Four New Zealand IPL Players Confirmed for Start of IPL 2023
This week, the New Zealand Cricket Board has confirmed that New Zealand IPL players will be released for the start of the IPL 2023. This announcement comes despite the fact that the Black Caps will not have completed their current series against Sri Lanka
The Kiwis will play three ODIs and three T20s against Sri Lanka, between March 25th and April 8th. With the IPL 2023 starting on the 31st of March, and several New Zealand IPL players involved, this presented a potential logistical challenge.
Which New Zealand IPL Players Have Been Released?
The recent announcement by the New Zealand Cricket Board is good news for some of this year’s New Zealand IPL players. ODI captain Kane Williamson and Test captain Tim Southee will play for their sides in this year’s IPL from the very start, while Devon Conway and Mitchell Santner will also be freed to join their respective teams prior to March 31st.
Williamson was released by the Sunrisers Hyderabad after their 2022 season. However, the Kiwi batsman was then picked up by IPL 2022 winners the Gujarat Titans at a base price of Rs 2 crore. Southee, on the other hand, will be applying his trade at the Kolkata Knight Riders for this upcoming season of IPL 2023.
Conway and Santner will both be big bonuses to MS Dhoni and the Chennai Super Kings. Last season, Conway set the tone at the top of the order for the Punjab Kings with Ruturaj Gaikwad, with the Kiwi scoring 252 runs in seven matches. Santner’s spin and pinch hitting can come in handy on the Indian pitches.
Not All New Zealand IPL Players Joining By Start of IPL 2023
However, some IPL teams will have to wait a bit longer for their New Zealand IPL players this season. The likes of Lockie Ferguson, Glenn Phillips and Finn Allen will all play the first New Zealand vs Sri Lanka ODI on March 25th before travelling over to India. With this late travel, it’s unlikely they’ll be conditioned and ready to play by game one of the tournament.
Top order batsman Finn Allen will be aiming to help secure the Royal Challengers Bangalore team their first IPL trophy. Phillips will be looking to put behind an uncharacteristically poor season for the standards of the Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2022, which saw them finish eighth on the IPL table.
Ferguson was subject to a change of team in the off season, and will no longer play for 2022 IPL champions Gujarat Titans. Instead, the paceman will move back to the Kolkata Knight Riders in a swap deal for fellow seamer Shivam Mavi.