The Indian Premier League has been arguably the biggest T20 domestic tournament across the globe. Ever since it’s inception way back in 2008, the tournament has gone from strength to strength and have been a breeding ground for several young players. Over the years we have witnessed the emergence of several new stars who have taken the tournament by storm.
The inauguration edition of the tournament saw the Rajasthan Royals lifting the trophy. It was a big moment for the young side who were devoid of big names. Over the years there have been some stalwarts who have been associated with the franchise. Cricketers like Shane Warne, Rahul Dravid and Shane Watson have gone on to represent Rajasthan with a good amount of success. However, there are few players who didn’t have a great time with Rajasthan
Here are 5 such players who once played for Rajasthan but not many were aware of it.
Kamran Akmal
The Pakistani wicket-keeper batsman is not in the radar of international selection currently. He plays for the Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League. He has gone on to represent Pakistan in 53 Tests, 157 ODI’s and 58 T20I’s.
It was in the first season of the IPL that Akmal was bought by the Rajasthan Royals. He was part of the triumphant team. Akmal played only 6 matches scoring 128 runs at an average of 25.60. He boasted of a sensational strike rate of 164.1.
He also managed 5 catches and 6 stumpings while keeping for Rajasthan. Akmal never played in the IPL after that as the Pakistan players were barred from taking part in the tournament.