Caribbean Premier league (CPL) is among the top 3 T20 leagues in the world at the moment, giving stiff competition to the money-spinning leagues like the IPL and the Big Bash. Every year, we get to see some dashing performers in the tournament and this year was no different.
The Guyana Amazon Warriors, statistically, was the most successful team of the CPL 2019 as they won 11 games in a row, but it was the Barbados Tridents who rose to the occasion in the final and lifted the trophy even though they were not as consistent through the tournament as the Warriors.
Not just the Warriors and the Tridents, but there were many players from the other CPL teams as well who put on sparkling performances this year and presented a case for themselves to earn big contracts in the IPL 2020 auction which will take place on the 19th of December.
Here are the 3 players from CPL 2019 who might fetch big contracts in the IPL 2020 auctions –
#1 Rahkeem Cornwall
Rahkeem Cornwall mostly remains in the headlines for his gigantic and intimidating body, but the man, apart from his physical presence, has got some skills to go with it.
Cornwall’s batting approach in the powerplay makes him a highly valuable player in T20 cricket. He generally opens the batting in the shortest format and goes after the bowlers from ball one without wasting any time whatsoever.
Along with the muscle power, the 26-year old has also got the gift of timing and when he is on song, no ground in the world is big enough for him.
Cornwall scored 254 runs in the 10 matches that he played in CPL 2019 at an average of 25.40, but, it’s his strike rate which was the real deal. He struck it at the rate of 190.97 per 100 balls.
Cornwall is the kind of player who can make a match-winning impact for a team in the powerplay itself. Since, he bowls a bit of handy off spin as well, he is a total all-round prospect.
It shouldn’t be surprising if there is a bidding war for Cornwall in the IPL 2020 auction.
#2 Hayden Walsh Junior
West Indies had all their bases covered in T20 cricket in the recent times, but what they were lacking was a quality wrist spinner. They gave Devendra Bishoo a long rope, but he’s more of a red ball spinner and couldn’t impress that much in white ball cricket.
The CPL 2019 threw a new wrist spinning option to West Indies cricket and it was Hayden Walsh Junior. The 27-year old Barbados-born cricketer, who has already represented the USA national cricket team, bowled like a man-possessed in the tournament.
Walsh’s ability to read the batsman is his biggest strength. He has got a good slider up his sleeve, along with the stock leg spinning delivery, but, the way he watches the batsmen till the very last moment and changes his line accordingly is what makes him a wily customer.
Walsh finished CPL 2019 as the highest wicket-taker of the tournament as he grabbed 22 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 12.68. It led to Walsh’s selection in the West Indies national T20I squad for the upcoming series against Afghanistan.
Walsh is likely to attract interests from quite a few franchises in the IPL 2020 auction.
#3 Brandon King
He doesn’t care who is bowling, does he? He just whacks it. The 24-year old Brandon King was always seen as a special talent right since the time he burst onto the scene in junior cricket, but it’s now that he is well and truly starting to come into his own.
The CPL 2019 saw King take his game to another level as he scored close to 500 runs in the tournament at an average of over 55 and a strike rate of 148.94.
King scored 132 in a playoff game against the Barbados Tridents which is the highest score of any batsman in the history of the CPL. He hit a total of 11 sixes during that innings.
King has got all the qualities required in a T20 opener, from the temperament to the approach to the skills and power. He might go for big money in the IPL 2020 auction.