Ben Dwarshuis (PBKS): 202 Career Wickets but Overseas Competition Keeps Him Out
Ben Dwarshuis sits outside the model's optimal XII despite 202 career wickets across 146 T20 matches and 531 career overs. His projected WAR/M of 0.11 reflects a bowling profile that hovers near league average: bowling WAR/M of 0.07 and batting WAR/M of 0.03. The overseas slot constraint is what keeps him out.
Bowling
Dwarshuis has bowled 3155 career bowling balls at 8 economy. By phase: 7 PP economy (vs 9 avg), 8 mid economy, 9 death economy. He took 57 PP wickets, 61 mid wickets, and 84 death wickets.
His PP economy of 7 is his best phase, sitting 2 runs below the league average. The death economy of 9 is solid. He bowls 38% of his balls at the death.
| Phase | Economy | vs Avg | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| PP (1-6) | 7.3 | -1.8 vs 9.1 | 57 |
| Mid (7-15) | 8.4 | -0.3 vs 8.7 | 61 |
| Death (16-20) | 9.2 | -1.1 vs 10.3 | 84 |
Batting
With 473 career batting balls at 140 SR, Dwarshuis provides tail-end batting. His batting WAR/M of 0.03 adds marginal value. In the death, 168 SR across 231 balls.
Why He Misses the XII
PBKS have 4 overseas slots. Owen, Stoinis, Connolly, and Jansen occupy them in the optimal XII. Dwarshuis' projected WAR/M of 0.11 sits below all four. His bowling profile is similar to Connolly's but less impactful, and he lacks Stoinis' batting upside or Owen's powerplay explosiveness.
What This Means for IPL 2026
Dwarshuis is strong overseas reserve cover. His 202 career wickets and all-phase bowling profile make him a reliable option if injury or form issues hit the starting overseas bowlers. When Lockie Ferguson is also unavailable for the first 7 games, Dwarshuis becomes one of the leading candidates for spot rotation. His xImpact of 36 reflects a floor-raiser rather than a ceiling-raiser.