NZ players are overlooked for second rate Australians in the IPL: Simon Doull

Renowned commentator Simon Doull stated that New Zealand players have always been overlooked for second-rate Australians in the IPL. His comments came after New Zealand batsman Devon Conway slammed a 59-ball 99 in a T20 match against Australia. The 29-year-old earned his team a 53-run win. He had gone unsold in the IPL 2021 auction, where his base price was just Rs 50 lakh.

India off-spinner R Ashwin praised Conway's exceptional knock and stated that he was just four days late. But Doull responded to the tweet stating that it would not have mattered. He added that second-rate Australian players have always fared better than New Zealand players in the IPL. Doull highlighted that the Big Bash League is the main reason for this hype as Australia and New Zealand both have the same kind of domestic cricket structure.

Devon Conway missed out on an IPL contract despite entering the auction at a base price of Rs 50 lakh

Even with a base price of Rs 50 lakh, Conway went unsold as none of the IPL franchises showed interest in him. Devon Conway came into the T20I opener against Australia on the back of four consecutive fifties, 93 not out, 91 not out, 69 and 50 (his previous Super Smash scores). 

With this, he became the first New Zealand player to record five successive half-centuries in the game's shortest format. Conway's 99 runs helped the hosts in putting up a massive target of 184 runs on the board.

While Conway may not have found any buyers in the IPL, his fellow teammates Kyle Jamieson and Adam Milne received good deals at the auction. Kyle Jamieson was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore, while Mumbai Indians bought the services of Adam Milne.

New Zealand won the opening T20I match against Australia by 53 runs. With the victory, the Kiwis took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Both teams will now play the 2nd T20I game on Thursday.

READ MORE Cricket articles here!