Victorian star Matt Short is set to be rewarded for Australian summer purple patch with IPL deal

An Englishman is all that stands between a Victorian and Adelaide Strikers star and his breakthrough IPL contract. Read how.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 21: Matt Short of Victoria celebrates making a century during the Sheffield Shield match between Victoria and South Australia at CitiPower Centre, on February 21, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Pending BCCI approval, Victoria’s Matt Short is set to become the 14th Australian in next month’s Indian Premier League.

The Punjab Kings are hoping to replace injured Englishman Jonny Bairstow with the in-form Short, provided the ECB deliver substantial evidence of Bairstow’s season-ending injury to the BCCI.

Bairstow suffered a horrific broken leg while playing golf in September 2022.

Short, 27, has completed an extraordinary Australian summer across all three formats for both Victoria and the Adelaide Strikers.

His three centuries in his last five innings for Victoria come just after being named Big Bash League Player of the Tournament.

It’s understood Short’s form was presented by Punjab coach Trevor Bayliss – and Bayliss’ assistant Brad Haddin – to the Kings board, which then began the replacement process.

Matt Short of the Strikers acknowledges the crowd after his January century. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

While confirming pen is yet to hit paper, Short’s player manager Zach Whelan explained how his form was a result of backing from both Victoria and the Adelaide Strikers.

“On the IPL opportunity, any cricketer in Australia that plays white-ball cricket, the IPL is always at the back of their mind,” he said.

“I am absolutely rapt for him; it’s come from a lot of hard-work to get that opportunity and the backing of the Adelaide Strikers and Cricket Victoria.

“The support network around him, Jason Gillespie, Chris Rogers, Cameron White, it’s finally coming through for him.

“This opportunity, while it’s only a replacement opportunity at the moment, Matty will take it with both hands.”

Of the 14 Australian’s currently poised to play in the IPL, Short, from Ballarat, is the only one yet to play an international match.