It’s finally time for the First T20 league tournament after the lockdown, and it’s one of the most destructive and aggressive T20 League in all of world, the Caribbean Premier League 2020!
The tournament starts with Trinbago Knight Riders taking on Guyana Amazon Warriors on 18th August, at 7:30PM.
Probable XIs –
TKR – Colin Munro, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Darren Bravo, Tim Seifert (Wk), Dwayne Bravo, Fawad Ahmed, Ali Khan, Kharry Pierre, Anderson Phillip
On Bench – Tion Webster, Amir Jangoo, Akeal Hosein, Pravin Tambe, Javon Seales
GAW – Brandon King, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmeyer, Nicholas Pooran (Wk), Ross Taylor, Sherfane Rutherford, Chris Green, Keemo Paul, Imran Tahir, Romario Shephard, Ashmeade Nedd
On Bench – Anthony Bramble, Kevin Sinclair, Jasdeep Singh, Naveen Ul Haq, Odean Smith, Kissoondath Magram
Analysis –
1. Pravin Tambe becomes the first Indian player to be drafted in a CPL team, but with the likes of some amazing spinners, i.e., Narine, Pierre and Fawad already there in the lineup, he might have to wait to get a chance to be in the Playing XI.
2. Kissoondath Magram replaced Qais Ahmed in the squad for this season. He is a right arm fast bowler who has just played one first class match till date in his career where he picked up 3 wickets. He won’t be in the radar for the team and might only play if any of the seamers get injured or are rested.
3. All eyes would be on Brandon King since he was the leading run scorer in the previous edition of CPL, and Sunil Narine who was the most economical bowler in the same.
4. Guyana Amazon Warriors came 2nd in the previous edition of the CPL, whereas Trinbago Knight Riders ended up 3rd. So, this contest might get really interesting to kickstart this year’s tournament!
5. There’s a rule to play 1 Emerging player in the playing XI for a side in CPL 2020. From TKR, Anderson Phillip would have a go. On the contrary, from GAW, it would be a toss up between Ashmeade Nedd and Kevin Sinclair against Ross Taylor and Naveen Ul Haq.
6. It will be a battle between Narine and Hemraj who both are opening batsmen for their respective teams as well as two off spinners who both tend to bowl economically.
7. Both teams have some like to like players in terms of their battles … Pollard vs Rutherford, Seifert vs Pooran, Fawad vs Tahir, Simmons vs Hetmeyer, Pierre vs Green, Dwayne Bravo vs Keemo Paul. It will be an equal contest between the two and it could end up in a nail biting encounter in the very first game of the tournament!
Pitch Report –
The pitch is a balanced wicket suited more towards batsmen. From the bowling perspective, Spinners are more likely to get success as compared to seamers.
Avg 1st Innings score – 170
Fantasy Picks –
As C/VC – Sunil Narine, Imran Tahir, Brandon King, Shimron Hetmeyer, Nicholas Pooran, Lendl Simmons
Analysis of various cricket matches 