Tim Southee

Tim Southee is a New Zealand cricketer who is widely regarded as one of the best fast bowlers of his generation. He has been an integral part of the New Zealand cricket team for many years and has also played in several domestic T20 leagues around the world, including the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Early Career and International Debut

Tim Southee was born on December 11, 1988, in Whangarei, New Zealand. He made his debut for the Northern Districts cricket team in 2006, and his impressive performances soon caught the attention of the national selectors. He made his debut for the New Zealand cricket team in February 2008, in a Twenty20 match against England.

Southee soon established himself as one of New Zealand's premier fast bowlers, and his ability to swing the ball both ways at pace made him a formidable opponent for batsmen around the world. He played a key role in New Zealand's run to the semi-finals of the 2015 Cricket World Cup, taking 18 wickets at an average of 17.33.

IPL Career

Southee's impressive performances in international cricket earned him a contract with the Chennai Super Kings for the 2011 season of the IPL. He played in six matches for the team, taking five wickets at an average of 38.20. However, the Super Kings failed to qualify for the playoffs that season.

Southee did not play in the IPL in 2012 or 2013, but he was signed by the Rajasthan Royals for the 2014 season. He played in 13 matches for the Royals that season, taking 11 wickets at an average of 32.81. The Royals finished in fifth place that season, just outside the playoff places.

In 2015, Southee was picked up by the Mumbai Indians for a fee of INR 1.5 crore (approx. USD 220,000) at the IPL auction. He played in nine matches for the team, taking nine wickets at an average of 30.33. However, the Mumbai Indians failed to qualify for the playoffs that season.

Southee played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2016 and 2017, taking nine wickets in 10 matches in the former season and five wickets in three matches in the latter. He was not picked up by any IPL team in 2018, but he was signed by the RCB again for the 2019 season. He played in all 11 matches for the team that season, taking eight wickets at an average of 36.25.

Overall, Southee has played in 49 IPL matches, taking 47 wickets at an average of 35.04 and an economy rate of 8.43. While his IPL career has not been as successful as his international career, he has still been a valuable asset for the teams he has played for.

International Achievements

Southee's international career has been full of achievements and milestones. He has taken over 300 wickets across all formats of the game, making him one of the most successful bowlers in New Zealand's cricketing history. He is also the youngest New Zealand bowler to take 50 Test wickets, achieving the feat at the age of just 21 years and 249 days.

In 2014, Southee produced one of the greatest bowling performances in Test history, taking 7 for 33 against England at Headingley. He followed this up with figures of 10 for 108 in the match, helping New Zealand to a memorable victory.

Southee has also had success in limited-overs cricket, taking a hat-trick in a One.