CPL 2021: Former India U19 World Cup-winner Smit Patel to play for Barbados Tridents

Smit Patel has been picked in the squad of Barbados Tridents for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2021 season. The wicketkeeper-batter was part of the India U19 team which won the title under Unmukt Chand’s captaincy in 2012. Smit was brilliant in the finals against Australia and put on an unbeaten partnership of 130 runs with Chand helping his team chase down a steep target of 226 against Australia.

Smit recently played for Baroda in the domestic circuit and featured in the Syed Mushtaq T20 Trophy earlier this year. Previously he also represented Gujarat, Goa, and Tripura and in 28 T20s he also, so far, scored 708 runs.

Then Smit turned his focus to the upcoming CPL and was listed in the Barbados Tridents roaster as a Major League Cricket (MLC) player which also states that now he is a contracted player in the upcoming American cricket league. Smit will be the second Indian player to play in CPL after Praveen Tambe.

Smit Patel looking to make a mark in CPL

Smit has joined the likes of Chris Morris, Thisara Perera, and Mohammad Amir and will look to impress by showing his attacking style of play. West Indies cricketer Shai Hope is the first-choice wicketkeeper for the Tridents and it will be interesting to see if Smit gets a chance in the playing eleven.

By the looks of it, the Tridents have managed to get a good bunch of players and will be looking forward to adding a third title in their trophy cabinet after their wins in the 2014 and 2019 season. Led by former West Indies captain Jason Holder, Tridents had a mediocre 2020 season where they finished second-last.

With few additions of all-rounders and a potent pace bowler in Amir, Tridents can now look to pose a serious threat to teams. The ninth edition of CPL is set to be played from August 28 to September 19. Due to COVID-19, the tournament is scheduled to be played at St Kitts & Nevis and all 33 matches are to be played at Warner Park in a bio-bubble.

In the past four seasons, Trinbago Knight Riders have dominated the league by winning three titles, and will this year they will look for yet another glory under Kieron Pollard.