Win Projections to be updated soon
Five-time The defending champions of the Indian Premier League, the Mumbai Indians (MI), are reportedly planning to offer England’s premier pacer, Jofra Archer, a one-year contract. Notably, if the 28-year-old accepts the offer, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will need permission from the franchise before he can play for the national team again. If MI accomplishes this feat, it will be an extremely uncommon occurrence.
Notably, the Mumbai Indians signed Jofra Archer at the IPL auction in 2022 despite knowing that he would not be able to participate in a single match.
Jofra later signed with MI Cape Town ahead of the SA20 league’s inaugural season, during which he took 10 wickets in six games. Before returning home, the Barbados-born cricketer participated in only five matches and took two wickets in the IPL 2023.
Despite the fact that his fitness is a significant concern, MI is prepared to sign the cricketer and may end up controlling his schedule (if Jofra signs such a contract) to keep him fit for franchise-based tournaments in which MI participates. The parties have not yet met to discuss this matter, but a Daily Mail report indicates that the franchise is prepared to go all-in.
According to reports, players like Alex Hales may also receive such proposals. The England international is inconsistent with the national team, which is why an unnamed franchise is interested in signing him. The Kolkata Knight Riders hired the opener for the 2022 IPL season, but he opted not to play in order to manage his workload.
One of the favorites to sign for an IPL franchise is Trent Boult, a pacer from New Zealand. The cricketer opted out of New Zealand’s central contract in 2022 and is therefore eligible to secure a similar contract with any franchise. Currently, he is a member of the IPL team Rajasthan Royals, which also has franchises in the SA20 (Paarl Royals) and CPLT20 (Barbados Royals).
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