Unwanted record in SA20 for Punjab Kings' big money buy at IPL 2024 auction

He was picked by the PBKS franchise in the accelerated round during the IPL 2024 auction in Dubai last year. 
 By Chandra Moulee Das Updated: Jan 31, 2024, 14:41 IST
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The Punjab Kings (PBKS) franchise made some interesting buys in the IPL 2024 auction held in Dubai last year in a bid to lift their maiden trophy. PBKS invested INR 24.95 crore to secure the services of eight players in the auction. Notable names among these acquisitions include Harshal Patel and Chris Woakes. Harshal Patel, who won the purple cap in the 2021 season was the team's most expensive purchase at INR 11.75 crore, making him the costliest Indian player in the 2024 auction.

Punjab also secured the services of South African T20 specialist Rilee Rossouw for a substantial amount of INR 8 crore during the accelerated round. However, during the ongoing SA 20 2024, the Proteas batter created an unwanted record that would make the PBKS franchise a bit wary with their buy.

Rilee Rossouw now ranks top in the list of batters with the lowest strike rate in T20 leagues with a disappointing 37.03 in the ongoing SA20 2024. Rossouw, who plies his trade for Pretoria Capitals in SA 20 scored 10(27) in a match against the Durban Super Giants last night (January 30) to take the apex spot. 

Rilee Rossouw's purchase was an intriguing decison by PBKS

Rossouw's pick by the Punjab franchise is intriguing, given his performance in the previous year's IPL with the Delhi Capitals, where he played only one good knock. Initially overlooked in the bidding, Punjab Kings eventually spent a considerable sum to acquire him later. Further, it would be interesting to see how they can fit the Proteas in the playing XI with players like Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, and Sam Curran in the ranks.

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So far in the T20s, Rossouw has played 320 matches where he has slammed 8079 runs at a strike rate of 144.26 and at an average of 30.48 with 49 fifties and six hundreds to his name. The southpaw's highest score in T20Is is 121 off 51 balls with 12 fours and six sixes, breaking his own record for the fastest ton in the competition while playing for Multan Sultans against Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). 

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