Legendary Australian speedster Brett Lee, who became SportsAdda’s brand ambassador last month, has been keenly following the developments ahead of the start of the eighth season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
After the pandemic had halted sporting events across the globe, the six-team T20 extravaganza on the Caribbean islands promises to mark an exciting return for the shortest format of the game at the franchise level.
As we approach the start of the CPL on August 18, Lee shared his insights on who he believes could be the leading wicket-takers in the tournament this year. Much to the surprise of many, Binga went with two spinners as his picks to inflict the most damage on opposition batting line-ups.
Rashid Khan
So often the difference-makers in the high-octane action that T20 cricket serves up, spinners tend to play important roles in the success of their teams. A premier spinner in world cricket today, Rashid Khan has developed into one of the most feared leg-break bowlers currently and is capable of single-handedly turning a contest on its head. The Afghanistan spinner has already shown what he can do in the CPL with the distinction of being the man who took the first-ever hat-trick in the tournament’s history.
That said, his hat-trick for Guyana Amazon Warriors is a thing of the past now and the 21-year-old will be itching to make an impact with Barbados Tridents in the upcoming edition of the CPL. A partnership breaker and go-to man in the team’s hour of need, Rashid has taken a whopping 296 wickets from 211 T20 matches at an average of 17.22 in his still relatively nascent career.
Blessed with several variations, subtle changes of pace and the knack of outthinking batsmen, his economy of 6.30 also speaks volumes about his control and temperament with the ball in hand.
Sunil Narine
A former teammate of Lee during the Aussie legend’s time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunil Narine knows a thing or two about weaving webs around opposition batsmen. Fourth on the list for top wicket-takers in CPL history, Narine, who has previously represented Guyana Amazon Warriors and is currently with Trinbago Knight Riders, will be eager to add to his 72 scalps in the upcoming edition.
He took 14 wickets in the CPL in 2015 as well as 2016 and helped Trinbago to consecutive titles. Narine also happens to boast an economy rate of 5.52 – the best in CPL history – and is considered one of the greatest spin bowlers in the history of T20 cricket with 379 wickets in the format to show for his efforts.
Even if he may not be the mystery spinner he was when he first burst on to the scene, Narine is still a potent option to possess when the team is in desperate need of a wicket.
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Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @CPL
