though New Zealand won against West Indies over eliminator in 2012 World T20, he won the Man of the Match award for best figures of 3 for 4. Amongst the ban he received in November last year, he was still called to play for World T20 but he pulled out due to some attention on his bowling action which has created disappointment for West Indies fans.

8. Albie Morkel (South Africa): Albie Morkel remains amongst the top of the table as highest wicket taker with 83 wickets. He has played right since the start of the IPL for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) until 2013, followed by playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2014 and Delhi Daredevils (DD) in 2015. Where one brother is leading in IPL as highest wicket taker, the other is leading in World T20 – Morne Morkel – leaving Albie way behind. Albie did win two Man of the Match awards in World T20 tournament of 2007 and 2010 for his batting skills but with bowling unlike his brother he has been way behind the spot. Now that the Proteas fans will witness new generation playing in ICC World T20, Albie will feel the pinch of under-performing in World T20. READ: Rising Pune Supergiants team add Saurabh Tiwary and Albie Morkel for IPL 2016

9. Shakib-Al Hasan (Bangladesh): A talented left-hand batsman and left-arm spinner, Shakib-Al Hasan is one of the best cricketers that Bangladesh has produced. As a bowler, he is accurate, consistent, and canny. He joined Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2011 and was bought back to KKR in 2014. He holds the best score of 60 off 38 in 2014 which was instrumental for KKR title win in IPL. But this performance has remained below par in World T20 since 2007, though he has been at the top to lead his team with his bowling actions but not with bat. Though he played a crucial role for Bangladesh leading them to Asia Cup final in 2012. Bangladesh fans are dependent on his middle-order performance which can make or break the innings.

(Shruti Hariharan is Content Writer with CricketCountry. You can follow her on Twitter at @Shruti_2890)