Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh lead Aussie charge in IPL 2025

Time of India

3 hours ago

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A total of 16 Australian players were part of the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with two of them - Josh Hazlewood and Tim David - ended up on the winning side, while the remaining six finished as runners-up in the just-concluded cash-rich league.The long-standing 18-year wait for Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB ) and their talismanic batter Virat Kohli finally ended as they lifted their maiden IPL trophy by defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a thrilling final-over finish.Australian fast bowler Hazlewood maintained his composure while defending 29 runs in the final over, strategically bowling two dot deliveries to strengthen RCB's grip on their first trophy.Despite Shashank Singh 's valiant effort with an unbeaten 61 runs from 30 balls, Punjab fell short by six runs in chase of 190. Shashank's remarkable sequence of 6, 4, 6, 6 in the remaining four deliveries proved insufficient to overcome the mathematically challenging target of 29 runs from four legitimate balls.Hazlewood showcased remarkable performance in the IPL 2025 , claiming 22 wickets across 12 matches while claiming his second IPL title. Despite missing the 2024 season due to his child's birth, the RCB retained him for A$2.29 million, which proved to be a worthwhile decision by the franchise. The Aussie pace spearhead was the tournament's leading wicket-taker before its unexpected break.After a brief return to Australia, Hazlewood came back to India for the crucial playoffs. He contributed significantly to RCB's victories against Punjab, notably achieving figures of 3-21 in the Qualifier 1 and then in the final. Hazlewood gave away too many runs (1-54) in the title clash against Punjab, but his first two deliveries of the final over sealed the deal for RCB.Hazlewood's impressive strike rate of a wicket every 12 deliveries made him the highest wicket-taker for the ultimate champions RCB, despite being unavailable for three matches.Having recuperated from a back injury just before the start of the IPL, Mitch Marsh demonstrated exceptional batting prowess, accumulating 627 runs in 13 innings, securing the fourth position among run-scorers before the knock-out stage. The lanky Aussie batter achieved a significant milestone by scoring his first IPL century, delivering an outstanding knock of 117 against Gujarat Titans.All credit to Justin Langer and his coaching staff who strategically managed his workload - with the optimum use of Impact Player sub rule - by ensuring he focused solely on batting duties. They either substituted him out post his batting stint or brought him in after the fielding innings.Cummins delivered a respectable bowling performance, securing a position amongst the top 10 wicket-takers, albeit not matching his peak tournament standards. His leadership of the Hyderabad team, however, failed to yield favourable outcomes this season. His batting contributions remained modest with 97 runs across 14 matches, though he maintained an impressive strike rate of 167.24.David, the powerful striker, delivered an outstanding performance for the IPL 2025 champions throughout the tournament, excelling in his designated role as a late-order power hitter. Across his nine innings, he maintained an exceptional strike rate of 185.14, which included notable unbeaten knocks of 37 from 20 deliveries against Delhi and 50 from 26 balls against Punjab. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury during the latter part of the group stage prevented him from participating in RCB's playoffs campaign.The expensive Delhi acquisition demonstrated strong performance throughout the tournament, securing five wickets against KKR and delivering a decisive Super Over in an exciting victory over Rajasthan. Following the IPL's suspension due to tensions between India and Pakistan, Starc opted to remain in Australia, choosing to focus on his preparation for the World Test Championship Final against South Africa.Head played a pivotal role in the Sunrisers Hyderabad's resurgence in 2024, with the Australian opener delivering outstanding performances in numerous matches. His form fluctuated in 2025, where he achieved three half-centuries across 12 innings. Despite having fewer opportunities at the crease compared to others, he secured the 19th position amongst run-getters. His substantial contributions typically resulted in victories for Hyderabad, while maintaining an impressive strike rate of 162.60.In his debut IPL season, Inglis initially sat out the first few matches for the Kings. However, the versatile wicketkeeper-batter earned his spot and excelled at the No. 3 position, particularly showing his prowess towards the crucial stages of the tournament. His consistency was evident in his final six innings, which included three playoff matches, where he maintained scores above 30 in all but one game. His standout performance came against Mumbai Indians, where he struck 73 runs from 42 deliveries in a convincing victory. Despite a quick-fire 39 from 23 balls in the final, his dismissal proved decisive as Punjab narrowly lost to RCB.The seasoned allrounder had an underwhelming start to the tournament, resulting in his exclusion from the playing XI during the early stages. However, he made a successful comeback as Punjab pursued a playoff spot, delivering crucial performances, particularly his unbeaten 44 from 16 deliveries against Delhi. His impressive strike rate of 186.04 ranked fifth amongst all batters in the IPL who faced a minimum of 50 balls.Maxwell's challenging tournament concluded prematurely due to a fractured finger, necessitating his early return home. Despite claiming several crucial wickets during his stint, he struggled to showcase his exceptional batting abilities that had previously established him as a world-class player.The young Australian batter Fraser-McGurk made headlines during IPL 2024 with his exceptional batting performances. However, he struggled to maintain that form in the subsequent season. The 23-year-old managed to score in double digits only once and was subsequently removed from Delhi's playing eleven after their first six matches.The Australian leggie Zampa's stint with Sunrisers proved brief, lasting merely two matches before a right shoulder injury forced his withdrawal. The white-ball specialist opted to return to Australia for rehabilitation, prioritising his recovery ahead of upcoming international fixtures, particularly the West Indies series.A disappointing IPL stint for the skilled Ellis, who made a solitary appearance for CSK during their dismal campaign. Interestingly, his lone match was the season opener against Mumbai, which Chennai won. The Australian quick must be pondering his limited opportunities, having previously played just one game for Punjab Kings in IPL 2024 despite his proven abilities.Johnson arrived as a direct substitute for Mitch Starc at KKR, but the outcome proved disappointing for both sides. The towering left-arm fast bowler's stint lasted merely four matches, during which he managed to secure just a single wicket while facing aggressive batting onslaughts, leading to his eventual exclusion from the team.Bartlett made his IPL debut and appeared in four matches - three at the start and one after the tournament resumed. He secured notable wickets of Quinton de Kock and Liam Livingstone in his initial IPL outings. Despite limited success in taking wickets consistently, he contributed to the team's remarkable defence of a low total of 111 against Kolkata. Later in the tournament, he was replaced in the playing eleven by Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai and New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson, who joined as a replacement player.Owen achieved an uncommon feat by participating in both PSL and IPL within the same calendar year when he joined as a substitute for the sidelined Glenn Maxwell. Owen, who plays for Hobart Hurricanes played his first match for Punjab against Rajasthan Royals on May 18 following the IPL's resumption, where he was dismissed for nought on his second delivery. Owen's opportunity was cut short as he didn't receive another chance to play once the overseas players returned to the Kings' lineup.The skilled all-round cricketer from Western Australia remained on the bench throughout his maiden IPL stint with Ricky Ponting's Punjab franchise.