The 13th season of the IPL is less than two weeks away and the excitement keeps on increasing. The schedule has been announced and Mumbai Indians will be taking on Chennai Super Kings in the opener of the tournament. All the players including the overseas ones are slowly gathering in UAE where teams have started their practice.
IPL is one of the best leagues because it has the best Indian and overseas players. Only the best overseas players who get a chance to play in the IPL. But there are a few overseas players who might be playing their last IPL. Let’s have a look at four such players.
4. Dale Steyn
Dale Steyn will be playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in this season and has already reached UAE with the team. Steyn is one of the greats of the game and anything said about him will be less than what he deserves.
Steyn has played 92 IPL games and picked up 96 wickets which are a good number for a foreign fast bowler. The South African fast bowler is currently 37 and even though age is just a number, Steyn is a bowler who is prone to injuries.
He has retired from Test cricket and it wouldn’t be a surprise if this is his last IPL.
3. Chris Gayle
The universe boss never gets old for the IPL, does he? All the fans would love to see him at the age of 60 when he will clear his front leg and smash the bowler towards deep mid-wicket and the ball will land out of the ground.
Gayle has been a monster in the IPL where he has demolished attacks single-handedly. He holds the record for the most IPL centuries but now the age might be catching up with him.
At the age of 40, Gayle is picking and choosing the tournaments he wants to play. IPL is one tournament that is really close to his heart but if his body should agree as well. There is a high chance that we might Gayle in the IPL for the last time in this season.
2. Shane Watson
Shane Watson has won the Most Valuable Player twice in the history of the IPL. He has been brilliant for all the teams he has played so far. Even with CSK, he scored a magnificent hundred in the 2018 Final and almost got them home in the 2019 Final.
The Australian all-rounder is 39 and has retired from international cricket and BBL. He only plays very few leagues around the world. He isn’t an all-rounder any more as he bowls very rarely. Due to all these reasons, Watson might hang his boots after this year’s IPL.
1. Imran Tahir
Imran Tahir never gets tired of running around the ground after taking a wicket but this year with no crowds he might avoid the running. Tahir played in the CPL recently and he was at his best.
At the age of 41, he was picking up wickets regularly. He still has the skills in him but the question is about fitness. At this age the body becomes slow and recovery takes time. He has retired from ODI cricket and might as well retire from T20I cricket in the near future.
Tahir has been a fabulous bowler in the IPL but this might be the last year for him in the biggest T20 league.
