CSK's most expensive IPL 2024 recruit smashes whirlwind fifty in T20I against Pakistan

He slammed a sensational half-century in a knock laced with four boundaries and as many maximums.

By Chandra Moulee Das Updated: Jan 12, 2024, 14:01 IST

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Chennai Super Kings had won their fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) title last season and were looking to add some more firepower in the IPL 2024 mini-auction to make them formidable in the upcoming season too. Ahead of the IPL auction, CSK released foreign players like Ben Stokes, Dwaine Pretorius, Kyle Jamieson and Sisanda Magala besides Indians like Ambati Rayudu.

The team had a strong base of Indian players in the side with Dhoni, Jadeja, and Ruturaj Gaikwad being backed up by Ajinkya Rahane, Deepak Chahar, Shivam Dube and Tushar Deshpande. However, they needed to fill in a few overseas slots and the management decided to splurge INR 14 crore on Kiwi batting star Daryl Mitchell.

Mitchell could be a potential replacement for English all-rounder Ben Stokes. The New Zealand batter's stocks were raised after an impressive outing in the ODI World Cup earlier this year, in which he scored 552 runs at an average of 69.00 and a strike rate of 111.06.

CSK's most-expensive IPL 2024 recruit slams quickfire fifty

The New Zealand batter has maintained his sublime form, slamming a sensational half-century in the T20I series opener against Pakistan in Auckland. Looking to take on the attack right from the word go, the right-hander scored a quickfire 61 runs off 27 balls, crafting an innings laced with four boundaries and as many maximums. This marked his sixth half-century in T20s and his second against Pakistan.

Mitchell achieved his fifty in just 22 balls but eventually succumbed to Shaheen Afridi's bowling. His contributions played a vital role in New Zealand reaching a staggering total of 226/8.

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Mitchell was part of the Rajasthan Royals in 2022 but featured in only two matches after being acquired by the franchise for his base price of Rs. 75 lakh. In the previous year's auction, the 32-year-old went unsold where he was listed at a base price of Rs. 1 crore but CSK will be mighty pleased to see Mitchell perform now.

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