Picture Credit: Twitter/@OfficialSLC
Sri Lanka's all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga has been one of the revelations in international cricket in last few months. The 24-year-old has been the shining light for Sri Lankan cricket team amid all the issues that the national side has been facing recently. From batting to bowling to fielding, Hasaranga has impressed in all the departments and has emerged as one of the best all-rounders in international cricket.
The spinner has now jumped to 2nd spot in T20I rankings for bowlers which speaks volumes about the kind of impact he has had in last few series. After registering figures of 2/28 and 1/30 in the first two T20Is against India in Colombo, Hasaranga has certainly shown his potential to the whole world which has caught the eyes of IPL franchises who are in search for X-Factor players who can turn the tables for them in second half of 2021 season.
Pitches in UAE will assist Hasaranga
One of the major reasons behind the interest of various IPL franchises in Sri Lanka's Wandindu Hasaranga could be because of the conditions in UAE. The weather will be hot in middle east and the pitches will most likely to be very similar to the ones that have been presented in Colombo. The 24-year-old has certainly proven his worth as a spin bowler as he completely bamboozled the Indian batsmen with his mystery spin during the ongoing white-ball series.
With so many England and Australian players expected to miss the remainder of IPL season in UAE, it has been reported that as many as 4 franchises have identified Hasaranga as the ideal replacement player. With the 2021 T20 World Cup also coming up, the all-rounder might also get a green signal from the Sri Lankan authorities as the experience of playing in the tournament could prove to be quite handy in the mega event later on.
Which franchise is likely to target Hasaranga?
There are quite a few spots among various IPL franchises which might need to be filled ahead of remainder of the season. Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson would be watching Hasaranga quite closely and might be tempted to get him in the squad with Ben Stokes ruled out. Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore might also consider him as an option to replace Moeen Ali and Adam Zampa respectively as the duo is expected to miss rest of IPL 2021.