The IPL is approaching and fans from all over the world are excited to resume from where the first phase had concluded. In the IPL, the best players from almost every top cricketing country are signed in the auction.
However, do you have any idea about the players from associate teams that made it to the IPL? Cricwizz's topic for today will tell you about the same in detail.
1) Ryan Ten Doeschate
A Dutch-South African player, Ryan Ten Doeschate represented the Netherlands in the ODIs and T20Is and was also signed by the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2011 and stayed there until 2015.
Ten Doeschate was also adjudged as the ICC Associate Player of the Year for a record-breaking three times.
Let’s have a look at his numbers.
| Format (Matches) | Runs | Average | 50s/100s | Highest Score |
| T20I-22 | 533 | 44.41 | 3/0 | 59 |
| First-class- 203 | 11,298 | 44.30 | 53/29 | 259* |
He was an influential figure in the Kolkata dressing room and played for them until 2015. Did he deserve to continue more?
#DidYouKnow that Ryan ten Doeschate has the highest ODI batting average of any player to have scored 1000 runs in the format 🤯 pic.twitter.com/E3QcutVLDM
— ICC (@ICC) June 30, 2020
2) Ali Khan
An American cricketer born in Pakistan, Ali Khan is a player who is 30 years old and was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders. However, his season came to an end very early as he suffered an injury and was ruled for the 2020 IPL season.
Ali Khan has featured in the Pakistan Super League, and also the Caribbean Premier League. However, his total number of games reflects his lack of experience. However, it's great that the USA international is a fast-medium player and is well-aware of his strengths and lengths.
| Format (Matches) | Wickets | Average | 5w/10w Hauls | Best Figures |
| ODI-1 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 1/23 |
| T20-36 | 38 | 27.13 | 0 | 3/22 |
Ali Khan was one of the Breakout Stars of the Year in Men's cricket, as announced by the ICC. He may have not played for Kolkata due to bad luck but the fact that he was signed, a player from the associate teams shows that we could see him finally play in the IPL in the future.
Ali Khan, the first USA player to feature in the IPL 👏
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 12, 2020
3) Sandeep Lamichhane
A cricketer from Nepal, Lamichhane is a right-arm leg spinner who has featured in the biggest of the T20 leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Big Bash League, etc.
Lamichhane plays for Delhi Capitals in the IPL and he is also the first player to make his T20 International debut in a combined team (World XI against the West Indies) and the first-ever player from Nepal to feature in the IPL.
Let's have a look at his numbers.
| Format (Matches) | Wickets | Average | 5w/10w hauls | Best Figures |
| T20I (21) | 34 | 14.55 | 0 | 4/20 |
| T20 (94) | 123 | 18.69 | 0 | 4/10 |
Lamichhane has a great future ahead and the fact that he's from an associate team is enough to prove that everyone who hustles enough can make it big in the sport.
4) Tim David
Timothy Hays David or Tim David is a Singaporean player who is 6 ft 5, a right-handed batsman, and a right-arm off-break bowler.
He has featured in the Big Bash League and the Pakistan Super League and is set to debut in the IPL for Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore in the second phase of the IPL 2021 that is set to commence next month.
David also featured in the Hundred and made an impact, especially in the finals, with his 15 runs off six balls, and also with the crucial run-out of Liam Livingstone, who could've taken the game ahead of David's team.
Let's have a look at his numbers.
| Format (Matches) | Runs | Average | 50s/100s | Highest Score |
| T20I (14) | 558 | 46.50 | 4/0 | 92* |
| T20 (52) | 1318 | 35.62 | 7/0 | 92* |
It'll be intriguing to see how the Singapore man turns up on the slow pitches of UAE.
From the bylanes of Singapore to Namma Bengaluru, the T20 globetrotter, Tim David, is all set to light up the IPL with his batting pyrotechnics. 🧨🔥
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) August 29, 2021
Coming soon. ⏳#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/HPbxlEelvQ
5) Chirag Suri
An Indian-born Emirati, Chirag Suri ensured that he played the biggest domestic T20 tournament in the world despite being a representative of an associate team.
Suri played for the Gujarat Lions in the 2017 IPL season and in 2020, he became one of the ten players to have been awarded a full-time contract by the Emirates Cricket Board.
| Format (Matches) | Runs | Average | 50s/100s | Highest Score |
| First-Class (2) | 137 | 34.25 | 1/0 | 81 |
| ODI (4) | 69 | 17.25 | 0 | 38 |
Chirag Suri may have not blown out as a player over the news but the fact that he featured in the IPL that too coming from an associate team, shows that Suri can still make a comeback in the IPL, you never know!
UAE cricketer Chirag Suri ‘a bit emotional’ after being signed to play in the Indian Premier League | The National https://t.co/gRDrRBk1dG
— UAE Cricket Official (@EmiratesCricket) February 20, 2017
Dirk Nannes from Australia could also technically be called a player from an associate team as well as Nannes is an Australian-Dutch and has also played for the Netherlands in international cricket. Nannes played in the IPL, not for one, but three IPL franchises. Delhi Daredevils in 2009 (now Capitals), Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2011, and Chennai Super Kings in 2013.
Roelof Erasmus Van Der Merwe is another cricketer who has a Dutch origin and has also featured for another nation, not Australia this time but the Proteas, South Africa. He represented South Africa from 2009 to 2011 and then in 2015, he switched to play for the Netherlands. In the IPL, he played for Bangalore in 2009, and then for Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) from 2011 to 2013.
See the talent emerging from the associate nations? We are quite sure that there will be more prospects and we will see more talents from the associate teams feature in the IPL.
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