CPL 2021: Top 5 run-getters from the season
The 2021 edition of the CPL, like every year, featured some scintillating batting, crafty bowling, unbelievable fielding, and all the Caribbean dance moves and entertainment galore. The tournament, featuring some of the game's biggest hitters, has consistently enraptured fans since its inception back in 2013.
The average score in this year's edition of the tournament was 166. With over 36 150+ runs totals and 518 sixes smashed in this edition of the CPL, one could say there was no end to the fireworks.
Evin Lewis ended CPL 2021 as the most prolific six-hitter with a staggering 38 sixes. Runners-up Saint Lucia Kings was the team with the most runs scored in the tournament, amassing 1936 runs. Eventual winners St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots were a close second, scoring 1855 runs on their way to the title.
TOP RUN SCORER IN CPL 2021 #CPL21 #CricketPlayedLouder https://t.co/axiyolJVXk
The 5 highest run-scorers in CPL 2021
#1 Roston Chase (Saint. Lucia Kings)
The Caribbean all-rounder has been an integral part of the Windies Test setup for several years now. Roston Chase's transformation from a red-ball specialist to a dependable player in the shorter formats of the game has been an absolute delight to watch for the lovers of the game. He has been impressive for his side through the years in the CPL.
He already has an illustrious career for someone who is yet to make his international debut in the shortest format of the game. This year's edition of the CPL saw Roston Chase in the form of his life. Not only was he the highest run-getter of the tournament, but he also contributed comprehensively with the ball claiming 10 wickets in the 12 matches he played.
The performances he put up in this edition of the CPL earned him his maiden T20I call-up as he was announced in the Windies squad for the T20 World Cup. Chase scored 446 runs in the tournament, having played 12 matches. He averaged 49.55 with the bat, remaining unbeaten 3 times.
He scored 4 50+ scores and had a strike rate of 144.33 in the tournament while his highest score was 85. He was also the batsman with the highest number of fours in the tournament, having hit 35 4s. Roston Chase's contribution was essential in carrying the Saint Lucia Kings to the final of CPL 2021.
#2 Evin Lewis (St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots)
The hard-hitting Caribbean opener did not fail to live up to his reputation. His contribution at the top of the order throughout the tournament was one of the main reasons why the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots went on to win the title this year.
The formidable opener, who had earlier been criticized for not playing responsibly, getting out at crucial points in time and playing rash shots, silenced all his critics as he ended up as the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament.
He scored 426 runs in the tournament, having played 11 innings. He scored with a strike rate of 163.21 and remained not out twice. Lewis' highest score in the tournament was an unbeaten 102-run knock. He averaged 47.33 throughout the tournament.
He ended the tournament with the most sixes by an individual, having hit 38. He was the pick of the batsmen for his side as he smashed 1 century and 3 half-centuries in the tournament.
Evin Lewis will be looking to carry this form into the IPL as he is set to represent the Rajasthan Royals in the UAE leg of the tournament. Windies fans will be looking forward to seeing how he bats in the IPL as they head into the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to begin in October.
#3 Tim David (Saint Lucia Kings)
The all-rounder from Singapore played a crucial part in the Kings’ middle order as they ended their campaign this year as runners-up. Scoring 282 runs in the tournament, having played 11 knockouts in 12 games, Tim David stabilized what looked like a wobbly middle-order for the Saint Lucia Kings.
Having scored only 1 fifty in the tournament, the batsman from Singapore made small but crucial contributions to his team's efforts in the latest edition of the CPL.
Batting with a strike rate of 146.11 he did not let the game slow down in the middle-overs. He smashed 19 fours and 19 sixes in the tournament and became the second-highest run-scorer from his side. While his highest score in the tournament was 56, he remained unbeaten 3 times ensuring that his team didn't lose the wicket of a set-batsman in the death overs.
His brilliant performance in this edition of the CPL earned him a call-up from Royal Challengers Bangalore. He becomes the first Singapore national to feature in the IPL.
#4 Faf du Plessis (Saint Lucia Kings)
Former Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis also captained the Kings for the majority of the tournament. He scored 277 runs in the tournament, which although impressive was a bit below par by his standards. He scored with a strike rate of 143.52 and smashed 1 century and 1 half-century in this year's CPL.
He scored an unbeaten 120-runs in the encounter against the Patriots, the highest score by an individual in this edition of the CPL. He averaged 34.62 throughout the campaign. He smashed 22 fours and 12 sixes and did not let the bowlers settle into a rhythm while he was present at the crease.
Faf du Plessis' experience came in handy as the Kings reached their second consecutive final in the CPL. He has had a disappointing year as he was dropped from the South Africa T20 side for the World Cup. The opener's next pit stop is in the UAE, where he will once again be reunited with the CSK franchise at IPL 2021.
#5 Colin Munro (Trinbago Knight Riders)
The dynamic and aggressive Blackcaps opener Colin Munro, who on his day can take the game away from you in a jiffy, bats for the TKR franchise at No.3 which is rather unusual. Despite batting in a position he was not accustomed to, he scored 267 runs in the tournament. Munro remained unbeaten twice and had a top score of 47.
He may not have a substantial score of 50+ in the tournament but his contribution to the TKR batting unit cannot be ignored. The Kiwi star lived up to the reputation of being an aggressive batsman as he scored with a strike rate of over a run-a-ball. He smashed 20 fours and 10 sixes in the 11 innings played by him.
Munro has not been named in the Blackcaps side for the T20 World Cup campaign. He remained unsold in the 2021 IPL auction as well and with no franchise cricket being played due to the World Cup schedule, his next cricketing venture seems quite a long time away.
Best of luck to all involved at the @IPL #CPL21 #CricketPlayedLouder #BiggestPartyInSport https://t.co/nDvwibq7Xg