IPL 2020: 3 West Indies players you might not know once played in the tournament
West Indies has emerged as a powerhouse in the shortest format of the game. The Caribbean team is the only side to win multiple ICC T20 World Cups, which highlights their dominance.
Players like Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, and Andre Russell have become T20 specialists, and franchises from all parts of the world want these Caribbean stars in their squad. The specialty of the West Indian players is their ability to hit the ball hard from the word 'go'.
Gayle holds the record for the fastest Indian Premier League (IPL) century, while Russell has helped Kolkata Knight Riders win many matches with his power-hitting. Even Narine has transformed from a mystery spinner to a valuable all-rounder.
While most of the Caribbean players are incredibly popular in India because of the IPL, here's a look at three West Indian stars who were once a part of the IPL but did not gain much attention.
3. Ramnaresh Sarwan
Former West Indies top-order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan made his IPL debut as a part of the Kings XI Punjab team in 2008. The right-handed batsman earned a place in the playing XI four times, but he could not achieve much success.
Sarwan scored 73 runs in four innings at an average of 18.25, but his below-par strike rate of 97.33 led to his exit. The former Guyana Amazon Warriors skipper played his best knock of 31 runs against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
2. Fidel Edwards
38-year-old right-arm fast bowler Fidel Edwards became a part of the Deccan Chargers squad in 2009 after the team had a dismal season in 2008. The conditions in South Africa suited Edwards' bowling style as he scalped five wickets in six games for the Adam Gilchrist-led franchise.
Edwards even bowled a maiden over in that season. He made his debut against Kolkata Knight Riders at Newlands, while he played his last game versus Rajasthan Royals at St. George's Park.
His best performance came against the Mumbai Indians as he gave away only 25 runs in his spell and also picked up the wickets of Abhishek Nayar and DJ Bravo. Edwards represented the Deccan Chargers in the Champions League T20 competition but did not play an IPL match after 2009.
1. Adrian Barath
Adrian Barath is another top-order West Indian batsman who played a single season for Kings XI Punjab. The right-handed batsman was a part of the Mohali-based franchise in IPL 2010.
Barath played three matches in that season, amassing 42 runs at a strike rate of 100. He played his most significant knock against the Mumbai Indians, where he scored 33 runs off 27 deliveries. Barath's contribution at the top helped Punjab defeat Mumbai by six wickets.
After Punjab released him before the mega auction, the 30-year-old batsman has not been able to earn a bid from an IPL franchise till date.