William O'Rourke

William O'Rourke is a right-arm fast bowler from New Zealand, known for his raw pace and ability to generate awkward bounce. He currently represents New Zealand in international cricket and plays domestic cricket for Auckland. With no IPL experience so far, he enters the 2026 auction as a capped player with a base price of ₹2 crore.

Since O'Rourke did not feature in IPL 2025, his profile is built on strong international and domestic showings. He has impressed with consistent wicket-taking ability in New Zealand's pace attack, often troubling batters with steep bounce and late seam movement. His performances in recent bilateral series and domestic tournaments have highlighted his potential as a strike bowler in T20 conditions.

Several IPL franchises are expected to show interest, particularly those seeking to bolster their pace options with genuine express pace. Teams like Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, known for backing young fast bowlers, could be potential suitors. His ability to bowl in the powerplay and death overs makes him an attractive long-term investment.

In IPL 2026, O'Rourke is likely to be groomed as a frontline seamer, with expectations centered around his ability to extract bounce from Indian pitches. A realistic auction price could range between ₹3-5 crore, depending on pre-auction interest and team requirements for quality pace bowling options.