Ghazanfar, Hardie and other youngsters who could land IPL contracts

Allah Ghazanfar

The Afghan mystery spinner, who is more than capable enough to swing the willow as well, will be a hot commodity, especially after his heroics against Bangladesh in the three-match ODI series in the UAE.

He chose 6/26 in Sharjah to step into the limelight. But even before this series, the 18-year-old picked six wickets in the Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024 T20, including a combined figure of 4/28 against India and Sri Lanka in the knockout rounds.

Despite being a right-arm off-break bowler, he has unique styles of sliders and doosra to surprise the batters, which will surely tempt the team owners. In his minor T20 career, the Afghan has taken 29 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 11.62 and an economy rate of 5.71, which is as good as ever.

Aaron Hardie

The Australian all-rounder will be looking to sign him right now given the potential he brings. Although the 25-year-old has only played 11 ODIs and 12 T20Is and doesn’t have much to show for it with batting averages of 16 and 21 in both formats, the West Australian had a cracker in the Big Bash League in 2023/24, scoring 334 runs in 11 games with one Averaged 37.11 and took six wickets. In fact, in the last two editions of the BBL, only Matthew Short (999) has scored more runs than Hardie (794), who averaged 40.00 with the bat.

With the ability to contribute with both bat and ball, he is in the league of his Perth compatriots Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis and could therefore land a big deal in the cash-rich league.

William O’Rourke

William O’Rourke, the latest pace sensation from New Zealand, showed everyone in India what he is capable of with red-ball. But will that be enough to get him a white-ball contract? Well, he’s more than just a good screamer with the white ball too. Apart from taking 42 wickets in 24 List A games, he took 12 wickets in the last Super Smash season.

Having already made his debut in all three formats for the Blackcaps, more than just the numbers, O’Rourke can create wicket-taking opportunities and instill a hunger to be better than he was on the final day, which would favor him, to land his first game in IPL contract.

There has also been a trend over the years of young, exciting quicks getting an IPL contract even if they are not that young. So O’Rourke could well be in line for a significant payday.

Jacob Bethell

A U-19 World Cup graduate, Bethell showed the world what he was capable of when he smashed 44 off just 24 balls against Australia, pitting Adam Zampa all over the park in a 49-ball, 90-run stand with the explosive Liam Livingstone hit. It was only his second appearance in international cricket.

Since then, the 21-year-old has scored two fifties in T20Is and averaged 57.66 after six T20Is games.

With the ball, Bethell is also more than just a part-timer; With his unique slow left arm orthodox spin, he adds variety to every attack. Bethell is far from a finished product, but his sheer potential could entice teams to bid for him at the mega auction.

John Turner

Another Englishman who could get his first IPL contract and most likely a big one is fast bowler John Turner. With his strong build and good size, Turner generates his pace primarily through his shoulders, as he has a slow start-up and just enough follow through that doesn’t end up leaning too much to the side or falling forward.

But his unique ability to throw pitches that follow the batter and rise at a consistent pace has made him a truly difficult customer.

In the 2024 T20 Blast, Turner picked 15 wickets in 10 matches and was quite lethal with the new ball. He has only played one T20I so far, three international matches in total, but again, the potential he brings will really tempt several franchises to take a chance on him.

Lance Morris

Morris is not necessarily considered a T20 bowler but has a fantastic first-class record. However, the quick has improved his white-ball skills in recent years and also got opportunities to represent Australia in ODI cricket.

Fast bowling is Morris’s greatest asset. However, his accuracy has made him a deadly customer. Morris’ first-class figures – 74 wickets at 25 apiece – reflect how disciplined he has been, despite being someone who constantly threatens the 150km/h mark.

After taking just three wickets in his first 13 T20 games, he has now taken 22 wickets in his last 14 T20 games, massively improving his short format numbers.

Express Pace has always sold like hot cakes in the IPL. Don’t be surprised if some franchises take issue with Morris because he’s one of the fastest and most exciting sailors on the auction list.

If you haven’t downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out on our content – big time. Download the app here.