Former India pacer Ashish Nehra has backed Bangladesh superstar Shakib Al Hasan can emerge as the most expensive player in IPL 2021 mini-auction which is to be held in Chennai on Thursday. Nehra feels Shakib will be a valuable inclusion to any of the eight IPL franchises as we can provide balance to the teams by contributing both with the bat and ball.
Shakib-Al-Hasan has registered himself under the highest reserve price bracket of Rs 2 crore. Shakib was sidelined in the last IPL due to the one-year ICC ban but is now back in action and ready to be the star of the show again.
“Again, one more IPL auction and plenty of big names, but one name, which according to me is right on top can be the most expensive player of this IPL auction is Bangladesh all-rounder, Shakib Al Hasan (former captain). He can give balance to any IPL team in any T20,” Nehra said on Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected Auction Special.
Shakib Al Hasan’s IPL career started in 2011 and to date, he has played 63 matches scoring 746 runs at an average of 21.31 with two 50s and a high score of unbeaten 66 and taken 59 wickets averaging 28. He was released by KKR and was picked up by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2018 season after representing Kolkata Knight Riders from 2011 to 2017.
Only 292 players have been shortlisted for the IPL 2021 auction after 1,114 players registered for it. A total of 164 Indian players, 125 overseas players and 3 players from Associate Nations will be up for grabs as the 8 franchises – Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Delhi Capitals (DC), Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Mumbai Indians (MI), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) look to bolster their squads.
