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KLAASEN, CURRAN, POORAN STAR AS IPL 2024 GETS UNDERWAY

25 Mar 20244 mins

The Indian Premier League got underway for their 17th season with an action-packed weekend of cricket. A total of 19 players who featured in Betway SA20 Season 2 featured across the 10 teams. There were debuts, a Player of the Match performance, and a reminder that 'Klaas' is permanent.

Here are five talking points related to SA20 players:

FAF OUTSHINES VIRAT

Faf du Plessis may have taken a step back for Virat Kohli during the renamed Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s season launch but when it came to the actual cricket, the roles were reversed in the season-opener.

Du Plessis, RCB's captain, dominated their high-profile opening partnership against defending champions Chennai Super Kings, smacking 35 off 23 balls (including 8 fours). In fact, when Faf departed with the score on 41, the ring-rusty Kohli was only on 3 off 4 balls.

Faf du Plessis played the dominant role in his high-profile opening partnership with Virat Kohli.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH CURRAN GUIDES KINGS PAST CAPITALS

English allrounder Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada and Liam Livingstone were part of an MI Cape Town team who stuttered during SA20 Season 2 but find themselves in Punjab Kings colours in the IPL.

Curran highlighted what a change of scenery can do by producing a player of the match performance against Delhi Capitals – who handed Tristan Stubbs a debut for his new team. Curran only bowled a single over as Capitals compiled 174/9 but came into his own with bat in hand.

Coming to the crease at 42/2 in Kings’ chase, Curran added impetus with his 63 off 47 (6 x 4, 1 x 6) and 67-run partnership with Livingstone ultimately helping them over the line to a 4-wicket win with four balls left.

Sam Curran and Liam Livingstone combined for match-winning partnership for Punjab Kings

KLAASEN TAKES SUNRISERS CLOSE IN THRILLER

For all the changes at Sunrisers Hyderabad, including new coach, new captain and new kit design, it was a familiar face who starred in their opener against Kolkata Knight Riders. On the back of Phil Salt’s 54 off 40, KKR scored a formidable 208/7 leaving Sunrisers’ big names, including Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen with a big task on their hands.

Sunrisers were 107/3 when Markram (18 off 13) departed to herald the arrival of Klaasen – the SA20 Player of the Season. His subsequent innings was more brutal than ‘classy’ as he smashed eight sixes (and no fours) on the way to 63 off 29 balls. It may not have been enough for Sunrisers, who lost by just four runs, but will have put the entire IPL on notice that Klaasen has not lost any touch despite being on hiatus since the SA20 Final.

Sunrisers Hyderabad are the latest beneficiaries of Heinrich Klaasen's irresistible form.

MUMBAI INDIANS RISING STAR MAKES DEBUT

In the wake of Kwena Maphaka's signing for Mumbai Indians it may have been forgotten that the 5-times champions already had already secured a rising star South African fast bowler for this season... Gerald Coetzee. The 23-year-old missed the entirety of SA20 Season 2 but former Proteas coach Mark Boucher had no hesitation throwing Coetzee straight into action for his IPL debut against Gujarat Titans.

Coetzee didn't disappoint. As fifth change, he bided his time to come into the attack and initially looked tentative, but once he got into stride it was clear why he was such a sought-after target at auction for this IPL season. The tearaway’s spell of 2/27 was the most economical of all seven MI bowlers Hardik Pandya called upon.

Gerald Coetzee's IPL debut marked his return to the playing field after three months out injured.

LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS BACK SA20 STARS

Of Lucknow Super Giants' eight overseas players, five also played for their Durban-based franchise in SA20. LSG head coach Justin Langer chose to tap into the confidence those players brought into camp by using four of them to fill his quota in the Playing XI against Rajasthan Royals – for who Nandre Burger made his IPL bow as an Impact Player Sub.

Naveen-ul-Haq bowled tidily to claim 2/14 (including the prized wicket of Jos Buttler), but Quinton de Kock (4 off 5) and Marcus Stoinis (3 off 4) didn’t get going. Nicholas Pooran did find his groove, however, top-scoring for LSG with 64 not out off 41 (including four 6s and four 4s).