IPL: Mumbai Indians Buy Quinton de Kock, Release Mustafizur Rahman And Akila Dananjaya

Ahead of the much anticipated auction for the twelfth edition of Indian Premier League, South Africa star Quinton de Kock has become the league’s first trade of 2019. The wicketkeeper-batsman has been traded to three-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians.

De Kock last played IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore. The Bangalore-based outfit had secured his services for INR 2.8 crore (USD 437,000) at the 2018 auction. He played eight games for the franchise and scored 201 runs at a strike rate of 124.07. But he is now all set to part ways with the team after just one season.

According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, the opener is set to be sold to Mumbai Indians for the same price. Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, have released Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman (Rs 2.2 crore) and Sri Lankan off-spinner Akila Dananjaya (Rs 50 lakh) to balance the books.

IPL: Mumbai Indians Buy Quinton de Kock, Release Mustafizur Rahman And Akila Dananjaya
Quinton de Kock (Credits: BCCI)

Mumbai must have bought De Kock to bolster their shaky top-order. The record champions have already two wicketkeepers in Ishan Kishan and Aditya Tare and buying De Kock pretty much proves that they went for the Proteas star to strengthen their top-order.  In the last season, they had the services of hard-hitting West Indies batsman Evin Lewis. However, the southpaw struggled for consistency.

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De Kock, on the other hand, has already proved his worth in the IPL. The left-handed batsman has scored six fifties and a century in 34 innings. He has also made 573 of his 927 runs in the Powerplay, at a strike-rate of 125.6.

IPL: Mumbai Indians Buy Quinton de Kock, Release Mustafizur Rahman And Akila Dananjaya
Quinton de Kock (Credits: BCCI)

Meanwhile, Mustafizur Rahman had a forgettable outing in the last season. The left-arm pacer, who starred for Sunrisers Hyderabad in their victorious campaign a couple of years ago, managed just 7 wickets in as many games. The wickets came at an average of almost 33 while he conceded over 8 runs per over. Akila Dananjaya, on the other hand, played just one game in 2018 and failed to pick any wicket.

IPL: Mumbai Indians Buy Quinton de Kock, Release Mustafizur Rahman And Akila Dananjaya
Mustafizur Rahman (Credits: BCCI)

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