“We are going to bring the trophy home for you guys, definitely” – Keemo Paul

By Timothy Jaikarran

Keemo Paul, unlike most of the other players, rose to fame when he attempted a Mankad in a must-win game against Zimbabwe in the under-19 World Cup 2016 which helped his team progress to the next round and eventually win the tournament.

He has gone on to play over 30 games for the West Indies across all three formats. His 5/15 against Bangladesh in 2018 is the best T20-International figures for a West Indian bowler in T20Is. This will be the fourth CPL season for the 22-year-old, who has been with Guyana so far.
Paul, just like many, is forced to take necessary precaution as he is currently in Trinidad in a biosecure environment awaiting the commencement of the Hero CPL T20 tournament on August 18, 2020. All CPL matches are being played in Trinidad because of the novel coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic.
This pandemic has wreaked havoc all over the world, forcing the cancellation of multiple sporting disciplines. Nevertheless, with the correct protocols, the Government of Trinidad and Heads of CPL met and came to an agreement.
The 22-year-old Paul has played a total of 24 matches for the Amazon Warriors, his best season was in 2019 with both bat and ball as while he only scored 98 runs, it was at an exceptional average of 32.7 and a strike rate of 142. With the ball as he is most known for, he bagged 11 wickets at an average of 27.6 and best bowling figures of 3/34.
When the Sunday Times Magazine caught up with Paul he was confined to his hotel room, but nevertheless shared great optimism as he was confident the Warriors would take the trophy this year.
“We are just trying to maintain a positive frame of mind and workout as much as possible and have a lot of fun. In terms of workout, they have sent us bands so we can do our normal pushups, pullups and abdominals so as to substitute for on-field workout. I mean it is not the same as running but we are doing the best we can,” he said.
When asked what was one goal he would like to accomplish with the Amazon Warriors, Paul related that he would like to boost his all-round abilities and help take his team over the line.
“That’s something I have been working on for the longest while, I personally want to improve my game with bat, ball and even my fielding. I just want to be up there. I want to be a top-class, all-rounder, I want to be able to win much more games and take the Amazon Warriors over the line.”
The all-rounder also noted that while crowds do play an important role in the game, the lack of crowds will not be a mental block for him. He believes it will help him to focus more on his game and bond better with his teammates. He related that he is aware that millions will be tuned in and he intends to put his best foot forward when representing the Warriors franchise.
Paul directed a message to the Amazon Warriors fans which said, “I just want to tell you guys to continue to support us. You have been supporting us for the past five years and you have been doing a wonderful job. So, just keep supporting us and we are going to bring the trophy home for you guys, definitely!”
Keemo has been in and out of the Windies team since he made his debut. He has been identified as one of the talented fast-bowlers around but soon needs to convert his potential into consistent performance to become a regular feature in the Test as well as ODI team.
He made his List A debut on January 16, 2015, in the 2014-15 Regional Super50 tournament.
In December 2015, Paul was named in the West Indies squad for the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. During the tournament, Paul attracted some controversy when he Mankaded a batsman in the last over of the final group match between the West Indies and Zimbabwe. The West Indies won the match and consequently finished second in their group, qualifying for the quarter-finals and eventually going on to win the tournament. He took 7 wickets throughout the competition, including 2 in the final against India, as well as averaging more than 40 with the bat for the tournament.
He made his first-class debut for Guyana in the 2016-17 Regional Four Day Competition on March 18, 2017. He made his Twenty20 debut for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the 2017 Caribbean Premier League on August 5, 2017. In October 2017, he scored his maiden century in first-class cricket, batting for Guyana against Jamaica in the 2017-18 Regional Four Day Competition.
In June 2018, he was named the Emerging Cricketer of the Year at the annual Cricket West Indies Awards. In October 2018, Cricket West Indies (CWI) awarded him a development contract for the 2018-19 season.
In December 2018, he was bought by the Delhi Capitals in the player auction for the 2019 Indian Premier League. In June 2019, he was selected to play for the Montreal Tigers franchise team in the 2019 Global T20 Canada tournament. In July 2020, he was named in the Guyana Amazon Warriors squad for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League.