Saffas fire and flop in 2023 IPL

SACricketmag.com’s SIMON BORCHARDT looks at how South Africa’s 16 representatives fared in this year’s IPL.

Faf du Plessis (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Matches: 14
Runs: 730
Average: 56.15
Strike rate: 153.68

The 38-year-old former Proteas captain fired for the Royal Challengers Bangalore throughout the IPL, finishing the league stage of the tournament as the leading run scorer with 730. That included eight fifties, and a highest score of 84 off 56 balls (five fours, five sixes) against the Punjab Kings. Unfortunately for Du Plessis, while he and Virat Kohli dominated at the top of the order, RCB’s middle order let them down and they missed out on the playoffs.

Heinrich Klaasen (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Matches: 12
Runs: 448
Average: 49.77
Strike rate: 177.07

Klaasen was the star performer for a struggling Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise that finished bottom of the 10-team log. He struck two fifties, and a maiden T20 hundred – 104 off 51 balls (eight fours, six sixes) – against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

WATCH: Klaasen hits IPL hundred

Aiden Markram (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Matches: 13
Runs: 248
Average: 22.54
Strike rate: 125.88

Markram underperformed with the bat in his first season as captain of the Sunrisers Hyderabad, scoring just 248 runs in 13 matches, with a highest score of 50. He also bowled 8.1 overs of spin, picking up one wicket while going for 8.57 runs per over, and took some excellent catches.

WATCH: Markram’s brilliant caught and bowled

Quinton de Kock (Lucknow Super Giants)

Matches: 4*
Runs: 143
Average: 35.75
Strike rate: 140.19
*Campaign not yet finished

De Kock had to wait until the Lucknow Super Giants’ 10th match of the season to make his first appearance due to the IPL limit of four foreigners in a playing XI. The 30-year-old had been kept out of the side by West Indian Kyle Mayers, who took De Kock’s place at the start of the IPL when he was on ODI duty for the Proteas. De Kock proved a point upon his return when he hit 70 off 41 balls (seven fours and three sixes) against the Gujarat Titans.

Rilee Rossouw (Delhi Capitals)

Matches: 9
Runs: 209
Average: 29.85
Strike rate: 148.22

Rossouw was hit and miss for a Delhi Capitals team that lost their first five matches of the tournament before regaining some pride. This was well illustrated when the Proteas batsman followed a brilliant 82 off 37 balls (six fours, six sixes) against the Punjab Kings with a golden duck in their next match against the Chennai Super Kings.

WATCH: Rilee on the rampage in IPL

David Miller (Gujarat Titans)

Matches: 14*
Runs: 259
Average: 32.37
Strike rate: 145.50
*Campaign not yet finished

Miller has played his finishing role for the Gujarat Titans to perfection for most of the season, with 31* off 16 balls against the Delhi Capitals and 32 off 18 against the Kolkata Knight Riders. His top score of 46 off 22 deliveries also came in a win, against the Mumbai Indians. He has gone off the boil a bit recently, and made just four in the Titans’ playoff qualifier defeat to the Chennai Super Kings, but you wouldn’t bet against him rediscovering his killer instinct in the eliminator playoff and possible final.

Anrich Nortje (Delhi Capitals)

Matches: 10
Overs: 40
Wickets: 10
Runs: 364
Average: 36.40
Economy: 9.10

Nortje was an automatic selection for the Capitals and the matches he missed came when he returned to South Africa mid-tournament for personal reasons before heading back to India. The speedster picked up 10 wickets, with a best of 2-20 in Dehli’s first win of the season, against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Kagiso Rabada (Punjab Kings)

Matches: 6
Overs: 23
Wickets: 7
Runs: 232
Average: 33.14
Economy: 10.08

Rabada became the fastest to reach 100 IPL wickets, during the Punjab Kings’ match against the Gujarat Titans. The Proteas spearhead reached the milestone in 64 matches to break the previous record of 70 held by Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga. But Rabada had an underwhelming campaign overall – making just six appearances – and appeared to be in need of a break.

WATCH: Rabada takes 100th IPL wicket

Marco Jansen (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Matches: 8
Overs: 27
Wickets: 10
Runs: 267
Average: 26.70
Economy: 9.88
Runs (batting): 39
Average: 13.00
Strike rate: 90.69

Jansen played his part with the ball for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, taking 10 wickets, with a best of 2-16. He disappointed with the bat, though, making just 39 runs in six knocks, including a highest score of 17*.

Wayne Parnell (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

Matches: 7
Overs: 25.1
Wickets: 9
Runs: 236
Average: 26.22
Economy: 9.37

Parnell replaced Englishman David Willey midway through the tournament and made an immediate impact, taking 3-10 in a Man of the Match performance against the Rajasthan Royals. He will be disappointed with the way he ended the tournament, though. Needing to defend eight runs in their must-win match against the Gujarat Titans, he bowled a no-ball and a wide before being hit for six. Parnell only batted once this season, scoring two runs.

Saffas who played minimal or no role:

Tristan Stubbs (Mumbai Indians)

Matches: 2
Runs: 25
Average: 12.50
Strike rate: 80.64

Sisanda Magala (Chennai Super Kings)

Matches: 2
Overs: 6
Wickets: 1
Runs: 51
Average: 51.00
Economy: 8.50

Dwaine Pretorius (Chennai Super Kings)

Matches: 1
Overs: 4
Wickets: 0
Runs: 28
Average: –
Economy: 7.00
(Did not bat)

Duan Jansen (Mumbai Indians)

Matches: 1
Overs: 4
Wickets: 1
Runs: 53
Average: 53.00
Economy: 13.25

Dewald Brevis (Mumbai Indians)

Matches: 0

Donovan Ferreira (Rajasthan Royals)

Matches: 0