CPL 2020: 5 foreigner debutants to watch out for

The eighth season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will begin on August 18th, with the encounter between the three-time champions Trinbago Knight Riders and Guyana Amazon Warriors in Tarouba.

The Caribbean Premier League has been one of the most enjoyable cricket events since its start in 2013. It has given a chance to many Caribbean and overseas players and every season, we witness talented foreigners- both capped and uncapped.

Last season, the English left-arm seamer Harry Gurney made his CPL debut for the Barbados Tridents, and his exceptional performances made the franchise retain him. The Australian all-rounder Chris Green impressed with his bowling and captaincy skills and Antiguan spinner Hayden Walsh, who represented the United States of America before CPL 2019, has been exceptional.

Walsh was the first associate cricketer to be awarded the Player of the Tournament Award in that season and he holds the record for most wickets by an associate bowler in a single edition.

This year, the franchises bought many overseas players at a hefty amount in the auction, and it will be interesting to see how they recompense their teams.

Let us take a look at the top 5 overseas cricketers making their debut in CPL 2020.

---

#1 Sikandar Raza (Trinbago Knight Riders)

Sikandar Raza will make his debut for the Trinbago Knight Riders.

Sikandar Raza will be the first Zimbabwean cricketer to make his CPL debut this year. Hailing from Sialkot, Pakistan, he relocated to Zimbabwe in 2001. Raza became one of the best all-rounders for his national team and caught the eye of multiple franchises because of his performances in a number of T20 leagues.

The Trinbago Knight Riders have qualified for the playoffs every season and have won the CPL thrice. They will looking to win the trophy for the fifth time this season and the franchise will be enhanced by Raza's inclusion in the squad.

#2 Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Jamaica Tallawahs)

Afghan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman will play for Jamaican Tallawahs in CPL 2020.

Afghan spin wizard Mujeeb Ur Rahman will be joining the Tallawahs as the replacement of Proteas spinner Tabraiz Shamsi as the latter failed to make his travel arrangements in time. The carrom ball specialist will be making his CPL debut for Jamaican Tallawahs this season.

Rahman has been an easy pick for teams across various T20 leagues. He has been an impressive player for Afghanistan since his debut and has never disappointed the teams he played for.

The two-time CPL winners Jamaican Tallawahs failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in CPL history in the 2019 edition and they will be looking to win the tournament for the third time in this season. With Mujeeb's potential to pick crucial wickets, his addition to the squad will prove to be beneficial to the Tallawahs, and if he is at his best form, he will surely win games for his team. Rahman will be playing in a Caribbean country for the first time, so it will be exciting to see how he marks his debut in these conditions.

#3 Ben Dunk (St Kitts & Nevis Patriots)

Ben Dunk who played for Lahore Qalandars in PSL 2020 will be playing for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in CPL 2020

Australian wicket-keeper Ben Dunk will be making his CPL debut for the Patriots this season. He has been a consistent player in the Big Bash League and has played in various T20 leagues across the globe.

Hailing from Queensland, Dunk was part of the Lahore Qalandars squad in the PSL 2020 and proved to be a standout player in the tournament. He is the third-highest scorer in the tournament till now (as the league was suspended midway due to COVID-19). Dunk's exceptional performances earned him a CPL contract and it will be interesting to see how plays in the Caribbean for the first time.

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots have failed to qualify for the finals in the the past and will aim to be more competitive this time. The inclusion of Ben Dunk in the squad can beef up the middle order as he can score crucial runs for the team.

#4 Tim Seifert (Trinbago Knight Riders)

Tim Seifert will be playing for Trinbago Knight Riders this edition.

Kiwi T20I wicket-keeper Tim Seifert will be playing in an overseas league for the first time in his T20 career. He has played 3 ODIs and 24 T20Is in his international career.

Seifert started his international career as a middle-order batsman and is now a top-order batsman for New Zealand. He is also one of the top wicketkeeper-batsmen in the Super Smash T20.

Seifert will start his CPL career with Trinbago Knight Riders, and he will be a player to watch out for in this tournament. His consistent performances for Northern Knights and New Zealand earned him his first overseas T20 contract for the Knight Riders.

Since, Dinesh Ramdin, who was an integral part of Trinbago Knight Riders as a wicketkeeper-batsman is no longer a part of the squad, there is a huge void to be filled. Tim Seifert is a suitable replacement for him as a wicket-keeper in the franchise. His inclusion in the squad can improve the top order and he can get them a good start.

#5 Nick Kelly (St Kitts & Nevis Patriots)

Left-handed batsman Nick Kelly will be playing for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in this edition.

Australian-born Kiwi batsman Nick Kelly will be joining the Patriots as the replacement of the Proteas batsman Rassie van der Dussen as the latter failed to make travel arrangements in time. Kelly is yet to make an international debut for New Zealand.

The left-handed batsman was the third-highest scorer of the Super Smash T20 2019-20 edition and his performance earned him a contract from Otago for the 2020-21 domestic season. It also earned him his first overseas T20 contract for the Patriots.

Kelly will be looking to continue his form from Super Smash T20 in the CPL as well and he will be among the uncapped overseas players to watch out for in this tournament. An explosive top-order batsman, Kelly can be used as a replacement if any of the leading players get injured. If he continues to prove his worth in the XI, then he might get to play the whole tournament.