How the Australian brigade fared in IPL 11

Twelve Australians featured in the IPL regular season, but it was far from a vintage year for Aussies in the world's richest T20 tournament.

Bowler Andrew Tye has been the leading Australian in action, claiming the Purple Cap as the tournament's leading wicket-taker, while Shane Watson was the highest run-scorer from the Australian continent.

Five players remain in action for the play-offs with Sunrisers Hyderabad to face the Kolkata Knight Riders in the first qualifying final on Tuesday night, with KKR's Chris Lynn and Mitchell Johnson in the mix. The elimination final on Wednesday night will see the Chennai Super Kings, featuring Shane Watson, face the Rajasthan Royals, who have D'Arcy Short and Ben Laughlin on their list.

With the regular season done and dusted, we take a look at the performances from the Aussies in the IPL, listed alphabetically.

Dan Christian Delhi Daredevils

P 4 | Runs 26 | SR 78.78 | Av 13 | HS 13 | Wkts 4 | Econ 8.53 | SR 17.75

Limited opportunities for the big-hitting allrounder in a tough season for the Delhi Dardevils that saw them finish with the wooden spoon. In his fourth match, he failed to defend 14 in the final over against Hyderabad and was sidelined for the remainder of the tournament. His continued value as a T20 player was underlined during the tournament when news broke the Melbourne Renegades had signed him up for the Big Bash League.

Ben Cutting Mumbai Indians

P 9 | Runs 96 | SR 165.51 | Av 24 | HS 37 | Wkts 2 | Econ 9.88 | SR 51

The Queenslander's first T20 tournament since pulling the pin on his first-class career, Cutting showed why he remains a key player in the shortest format. His ability to make important contributions was highlighted when he held important catches to shift momentum for his team in a key win against Kings XI, despite having made just four with the bat and conceding 15 in his one over. He hit eight sixes this tournament, including a trio that helped bury Kolkata and was a lone hand in a desperate bid to reach the play-offs in Mumbai's final match.

Image Id: 881CF58030234C58ACE7EA36DD5306EC Image Caption: Ben Cutting bombs one long for Mumbai // BCCI

Ben Dwarshius Kings XI Punjab

Selected in Australia's T20 squad last summer after impressing with the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League, this IPL has been a steep learning curve for the 23-year-old. He failed to break into the playing XI of the Brad Hodge coached Kings XI.

Aaron Finch Kings XI Punjab

P 10 | Runs 134 | SR 134 | Av 16.75 | HS 46

Finch missed the start of the IPL for his wedding, then began his campaign with consecutive first-ball dismissals. Used down the order by Punjab, Finch was able to reach double figures just four times in his 10 knocks, but was able to put together a run of 34, 26 and 46 as the Punjab side pushed for a play-off berth. They ultimately fell short, and Finch's attentions now turn to Australia duty for the ODIs in England before he captains the T20 team in England and in Zimbabwe.

Mitchell Johnson Kolkata Knight Riders

P 6 | Wkts 2 | Econ 10.28 | SR 63 | BBM 1-30 | Runs 16 | SR 145.45

Being a fast bowler and playing home matches at the high-scoring Eden Gardens is no easy task, and the 36-year-old Australian suffered in this tournament. Six appearances this season is the most he's made in the IPL since 2015, and he took some stick. Given the new ball against at Eden Gardens against Chennai, Shane Watson took him to task as he conceded 51 in four overs.

Ben Laughlin Rajasthan Royals

P 6 | Wkts 7 | Econ 9.77 | SR 15.42 | BBM 2-15 | Runs 1 | SR 25

Despite only a handful of chances in the XI, it's been a consistent season from Ben Laughlin, whose clever variations and changes of pace continue to make him a dependable death bowler. He picked up wickets in four of his six matches, and started well with a key role as the side defended 71 off six overs in a rain-affected match. After playing the first five games, he made way for Jofra Archer before returning for the final game of the regular season where his 2-15 against Bangalore was a big factor in his club making the playoffs.

Chris Lynn Kolkata Knight Riders

P 14 | Runs 425 | SR 131.17 | Av 32.69 | HS 74

Perhaps the most pleasing aspect of this season for Chris Lynn will be that he has come through unscathed. His 14 appearances is double the amount he'd previously managed in a single season, although his strike rate and average were down on last season. Lynn prefers pace on the ball but he's helped dispel the myth he can't play spin with three fifties this season, and another knock of 45. But while he's blasted KKR into the playoffs, he was deemed not fit enough to resume his international career as he continues to get over his latest shoulder injury. Without a UK county deal, Lynn's next action looks likely to be the Caribbean Premier League, unless he's picked for the white-ball matches on Australia A's India tour later this year.

Glenn Maxwell Delhi Daredevils

P 12 | Runs 169 | SR 140.83 | Av 14.08 | HS 47 | Wkts 5 | Econ 8.25 | SR 19.20

A disappointing season for Glenn Maxwell by his lofty standards, and he may consider himself lucky to not have been dropped by his side given his low returns. He has been frustrated by his inability to make an impact, and was shuffled around between batting at No.5 and opening in the hunt for a right fit. Indeed, if the Delhi coach was anyone other than Ricky Ponting, he might well have been benched. "If you look through the overseas batsmen that we had, we all felt that Glenn Maxwell would be the best chance of being a match-winner for us, so we stuck with him," Ponting said at season's end.

D'Arcy Short Rajasthan Royals

P 7 | Runs 115 | SR 116.16 | Av 16.42 | HS 44 | Wkts 1 | Econ 6.33

The Big Bash sensation who exploded into the limelight last summer has had a steep learning curve on his first visit to India. After three low scores to start his campaign – including being run out twice in his first two innings – he responded with a 44, but was benched for the next match. He returned to hit another 44, but two more single-digit scores followed and he was benched again.

Billy Stanlake Sunrisers Hyderabad

P 4 | Wkts 5 | Econ 8.12 | SR 19.20 | Runs 5 | SR 250

The towering Aussie quick had shown early signs that he was going to be a force to be reckoned with in this tournament – he even won his team a game, with the bat! – until a broken pinky derailed his season. He was forced to return home for surgery, and has only recently started bowling again before a winter with the national ODI and T20 teams. If you'll pardon the pun, big things are coming for Billy Stanlake.

Marcus Stoinis Kings XI Punjab

P 7 | Runs 99 | SR 130.26 | Av 24.75 | HS 29* | Wkts 3 | Econ 10.90 | SR 22

A highly-rated allrounder, Stoinis had a respectable but unspectacular season with Kings XI. He played the first two games before making way for Chris Gayle, but then returned in place of countryman Finch later in the tournament. He managed a couple of scores in the 20s but wasn't able to cement a spot and his final appearance saw him take 1-43 from three overs, then score 1 with the bat. He will now link up with Australia's limited overs team in England.

Andrew Tye Kings XI Punjab

P 14 | Wkts 24 | Econ 8 | SR 14 | BBM 4-16 | Runs 32 | SR 84.21

The standout Australian from this year's IPL, Andrew Tye has enhanced his reputation as one of the world's pre-eminent T20 bowlers. He leads all wicket-takers with 24 scalps, earning himself the tournament's Purple Cap. He took four wickets in a match three times – nobody else has more than one – and his economy rate of 8 is outstanding for a fast bowler who operates in the final overs. His 4-34 against Rajasthan came just hours after his grandmother passed away and he fought to hold back tears during the match. A season the 31-year-old can be proud of.

Shane Watson Chennai Super Kings

P 13 | Runs 438 | SR 147.47 | Av 33.69 | HS 106 | Wkts 6 | Econ 8.96

The evergreen Shane Watson continues to be a T20 powerhouse, his experience and cunning in the shortest-format helping a veteran CSK outfit race into the IPL playoffs again. Watson has been superb at the top of the order and is one of only four batsmen to reach triple figures in this tournament, hitting 106 against Rajasthan in April. Overall, he was the tournament's tenth highest run-scorer, and has also chimed in with key overs and taken six wickets in a more-than-handy return as a part-time option for skipper MS Dhoni.

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