CPL TEAM OF THE WEEK: Who joins Evin Lewis and Imran Tahir?

CHARLIE PETERS identifies the standout displays from the past seven days of Caribbean Premier League action

Evin Lewis (St Kitts and Nevis Patriots)

The opener scored 102 of the Patriots’ total of 160 for 2 against Trinbago Knight Riders in a scintillating performance that led Lewis’ side home and into the semi-finals.

Rajasthan Royals’ new man smashed five fours and 11 sixes on his way to the fifth T20 century of his career, putting him top of the tournament’s sixes table. Only Roston Chase has scored more runs than him in this edition.

Kyle Mayers (Barbados Royals)

Arguably the complete performance from the allrounder, as the Royals knocked off the total of 190 posted by St Lucia Kings at a canter. Mayers took 3 for 39 with the ball, including the key wickets of Rahkeem Cornwall and Tim David, before posting 81 in an unbeaten partnership of 134 with Glenn Phillips.

The Royals spluttered early doors, losing Johnson Charles and Shai Hope in quick succession, and while Mayers may not have been at his most fluent, his presence laid an important foundation for Phillips to build on.

Glenn Phillips (Barbados Royals)

Phillips’ unbeaten 80 came from just 39 balls as he bludgeoned his way through the Kings’ attack. The Kiwi’s stock has been steadily rising of late, and his nine sixes here – moving him into fifth place for the tournament – will further boost his reputation as a dynamic T20 batter.

And while his competition strike rate of 128 is probably lower than he would have hoped for, this match-winning knock struck at over 200 will go some way to compensating for that.

^{Roston Chase has improved markedly as a T20 cricketer in recent times}

Roston Chase (St Lucia Kings)

What a week it’s been for Roston Chase. In the last four games, the allrounder has posted totals of 40, 30 and 56, and taken three wickets for 87 runs. Chase has become a hugely important cog in Kings’ side, demonstrating his worth as an integral part of their middle order, and more than useful spin option.

It’s performances like this that prove his call-up to the West Indies T20 World Cup squad is richly deserved.

Nicholas Pooran (Guyana Amazon Warriors)

The talismanic keeper-batsman’s superb unbeaten 75 was too much for a spluttering Tallawahs side to handle.

There are few finer middle order options in the world of T20 cricket than the 25-year-old, who has been wasted batting down the order earlier in the competition. His move back up to No.5 has paid off for the Amazon Warriors – that’s where he’s going to influence the most games.

Romario Shepherd (Guyana Amazon Warriors)

A swashbuckling unbeaten 72 off just 31 balls, followed by 3 for 31 with the ball, turned Amazon Warriors v Tallawahs into the Romario Shepherd Show. Coming in at No.7, Shepherd salvaged a struggling innings by belting 13 boundaries, including six sixes, at a strike rate of 232.35, before nabbing the key wickets of Andre Russell, Rovman Powell and Imad Wasim.

He wasn’t included in the West Indies squad for the T20 World Cup but, as the CPL’s leading wicket taker, you suspect he’ll get the chance to add to his six caps reasonably soon.

^{Imran Tahir was left out of South Africa's T20 World Cup squad}

Imad Wasim (Jamaica Tallawahs)

The Pakistani allrounder has been in fine form, smashing 27 off 10 against the Kings, before running through their middle order with 3 for 34 from his four overs.

He then added a further three wickets against the Amazon Warriors, bringing his tournament total to nine. Only five bowlers have been more economical than Imad in this CPL edition.

Chris Green (Jamaica Tallawahs)

Green’s off spin isn’t exactly the most aggressive of bowling. But it’s made him one of the more frugal operators in the game, as his consecutive returns of 1 for 17 and 2 for 19 against his former side Amazon Warriors proved.

His 31 off 20 from No.9 threatened to take the Tallawahs close in the second of those two games, and, while it wasn’t quite enough on the day, it was nonetheless an impressive display from the 24-year-old Australian.

Odean Smith (Guyana Amazon Warriors)

At just 24, Odean Smith has so much potential. The third-highest wicket-taker in the 2021 CPL (only Shepherd and the evergreen Ravi Rampaul have more), Smith has had some tournament.

Combined figures of 6 for 41 in back-to-back fixtures against the Tallawahs, along with his 43 off 29 from No.7 against Barbados, make Smith a serious player to watch.

^{Romario Shepherd is the leading wicket-taker in the competition}

Ali Khan (Trinbago Knight Riders)

It’s been a rollercoaster week for the USA international. An electric spell with the new ball saw him rip through the Tallawahs top order to return the quite outstanding figures of 4 for 6, followed by 3 for 19 against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

These displays sandwiched a rather less flattering 1 for 54, also against the Patriots – but such is the volatility of T20 cricket. Knight Riders finished top of the table in no small part thanks to Khan’s efforts.

Imran Tahir (Guyana Amazon Warriors)

Maidens are so rare in T20 that scorecards all but abandoned recording them years ago. So, for Imran Tahir to bowl not just one, but two, in the same game is something really quite special.

The veteran leg-spinner has been outspoken about his disappointment at being omitted from South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad, and there aren’t many better ways of proving your point than taking the astonishing figures of 2 for 0 from two overs. He may be 42, but Tahir still has so much to offer.

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