5 All-rounders to watch out for in CPL 2016

The fourth season of one of the most celebrated T20 leagues of the world, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), is about to get underway. The last season saw an exhibition of some very closely fought matches and it was the Trinbago Knight Riders who emerged on top eventually. The credits largely went to their all-rounder Dwayne Bravo. All-rounders have a key role to play in the shortest format of the game. They often turn the tables when specialists fail on occasions. The CPL is full of players who have it in them to turn the match on its head in the matter of a few overs. With the way T20 cricket is shaping up, the balance is gradually shifting heavier towards the all-rounders as they are the proving to be the trump cards. Here are the top 5 all rounders to watch out for in CPL 2016: 1. Dwayne Bravo –Trinbago Knight Riders: Dwayne Bravo. (Photo by Ashley Allen/LatinContent/Getty Images) Trinbago Knight Riders were down and out in the last season of the CPL. It was the herculean effort of their skipper Dwayne Bravo that saw them win under miraculous circumstances as they won three knockout games on the trot to lift the title. Throughout the tournament, it was Bravo who led from the front. He emerged as the leading wicket-taker last season with 28 wickets to his name in 13 matches at an economy of 7.34 and a best of 5/23. Bravo recently represented the Gujarat Lions in the IPL this year and was the leading wicket-taker for his franchise. After being out of the national set-up, he surely will have a big agenda in mind to perform and make a statement. Also check out – 5 Young spinners to watch out for in CPL 2016 2. Shane Watson – St. Lucia Zouks: Shane Watson. (Photo by Pal Pillai/IDI via Getty Images) The Australian all-rounder, Shane Watson, retired from international cricket recently but he showed he can still be lethal in any team lineup with his all-round abilities. In the recently concluded IPL, Watson was the leading pace bowler for his franchise and displayed his prowess in the middle order with a couple of handy cameos for his team. Watson was the 3rd leading wicket-taker in the IPL this year with 20 wickets to his name at an impressive strike rate of 16.95. Being one of the senior members of the St. Lucia Zouks, he will be expected to fire on all cylinders this season and take his team to the title. 3. Kieron Pollard – Barbados Tridents: Kieron Pollard of Barbados Tridents. (Photo by Randy Brooks/LatinContent/Getty Images) Kieron Pollard has been in tremendous form in recent times and was one of the top performers in the ODI tri-series that involved West Indies, Australia and South Africa. With a couple of half centuries to his name in the series, he looked set in the middle order. Coming to the T20s, he would like to continue his form forward. In the IPL too, he hit a 17-ball half-century for his team, Mumbai Indians. With the ball, Pollard is a wily customer to deal with. With his leg cutter and slower ones on the tricky surfaces of Caribbean, he will be one heck of a bowler to deal with. His stats from the CPL 2015 are equally impressive. Polly was the leading wicket-taker for Barbados Tridents and the 4th highest overall, with 14 wickets to his name in 11 matches. Also check out – 10 Overseas players to watch out for in CPL 2016 4. Carlos Brathwaite – St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots: Carlos Brathwaite. (Photo by Jan Kruger-IDI/IDI via Getty Images) One of the young sensations of West Indies cricket setup, Carlos Brathwaite has made a giant impression for himself in a very short span of time. Ever since his heroics in the finals of ICC World T20 earlier this year, when he clobbered 4 sixes in the final over to help West Indies win the World Cup, there has been no looking back for the youngster. In the IPL too, he was highly impressive in the limited opportunities he got. He bagged 7 wickets in 8 games and often was a partnership breaker. With the bat, he looks to be the new six-hitting machine. In one of the IPL games, he smashed 34 runs in just 11 balls to stamp his authority. Surely, this all-rounder has great potential. 5. Shakib Al Hasan – Jamaica Tallawahs: Shakib Al Hasan. (Photo by Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images) The Bangladeshi all-rounder, Shakib Al Hasan, will have a point to prove in the CPL 2016. Having underperformed in the recent times for Bangladesh in the ICC World T20 earlier this year and then following it up with an average IPL outing, Shakib will be hoping to make amends in the Caribbean islands. He is undoubtedly one of the best all-rounders in the modern day cricket and don’t be surprised if he pulls off a few victories for his team, the Jamaica Tallawahs, this season. The unpredictable nature of his game, both with the bat and the ball, makes Shakib one of the top 5 all-rounders to watch out for in this edition of the CPL. Also read – CPL 2016: Preview of all the 6 teams

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5 All-rounders to watch out for in CPL 2016

2. Shane Watson – St. Lucia Zouks:

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