Sam Curran — England's IPL Record-Setter Explained

Sam Curran is England's left-arm seam bowling allrounder — a bowler who swings the ball at pace, a lower-order batter who can accelerate when needed, and one of the most sought-after T20 players of his generation. Born in 2000, Curran made his England debut in 2018 and has since played in all three formats.

IPL record: most expensive player in auction history

At the IPL 2023 mega-auction in December 2022, Sam Curran became the most expensive player in IPL auction history when Punjab Kings paid ₹18.50 crore (approximately $2.23 million USD) to secure him. The record reflected the premium T20 franchises place on quality left-arm pace in the death overs — Curran can swing the ball both ways, bowl cutters, and yorker a batter with his natural inswing to right-handers.

T20 World Cup 2022 — Player of the Tournament

Curran's defining international moment came at the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. England beat Pakistan in the final in Melbourne, and Curran was named Player of the Tournament for his death-over bowling throughout the competition — taking wickets at crucial moments and maintaining low economy rates in the most high-pressure phases of T20 innings. His left-arm angle to right-handers makes him genuinely difficult to hit cleanly.

Bowling style

Curran bowls at around 82-86 mph — not express pace but with significant swing. His natural inswing to right-handers produces false shots and edges, particularly in the powerplay when the ball is new. As it ages, he uses reverse swing the other way. His yorker in the death overs is his primary wicket-taking ball.

• T20 World Cup 2022: Player of the Tournament (England won)
• IPL 2023 auction: ₹18.50 crore — Punjab Kings (record at time of purchase)
• County: Surrey CCC
• Bowling: Left-arm medium-fast, swing and cutters
• Batting: Left-hand bat, lower-order accelerator