CPL 2021: Combined XI of the tournament

T20 leagues act as a catalyst to entertainment. The boundaries and sixes ensure that various T20 leagues across the globe never get outdated. A perfect example would be the Caribbean Premier League (CPL)

Like every season, the CPL this time around has ensured that cricket fans get to witness some quality T20 matches. There have been high-scoring matches as well as the low-scoring ones. Not only the seasoned players, but a lot of relatively new faces were at their best as well.

The number of impactful players who won matches for their respective teams were just too high. However, which are those individuals who would make it to a combined playing XI of this edition of the CPL?

In the article, we shall be taking a look at the combined XI of the CPL 2021

1) Evin Lewis

Evin Lewis is unarguably the best batsman WI have right now. There aren’t too many players as destructive as him in this format. Every captain dreams of having an opener as aggressive and fearless as him.

The Windies opener was at his absolute best in this edition as he ended up being the most successful batsman of the tournament. No batsman scored as many runs as him. The opener scored 402 runs in just the 10 games.

His batting average and strike rate in this edition are 52.50 and 164.70 respectively. This includes three fifties as well as a century. Thus, Lewis will be entering the IPL and T20 WC with a lot of confidence.

2) Sunil Narine

Sunil Narine has been one of the most impactful players in the shortest format of the game. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that he is one of the finest T20 players of all time. Narine once again proved the world why people rate him so highly in this format.

The spin all-rounder picked 12 wickets in 10 games. His bowling average and strike rate were 14.58 and 20 respectively. His economy rate was as low as 4.37.

Although he wasn’t at his best with the bat, he did play some handy knocks. He wasn’t given a fixed spot and thus, kept going up and down in the batting order. However, as he has played as a pinch hitter and opener in the past he finds himself opening in this XI.

3) Faf du Plessis

Faf du Plessis is unarguably one of the finest players of this generation. He would definitely be one of the first players who would come to your mind when you hear the word consistency. However, despite not being consistent, he was superb in this edition.

The former Proteas captain scored as many as 277 runs in just nine innings. His batting average and strike rate were 34.62 and 143.52 respectively. He was even third on the list of the highest run-scorers of CPL 2021.

It’s rather unfortunate that an injury stopped him from participating further in the tournament as he looked in decent form. He even scored a century a few games before getting injured. In fact, he scored a sensational 84 in the very match he got injured as well.

4) Roston Chase

One wouldn’t expect someone like a Roston Chase to feature in this XI. However, he was absolutely sensational in the CPL this time around. Despite being labeled as a ‘Test specialist’ he was as good as anyone could get.

The Windies all-rounder scored 403 runs in 11 games. His batting average and strike rate in the tournament are 50.37 and 149.81 respectively. He also happens to be second on the list of the highest run-scorers of CPL 2021.

Last but not the least, he picked seven wickets with the ball too. It is safe to say that he took one and all by surprise. This resulted in him being named in the WI squad for the T20 WC.

5) Nicholas Pooran (WK)

Nicholas Pooran is widely considered as the next big thing in Windies cricket. Despite being inconsistent, the entire world has seen glimpses of his potential. The wicketkeeper was superb in the CPL 2021 as well.

He scored 263 runs in just the 10 innings. The keeper-batsman had a batting average and strike rate of 32.87 and 163.35 respectively. Pooran consistently provided the firepower in the middle order for the Warriors.

It was good to see him get back in touch. It was his 75 against the Tallawahs which showed his confident approach. Ultimately, it was his wicket that triggered a collapse for the Warriors in the semis as his team went on to lose the match.

6) Kieron Pollard (C)

Time doesn’t seem to be working on the Trinidadian as he seems to be aging backwards. To no one’s surprise, Pollard was absolutely sensational in this edition of the CPL as well. A rare case of muscles with brains, the big unit kept hitting the ball out of the park in this season.

The limited-overs skipper of WI will be the captain of the CPL 2021 combined XI as well. He scored 260 runs in 10 games despite batting down the order. His batting average and strike rate were 37.28 and 158.18 respectively.

He nailed the role of a finisher with precision. It gets better when one realizes that he also hit a whopping 20 sixes in this edition of the tournament. He was superb in the semis as well but alas, he couldn’t win it for his side.

7) Tim David

Tim David has proved everybody why he deserved an IPL contract. He looked like a man on a mission in this edition of the CPL. Despite batting in the lower order, he finds himself in the top five run getters of CPL 2021.

The Singaporean cricketer is fourth on the list of the highest run scorers of the tournament. He scored as many as 272 runs in just the 10 innings. His batting average and strike rate are 38.85 and 148.63.

He took his game to another level after getting an IPL contract as he was smashing boundaries and sixes for fun. As a matter of fact, his performance in the semis turned out to be the difference between the two sides as he scored 38 in just the 17 deliveries while playing for the Saint Lucia Kings. The Knight Riders fell short by 21 runs and thus, the Kings moved to the finals.

8) Odean Smith

Odean Smith was arguably one of the best bowling all-rounders of the tournament. He contributed with both, the ball as well as the bat. He had some eye-catching performances which impressed one and all.

The GAW pacer picked 18 wickets in the 11 games. His bowling average and strike rate were 14.88 and 11.8 respectively. The economy rate was on the lower side as well (7.54).

He used his hitting ability to better use as he played some useful cameos in this edition as well. His partnership with Shepherd resulted in GAW reaching the semis. With the way he is performing, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make a comeback to the national side sooner or later.

9) Ravi Rampaul

Fans who have been watching the game for a long time would never forget his name. Ravi Rampaul is one of the better bowlers for the West Indies (WI) in the 21st century. Watching him bowl like before was an absolute treat to cricket fans all over the world.

The veteran picked the most number of wickets in this edition. He picked as many as 19 wickets in just the 10 innings. His bowling average and strike rate was 16.21 and 12.2.

The icing on the cake is the fact that his economy rate was less than 8 (7.96). His exploits in CPL 2021 has earned him a place in the West Indies squad for the T20 World Cup. With the form he showed in this edition, expect him to be at his best during the World Cup as well.

10) Romario Shepherd

Romario Shepherd has been one of the most exciting players to have emerged from the Caribbean islands of late. His height has helped him excel in his skills. The GAW pacer is second on the list of the highest wicket takers of the season.

He picked as many as 18 games in just the nine games. His bowling average and strike rate are 14.11 and 11 respectively. The pacer had an economy rate of 7.69 this season which is more than decent.

Romario picked up more than three wickets on five occasions as well. It gets better when you realise the fact that he can also hit some lusty blows with the bat. He also scored a breathtaking 72* off just 31 balls when his team were 75/7 in a match.

11) Imran Tahir

Imran Tahir is an absolute asset in the shortest format of the game. You wouldn’t find too many match-winners as valuable as him. The Proteas leggie was at his absolute best this time around too.

The spinner picked up 13 wickets in the 11 games in which he played this season. His bowling average and strike rate were 20.69 and 19.38 respectively. He has a miserly economy rate of just the 6.40.

No spinner was able to take more wickets than him in this edition of the league. The Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) benefited from his performance and reached the semis. The Chennai Super Kings fans back in India would be mighty pleased with Tahir’s recent performances in CPL 2021.