CPL 2020: 5 foreigner debutants to watch out for
The eighth season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will begin on August 18th, with the encounter between the three-time champions Trinbago Knight Riders and Guyana Amazon Warriors in Tarouba.
The Caribbean Premier League has been one of the most enjoyable cricket events since its start in 2013. It has given a chance to many Caribbean and overseas players and every season, we witness talented foreigners- both capped and uncapped.
Last season, the English left-arm seamer Harry Gurney made his CPL debut for the Barbados Tridents, and his exceptional performances made the franchise retain him. The Australian all-rounder Chris Green impressed with his bowling and captaincy skills and Antiguan spinner Hayden Walsh, who represented the United States of America before CPL 2019, has been exceptional.
Walsh was the first associate cricketer to be awarded the Player of the Tournament Award in that season and he holds the record for most wickets by an associate bowler in a single edition.
This year, the franchises bought many overseas players at a hefty amount in the auction, and it will be interesting to see how they recompense their teams.
Let us take a look at the top 5 overseas cricketers making their debut in CPL 2020.
#1 Sikandar Raza (Trinbago Knight Riders)
Sikandar Raza will be the first Zimbabwean cricketer to make his CPL debut this year. Hailing from Sialkot, Pakistan, he relocated to Zimbabwe in 2001. Raza became one of the best all-rounders for his national team and caught the eye of multiple franchises because of his performances in a number of T20 leagues.
The Trinbago Knight Riders have qualified for the playoffs every season and have won the CPL thrice. They will looking to win the trophy for the fifth time this season and the franchise will be enhanced by Raza's inclusion in the squad.
#2 Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Jamaica Tallawahs)
Afghan spin wizard Mujeeb Ur Rahman will be joining the Tallawahs as the replacement of Proteas spinner Tabraiz Shamsi as the latter failed to make his travel arrangements in time. The carrom ball specialist will be making his CPL debut for Jamaican Tallawahs this season.
Rahman has been an easy pick for teams across various T20 leagues. He has been an impressive player for Afghanistan since his debut and has never disappointed the teams he played for.
The two-time CPL winners Jamaican Tallawahs failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in CPL history in the 2019 edition and they will be looking to win the tournament for the third time in this season. With Mujeeb's potential to pick crucial wickets, his addition to the squad will prove to be beneficial to the Tallawahs, and if he is at his best form, he will surely win games for his team. Rahman will be playing in a Caribbean country for the first time, so it will be exciting to see how he marks his debut in these conditions.