CPL’s influence on West Indian players’ growth: Young credits CPL emerging players’ system for career growth

By Brandon Corlette

The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is known for hosting “the biggest party in sport”, but it is also known for showcasing the talents of the Caribbean. Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran and Keemo Paul, among other players, have used the CPL as a launching pad to propel themselves to opportunities around the globe.

Nyeem Young, a 21-year-old all-rounder, has been retained by the Barbados Royals for CPL 2022, having already shown his potential at the CPL in the past two years as an emerging player. This youngster credits the CPL for his growth as a cricketer, and has described the opportunities given to emerging players as priceless.
Young played six matches in CPL 2021, and claimed eight wickets at a brilliant average of 17.50 and a decent economy rate of 9 (given his death-over bowling), along with a solid strike-rate of 11. Quizzed by this daily publication about the role CPL played in his journey, the fast-bowling all-rounder said: “I think CPL is an amazing tournament. Having two emerging players in the squad that has to play five games between themselves brings a lot of opportunities within the CPL. Me, as a player, when I first played back in 2020, it was a very exciting time; and it brings a lot of pressure, knowing that you can get a game at some point, and you’re not just going to be there for the whole tournament.
“Having that mindset – that you will have an opportunity at some point, but it is just when – (prepares) your mind to go out there and perform. I think (that) in the Barbados group, I earned a lot of respect in tough phases, because Barbados team had a lot of tough phases that I played; and for me to be thrown in those phases was a challenge, and I really stepped up and I enjoyed it.
“I learnt a lot in the Barbados group, so that is amazing to me,” Young said.
In a CPL release regarding the Emerging Players system, Jimmy Adams, CWI Director of Cricket, said the CPL allows CWI to identify the best young talents, and provides them with a programme that would hasten their progression to the professional game. That programme has played significant roles in many young Caribbean players’ careers.
Young is currently in Antigua with the West Indies white-ball camp, and he is the youngest player in the training squad. He will turn out for the Royals when CPL bowls off on August 30.
LIST OF PLAYERS AT THE CAMP: Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Shai Hope, Brandon King, Kjorn Ottley, Keemo Paul, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer, Nial Smith, Devon Thomas and Nyeem Young.