IPL 2021: Rajasthan Royals Pick Thisara Perera for Phase 2 in UAE – Reports

The countdown for the second phase of the IPL 2021 which will take place in the UAE has started to begin. While the first phase of the tournament was at its riveting best it is expected that there would be no shortage of entertainment in the second leg. A total of 31 games, including the playoffs, will be played in this phase of the tournament with a summit clash set to be played on October 15.

Rajasthan Royals rope in Thisara Perera for phase 2 in UAE -Reports

The second phase of the IPL 2021 is set to commence from 19th September. With less than one month remaining for the start of the league, many overseas players are pulling out of the tournament due to personal reasons.

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The unavailability of many players has been a major concern for all the franchises, who are on the hunt for replacements. Amongst all the teams Rajasthan Royals’ is the most affected team as all the star players including Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes will not be part of the second phase of the tournament.

A couple of days after naming a replacement for Jos Buttler, according to the recent reports, Rajasthan Royals have signed Sri Lanka all-rounder Thisara Perera as a replacement for Ben Stokes. The Sanju Samson-led franchise is yet to confirm the development as of now.

Read Also: Ben Stokes To be Available for UAE leg of the tournament? Here’s the update

A look at Thisara Perera’s IPL numbers 

Thisara Perera has represented Chennai Super Kings, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Overall in 37 matches, the southpaw in 30 innings has scored 422 runs at an impressive strike rate of 137.46 with the bat. With the ball, the all-rounder has scalped 31 wickets at an economy rate of 8.73.

He recently became the first Sri Lankan cricketer to hit six sixes in an over during a domestic tournament near Colombo and in the process also notched up the second-fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in List A cricket. His ability to take bowlers to cleaners and pick up wickets with the ball could be crucial for the Sanju Samson-led franchise in the second phase of the tournament.

Related: Rajasthan Royals’ Jos Buttler to miss phase 2 in UAE; Glenn Phillips named as replacement