Buttler, Hasaranga to Livingstone: 10 Overseas Players Who Dazzled in IPL 2022

IPL 2022's highest run-scorer Jos Buttler celebrates a century during the tournament.

(Photo: BCCI)

There are two basic ways in which IPL franchises build their team. One is to pick talented local players and then fill in the gaps with imports. A model which Delhi Capitals followed under Shreyas Iyer, with some success

Another model is to build your team around overseas players like Royal Challengers Bangalore did for the longest time with AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle in their ranks.

Then, there is the middle path that Kolkata Knight Riders tried to opt for this time around, retaining two Indian players in Venkatesh Iyer and Varun Chakravarthy and two overseas stars in Andre Russell and Sunil Narine. It's another matter that the move did not work out for the franchise this time around.

The importance of overseas players, who have been capped at four in the playing XI, has fallen from the lofty heights of the inaugural IPL edition, when they were the life and soul of a franchise.

With more and more local talent emerging, teams are prepared to not pick their full complement of four players. For instance, finalists Rajasthan Royals went ahead with just three overseas players for most of the season. Mumbai Indians even played with just two overseas players for the first time in their 15 years of IPL history.

That said, when you have Internationals who are among the best in the business, they do lift the team performance on the whole more often than not and also have an input in the leadership group.

Here is a look at the top 10 overseas players who have impressed the most in IPL 2022.

IPL 2022 Orange Cap winner Jos Buttler during the final match against Gujarat Titans.

Jos Buttler

On current form, Jos Buttler is not only the first name on the Rajasthan Royals team sheet but will be the first pick for any team, national or franchise, in T20 cricket at the moment.

Virat Kohli's all-time record of 973 runs in IPL 2016 may be a bridge too far for Buttler but he can certainly aim to topple David Warner's tally of 848.

The Rajasthan Royals opener, who will certainly finish with the Orange cap, has smoked 824 runs from 16 matches in IPL 2022 at an average of close to 60 and a strike rate of over 150 with as many as four centuries and four half-centuries and has single-handedly won RR multiple matches.

Quinton de Kock hits a shot during an IPL 2022 match.

Quinton de Kock

It was a faux pas from Mumbai Indians to let go of Quinton de Kock before the mega auction. The South African wicketkeeper batsman finished the season at the third spot in the run-scoring charts with over 500 runs at a strike rate of close to 150.

He also blasted 140 not out, the third highest individual score in IPL history, off just 70 deliveries against Kolkata Knight Riders to seal a playoff spot for Lucknow Super Giants. De Kock was tidy behind the stumps as always and alongside KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda did the bulk of the scoring for the franchise.

Gujarat Titans star spin bowler Rashid Khan.

Rashid Khan

How good is this bloke from Afghanistan? Not many will contest the fact that Rashid Khan is the best T20 bowler across the globe. Ever since he made his IPL debut in 2017, he has become one of the most coveted entities in T20 cricket.

Although the Purple cap continues to elude him, his career economy rate of 6.40 is worth way more than that. Rashid continues to keep the batters on a tight leash with 18 wickets at an economy rate of 6.74 in IPL 2022. He will be the key man for Gujarat Titans in the all-important final as well.

IPL 2022; RCB skipper Faf du Plessis after scoring a half-century.

Faf du Plessis

Royal Challengers Bangalore may have been knocked out of IPL 2022 after a 7-wicket thumping against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 but given that this was a 10-team IPL, they did quite well overall to make it this far.

The credit goes to former South African captain Faf du Plessis who slipped into the leadership role unassumingly. Not many others in world cricket would have found it that comfortable to replace somebody of the stature of Virat Kohli as skipper.

Faf not only led Bangalore beautifully but contributed well with his own blade as well, accumulating 468 runs from 16 matches at an average of 31.20 and a strike rate of 127.52, with the best of 96.

GT's David Miller celebrates after hitting winning runs to reach IPL 2022 final.

David Miller

Killer Miller has been back to his best this season. A lot of credit for that goes to captain Hardik Pandya and the Gujarat Titans management for instilling faith in the finisher. Along with Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan, Miller has closed out several matches for Gujarat, who won five games in the last over in the group stage.

With 449 runs from 15 matches, Miller played a key role in guiding Gujarat Titans to the top of the leaderboard and then to the final in their debut IPL season.

PBKS' Kagiso Rabada celebrates a wicket during IPL 2022.

Kagiso Rabada

After forming a deadly combination with Anrich Nortje at Delhi Capitals over the last few years, Kagiso Rabada must have been slightly irked at not being retained. However, he continued his good work for Punjab Kings this time around, partnering with Arshdeep Singh.

Rabada, who took 25 wickets in IPL 2019, 30 in 2020 and 15 in 2021, finished with 23 wickets in IPL 2022 at an economy rate of 8.46.

Liam Livingstone celebrates a half century during IPL 2022.

Liam Livingstone

Known for hitting monstrous sixes, Liam Livingstone wasn't able to realize his potential in the 9 IPL matches he played in IPL 2019 and 2021 combined. The big hitter hit his straps this year, making 437 runs from 14 matches with four half-centuries.

He averaged 36.42, but more importantly, struck at 182.08 and will be remembered for hitting a magnificent 117-meter six, the longest this year.

One still feels that he wasn't able to perform to his optimum capacity and is more than capable of hitting the 500-run mark in the IPL on a consistent basis.

IPL 2022: Delhi Capitals opener David Warner

David Warner

Mr. Consistent David Warner, the third-highest run-scorer in IPL history, was back to his best after a slump in form last year. Warner finished as the top scorer for Delhi Capitals with 432 runs from 12 matches at a strike rate of 150 and the best of 92 not out.

Part of the World Cup winning Australian team, Warner carried his International form and had some game-changing partnerships this season. He formed a formidable pair with Prithvi Shaw, who missed the last few matches due to illness.

It's amazing how the Aussie with the most half-centuries in IPL history continues to pile on the runs in the IPL year after year.

Wanindu Hasaranga celebrates a wicket during the IPL 2022.

Wanindu Hasaranga

Things could have gone south pretty quickly when Royal Challengers Bangalore decided to not retain consistent performer Yuzvendra Chahal and went after Wanindu Hasaranga who had played just two matches for the franchise in IPL 2021 and leaked runs while going wicketless.

But, the management trusted the ability of the Sri Lankan mystery spinner and he delivered bigtime. Hasaranga is currently in possession of the Purple cap for his 26 wickets from 16 matches this year, with one 4-wicket haul and one 5-wicket haul.

KKR all-rounder Andre Russell in action during IPL 2022.

Andre Russell

It wasn't quite like IPL 2019 for Andre Russell, when he was almost walking on water with 510 runs at a strike rate of 204.81 and 11 wickets at an economy rate of 9.51.

Russell still made a serious impact this season, finishing IPL 2022 with 335 runs at a strike rate of 174.47 and 17 wickets at an economy rate of 9.86. It wasn't his fault that the gun all-rounder found little support from his teammates bar Sunil Narine and Umesh Yadav.