South African cricketer Rilee Rousseau is buzzing with excitement after landing an impressive ₹8-crore deal with Punjab Kings for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The prolific batter became one of the top buys at the recent mini-auction held in Dubai.
To mark his latest IPL contract, Rousseau took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his joy, showcasing a vibrant celebration with a plate full of South African braai, a traditional barbecue popular across African regions. In this unique braai style, meat is roasted using camel-thorn wood, adding a distinctive flavor. Rousseau captioned the post, “Now this is how we celebrate after the auction with a lekker South African braai.”
Now this is how we celebrate after the auction with a lekker South African braai 😁 🔴 😁 pic.twitter.com/OyTrpdoc2D
— Rilee Rossouw (@Rileerr) December 19, 2023
During the auction, Rousseau initially failed to attract interest from any franchise in the first round. However, his fortunes dramatically changed in the accelerated round, sparking a bidding war between Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings.
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Starting with a base price of Rs 2 crore, Rousseau swiftly surpassed the 5-crore mark in the accelerated round. Ultimately, Punjab Kings emerged victorious as Delhi Capitals conceded, securing the signing of Rousseau, an esteemed T20 player in South Africa.
Rousseau had represented Delhi Capitals in the previous IPL season but struggled to make a significant impact. In nine appearances, he amassed a total of 209 runs at an average below 30, managing just one fifty during the tournament.
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The 34-year-old made his IPL debut in 2014 for Royal Challengers Bangalore, where he played for two seasons and featured in only five matches. Although he bid farewell to international cricket at the age of 26, Rousseau has continued to actively participate in various franchise tournaments worldwide.
Having represented the Proteas in 36 ODIs and 29 T20Is, scoring 1239 and 767 runs respectively, Rousseau’s wealth of experience and T20 prowess make him a valuable addition to the Punjab Kings squad as they gear up for the upcoming IPL season.
