WI brigade in IPL: what makes the Caribbean magic work in T20

The game grabbed attention through the Twenty20 format and became phenomenally popular after India won the T20 World Cup in 2007. Following this, 2008 brought the inception of one of the globally celebrated leagues, the Indian Premier League. It caught the attention of the many star players across the globe.  

 

Caribbean flavor in Indian Premier League

Ever since the tournament took shape, the Caribbean flavor has been ever-present in the tournament. West Indies’ players have always dominated the proceedings and won the hearts of millions of cricket fans. Many Caribbean players have engraved their names in the history of this league with their performance and proved their worth. 

For the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League, 34 of 220 overseas players who registered themselves for the league were from the West Indies. Out of 34, fourteen players were picked up in mega-auctions who joined three retained players, namely, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, and Andre Russell. With a 50-per cent selection rate, it made West Indies one of the largest non-Indian contingents of players to play in the league. Australia and England stand second with 13 players each. The total price paid by the franchises for 17 West Indies players is USD 10,855 million, Kieron Pollard being the most expensive.

Cricket leagues are nothing without Caribbean power.

Every franchise has a West Indies player in their squad, with Lucknow Super Giants having three of them. Cricket West Indies president Ricky Skerritt congratulated their players, “I want to congratulate all of the West Indies players who have secured contracts to the various franchises in the IPL, the biggest and most lucrative global T20 franchise tournament. But I especially want to applaud those younger players who received their first full IPL contracts. This shows great faith in emerging West Indies talent. I believe that our players can seek quality employment abroad and still be positioned to operate constructively and successfully within the West Indies cricket system.”

No T20 league in the world is complete without Caribbean players, who are among the most active players in IPL and across all the T20 leagues around the globe. The Caribbean power-hitters are the hottest buys for any franchise from any league as they bring unparalleled success and entertainment to their fans.

Caribbeans are the superpower in Cricket Leagues.

The Caribbeans have all-rounding capabilities. They have as much power in the bowling arm as their batting muscles flexed. The players are very capable of getting their team to victory single-handed. For instance, Andre Russell’s match-winning 71 runs in 31 balls from yesterday’s match of Kolkata Knight Riders against Punjab Kings or the previously record-breaking performance of Chris Gayle for Royal Challengers Bangalore, he scored 175 to remain not out in 20 overs, both shows the utter dominance by the WIs players. In bowling, too, Dwayne Bravo surpassed Lasith Malinga to become the highest wicket-taker in the tournament.

West Indies players own the tournament as their own and deliver scintillating performances. The calypso beats have been at the forefront of entertainment provided by the Indian Premier League thus far. They hold a massive place in fans' hearts for their immense contribution to the team’s success over the years. They possess a skill set of hitting mighty sixes from middle to death overs. Apart from this, West Indies players have always made themselves available for the tournament, unlike many other overseas players who withdraw after being picked in auctions.

Ultimately, the reason that West Indians are so in demand in the IPL is a simple one. Good players with in-demand skill sets are available to play from the beginning to the end of the tournament. An asset that every franchise loves to have.