12 West Indian players who are expected to inflame IPL 2020

By Brandon Corlette

Caribbean players have, over the years, added great impetus to the Indian Premier League (IPL). Most of the Caribbean players who have IPL experience have shown great skill and have appeared to be superior to other players. This year, circumstances are different, with the COVID-19 pandemic presently raging.
The IPL will commence tomorrow (September 19) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and twelve West Indian players will be representing different franchises.
While CPL Director of Operations, Michael Hall, has hailed the recent CPL as a success on the most recent Mason and Guest radio show, he noted that CPL may not be able to match the IPL, but the overseas players always look forward to playing in the CPL.
Dwayne Bravo, already an IPL giant, would again be representing the Chennai Super Kings; while his fellow Trinidadian Kieron Pollard, who has been with the Mumbai Indians, will continue to don the Mumbai blue.
Guyana’s young gun, Sherfane Rutherford, will also be representing the Mumbai Indians; while Keemo Paul and Shimron Hetmyer will be representing the Delhi Capitals.

Fabian Allen will play for the Sunrisers Hyderbad, while paceman Oshane Thomas is again with the Rajasthan Royals.
‘Big’ Jamaicans Chris Gayle and Sheldon Cottrell, and Trinidadian maestro Nicholas Pooran are with the Kings XI Punjab; while the mesmeric Sunil Narine and ‘the Superman’ Andre Russell are representing the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Chris Gayle
Chris Gayle is a living legend in T20 cricket. His record speaks for itself. In the IPL, Gayle played 125 matches and scored 4484 runs at an average of 41.14. With a brilliant strike rate of 151.03, Gayle has six centuries and 28 fifties in the IPL, and his wealth of experience will add finesse to the Kings XI Punjab team. Widely regarded as ‘The Universe Boss’, Gayle has 326 sixes in the IPL.

Nicholas Pooran
Fresh from a century in the Hero Caribbean Premier League, Nicholas Pooran’s batting style will certainly give him props in the IPL. He played seven IPL matches and has a high-score of 48, but the experience gained from his maiden IPL will stand him in good stead.
Pooran is a rejuvenated player, and is expected to play a more vital role for the Kings XI Punjab in this 2020 IPL.

Dwayne Bravo
‘The Champion’ Dwayne Bravo played 134 IPL matches and has taken 147 wickets. Over the years, Bravo has played an essential role for Chennai Super Kings. His skill at the death overs has been seen year after year, and Ms Dhoni continues to put all faith in Bravo’s skill.
Bravo has a best bowling figure of 4-22, an average of 24.61, and an economy rate of 8.4. In addition to his prowess with the ball, Bravo has 1483 runs, with five IPL fifties.

Kieron Pollard
Kieron Pollard has played 148 IPL matches, and has been a great servant to the Mumbai Indians, the most successful franchise in IPL history, their having won four titles.
Pollard has 2755 runs, and has 14 fifties in the IPL at a strike rate of 146.78. He is also a handy bowler, with 56 wickets in the IPL, and his confidence from winning a CPL and “the man of the tournament” accolade recently will boost his performance in the 2020 IPL.

Sunil Narine
Sunil Narine began his IPL career as a spin wizard, having played 110 matches. Now one of the most successful bowlers in the history of IPL, Narine has 122 wickets at a brilliant economy rate of 6.68, and a best bowling figure of 5-19.
Narine recently played the role of opening batsman, and bashed the ball all over the park.

Andre Russell
Whenever Andre Russell hits the ball, it travels to a great distance. he bowls at speeds of 140kph and takes stunning catches. Russell, ‘the Superman’, has the experience of participating in 64 IPL matches, in which he has scored 1400 runs at a supreme strike rate of 186.42.
Russell has also taken 55 wickets, and his presence in the KKR will be “of great significance”.

Shimron Hetmyer
Guyana’s very own Shimron Hetmyer took the IPL by storm at the auctions. While having a high price alongside his name, Hetmyer failed to score runs in his maiden season.
However, that experience will put him in a better position for the 2020 season, in which he is representing the Delhi Capitals. In 2019, Hetmyer played five matches in the IPL and scored 90 runs, including a 75 in his final innings for the RCB.
The Capitals will be expecting more from Hetmyer, who has shown some form in the recent CPL.

Keemo Paul
Guyanese Keemo Paul is with the Capitals for another season, and will be aiming to expand his skill-set and add more to his game. In 2019, he played eight matches and took nine wickets at an economy rate of 8.72.
Paul performed better than his Guyanese team mates in his maiden season; and of recent, he has shown a high level of skill with the ball.
Given an opportunity, Paul will be aiming to play an important role for the Capitals.