Several players impressed from the series.
The ongoing NZ vs WI T20I series has several players who might earn a bid in the IPL 2026 auction. Among them are Mark Chapman and Matthew Forde, both of whom have been impressive in various departments and are making an impact at the right time.
While Chapman flaunted his range and power as a batter in the second NZ vs WI T20I, Forde has contributed with both bat and ball in the rubber. Both look out of contention for now, but recent performances always play a role in IPL auctions, and they can get a look in.
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The Kiwi batter Mark Chapman has been one of the team’s mainstays in white-ball formats, and gave a reminder of his capabilities in Auckland. He scored 78 runs in 28 balls, including six boundaries and seven maximums, at a strike rate of 278.57.
Chapman hit the West Indies bowlers all around the park and was clean with his ball striking, as he often does when in flow. All of those sixes came from the middle of the bat, and while the opponent tried various tactics, none of them was enough to stop him.
Even in general, Chapman is a solid pace-hitter who can whack all lengths, as his strike rate of 142.58 and a balls-per-boundary ratio of 5.18 against speedsters since 2024 suggest. With flat decks in IPL, the southpaw can thrive while batting in the middle order.
Teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Gujarat Titans (GT) require one such player because they will release a few previous ones. SRH will let Ishan Kishan go, while GT will likely part ways with Glenn Phillips, opening the spot of Chapman in both sides, and one of them can target him because his price won’t be too high.
Matthew Forde has made rapid progress in his career and shown decent skill sets with both bat and ball. During the second T20I, he bowled an economical spell and conceded only 4.25 runs per over amidst carnage and later scored a quickfire 29 at a strike rate of 223.08.
Forde is actually more than decent with the ball, especially against LHBs, as he can use crease and bowl different types of balls. He can sometimes lack control, but his bowling is still a work in progress, and the potential is palpable.
With the bat, Matthew Forde has already given glimpses of how big he can hit in his short career. He already has the joint-fastest ODI fifty and played a blinder against New Zealand in the second NZ vs WI T20I.
Forde has the power and can whack anything on the fuller side easily, which is a good base to begin with. With more exposure and honing, he can develop into a complete power hitter and replicate what Romario Shepherd does for West Indies and his franchise teams.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be the prime franchises to target Forde in the IPL 2026 auction. LSG require a few multi-skilled players and a replacement for Shamar Joseph, who will likely be released, while KKR need a backup for ageing Andre Russell.
Even in general, KKR need a quality pacer to replace Anrich Nortje, and Forde gives them batting value as a bonus. Once he develops, he can do what Russell has done for the Knight Riders all these years, and his price won’t be too high either this time.
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