The fast bowler prioritized “good vibes” in the teams and leagues he chose this year.
Dale Steyn said he turned his back on the world’s most lucrative T20 league, the Indian Premier League, because he found the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Sri Lanka Premier League (LPL) to be “a little more rewarding.” The South African fast bowler, who is currently in Pakistan with the Quetta Gladiators franchise, said he believed that the excessive emphasis on the financial side of the IPL meant that “cricket is forgotten.” Talking to Cricket Pakistan, also revealed that the length of the IPL was a factor that further informed her decision to opt out this year, saying she wanted “a little more free time.”
“I wanted to take a little more time off. I found that playing in those other leagues was a little more rewarding as a player. I think when you go to the IPL there are such big teams and so many big names and so much emphasis on the amount of money they make. players who forget cricket somewhere down the line When it comes to PSL or LPL, there is an importance in cricket.
“I’ve only been here a couple of days and I’ve had people come to my room asking where I played and how I did it. At the IPL, those kinds of things are forgotten and the main issue is how much money did I go for this IPL. And just I’m brutally honest. I just wanted to get away from that this year and put more emphasis on bringing good vibes to teams and tournaments that I think are worthwhile. “
Steyn, whose career path has coincided with the rise of the IPL, has often seen himself become one of the most prized assets for any IPL franchise, and has always seen stiff competition for his firm. The highest auction price for the fast bowler came in back-to-back seasons in 2014 and 2015, when Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him for INR 9.5 crore (approximately $ 1.3 million today). He has taken 97 wickets from IPL to 6.91, making him, by some distance, the most economical fast pitcher among players with more than 50 wickets in the league. His influence has waned a bit lately, playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore as a replacement player in 2019, and as a full-time player last year.
Steyn’s words will come like a shot in the arm for a league trying to maximize its burgeoning potential after years of playing outside of Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. Last year, Steyn was one of the Platinum Category players when he became available to the league, although the side finished at the bottom of the table. While his only game with Quetta was a disappointing start, in which he conceded 20 runs on a decisive penultimate lap, Steyn remains confident that there is enough time to turn things around.
“I’m not too upset, but it would have been nice to get over the line against Peshawar Zalmi. Hopefully we can come back in the next games. Chris Gayle’s absence will hurt because he’s a T20 God and a little bit abnormal. But when you look at his replacement and the guys. That we have in the shed, they are amazing players. Faf du Plessis has flown, Tom Banton has been in the last two years and he has done well. I don’t think it takes even one player to win cricket games. Everybody has to do everything. the possible “.
He paid rich tribute to Pakistan’s fast bowler “breeding machine”, as well as praising Babar Azam as “a wonderful player.” “There is a fast pitcher breeding machine here in Pakistan, which is great to see because the wickets are not conducive to fast players,” Steyn said. “I had a chat with Shaheen [Afridi] last year, i think he broke his thumb. I was depressed but it was amazing. At Melbourne Stars, I had Haris Rauf with me and I was very impressed. Shortly after, he played for Pakistan.
“Babar is a great player and it would be a great opportunity to take him out or pitch against him. But you never know, he may not be able to pitch against him because it’s only four overs or he could come out for a duck. But it’s been fantastic the last few years “.
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