GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – Title-holders Barbados Tridents have secured the services of Afghan leg-spinning star, Rashid Khan, for their upcoming 2020 Caribbean Premier League campaign while 48-year-old Pravin Tambe is set to become the first Indian to feature in the tournament after being picked up by Trinbago Knight Riders.
The 21-year-old Khan, who has featured for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the past, is one of the rising stars of international cricket, having played four Tests, 71 One-Day Internationals and 48 Twenty20 Internationals.
Significantly, he has already made a huge impact on the T20 format across several leagues, with 296 wickets from 211 matches.
Tridents, who beat Amazon Warriors in last year’s final to lift their second title, have also re-signed England opener Alex Hales and picked up Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis to further strengthen their squad for the August 18 and September 10 campaign.
TKR, champions in successive seasons in 2017 and 2018, have signed Australian Fawad Ahmed, New Zealand wicket keeper Tim Seifert and Zimbabwean batsman Sikandar Raza, along with Tambe.
Having played the last of two first class matches six year ago and without any recent participation in a major T20 league, Tambe was a bizarre choice for TKR, especially considering his age.
Amazon Warriors, meanwhile, who played unbeaten throughout the preliminaries last year before faltering at the final, have included seasoned New Zealander Ross Taylor and Afghan seamer Naveen-ul-Haq for their campaign.
Taylor, who has featured in the past for other franchises in the CPL, brings with him a stellar record of 6 140 runs at an average of 31 from 273 T20s.
Jamaica Tallawahs have placed their hopes in out-of-favour West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite, in order to improve after last season’s flop.
Brathwaite, the hero of the 2016 T20 World Cup final in India, will campaign for the Kingston-based franchise after being released by St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
Along with Nepalese leg spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, South African left arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi and Pakistani batsman Asif Ali all of whom have been signed for the upcoming campaign, Tallawahs will hope to return themselves to their former glory after finishing bottom of the table last season.
Australians Chris Lynn and Ben Dunk, along with New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi and Pakistani seamer Sohail Tanvir, have been signed by Patriots for the new season.
(Caption) Afghan leg-spinner Rashid Khan.