CPL 2016: 5 young West Indians to watch out for
When the fourth edition of the Caribbean Premier League kick starts at Port of Spain, the spotlight will be firmly on the likes of Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine. However, there are quite a few upcoming cricketers in the scenic Caribbean region who have the ability to turn heads with their infectious exuberance.
Let us take a look at the top five players who could grab the opportunity and open up a pathway to the future of West Indies cricket. As expected, the list is dominated by key members of the victorious U-19 World Cup campaign earlier this year.
#5 Shimron Hetmyer
Shimron Hetmyer played a leading role in the World Cup winning West Indies U-19 side with his pro-active captaincy and sensible approach to batting. Lapped up by Guyana Amazon Warriors, the top-order batsman will be eager to make a name for himself.
Due to the relative paucity of high-quality Caribbean stroke-makers in the squad, the left-hander is likely to get plenty of chances in the playing eleven. Add to the fact that he is a local boy should endear him to the masses.
His unflappable temperament is evident from his consecutive half-centuries in the ICC tournament. Despite struggling for runs in the group stages, Hetmyer came into his own by anchoring difficult chases in both the quarter-final and semi-final.
He does not need to look farther than Martin Guptill, the newly appointed skipper of Amazon Warriors, for adapting himself to the rigors of top-level cricket.