The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have named 714 players in the IPL 2016 player auction pool, who will go under the hammer on 6 February in Bangalore.
The eight franchises will be eyeing a number of players across the globe who can make immediate impact in the cash-rich league this year. One of these players will be Usman Khawaja.
He was overlooked for the ODI and T20 series against India and the left-handed batsman was also ignored for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.
Khawaja can be rest assured that he will not be ignored during the IPL 2016 player auction on 6 February. Khawaja has a base price of $210,000 (Rs 1.5 crore) and the franchises will be willing to pay way more than that to secure his service for the 9th edition of the IPL.
Khawaja has proved his worth in Test cricket and has become a regular face in the Australia squad for the longest format of the game. In the mean time, he has also established himself as one of the T20 dynamites.
In the recently concluded Big Bash League (BBL), Khawaja played just four matches for the champions Sydney Thunder. He had an astounding average of 172.50. In those four matches, he managed to score two unbeaten centuries and a couple of half-centuries. His 70 of 40 balls in the big final against Melbourne Stars last Sunday, proved to be a match-wining one. The left-handed Victorian batsman was also adjudged the man of the match for that outstanding knock.
Here's the list of eight franchises with their balance in their wallet:
Delhi Daredevils (Rs 37.15 crore), Kings XI Punjab (Rs 23 crore), Kolkata Knight Riders (Rs 17.95 crore), Mumbai Indians (Rs 14.405 crore), Royal Challengers Bangalore (Rs 21.625 crore), Sunrisers Hyderabad (Rs 30.15 crore), Rising Pune Super Giants (Rs 27 crore), Rajkot (Rs 27 crore).
It is difficult to say which franchise will pick Khawaja up in the auction but it is for sure that whoever picks him up, will add a alot of firepower at the top of the batting order.
